Have you ever dreamed of being in the NBA? Well, the next best thing might be playing overseas in pro basketball leagues like those in Europe and Asia, where games are played at a high level and the competition can be pretty intense. Even if you don’t make it to the pros in one of these countries, you can still become a better player by picking up some invaluable skills and knowledge from your overseas experiences.
The best 3 point shooting tips from overseas basketball
It’s easy to assume that the best way to play basketball is the same everywhere, but overseas pro hoops is slightly different. The three point line is slightly closer and there are fewer players, making things much more physical. You can pick up a lot of shooting tips just by watching elite shooters overseas. In an interview, Utah Jazz star and former Moscow resident Aleksei Lishchuk said he learned how to shoot from guys like Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic in Serbia. Their main thing was shooting, he told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard in 2008. Basketball is the same everywhere but the way it’s played is slightly different. To develop a consistent, accurate jump shot you need to practice a lot; drill and repetition are key!
Train your footwork
You can be a shooter but, without having good footwork, you’ll never shoot the ball! Keep your head up and your feet in motion as you set up, take a step with one foot, pivot to face the basket again, extend the ball to shoot it on the move (without bringing it back too far behind you) and then roll off of your back foot and into a shot. How many times have you seen a player miss from three because he stepped forward with his pivot foot? I’m going to guess the answer is too many. But good footwork will help ensure that doesn’t happen. This is just one example; all of your basic shooting mechanics are dependent on good form. Work on them daily!
Practice different shots
The best shooters are always prepared to shoot from any spot on the basketball court. When you look at some of the greatest shooters in the game, players like Ray Allen and Steph Curry, they make it look easy because they practice shooting from anywhere on the court. Practice is important for developing good shot mechanics. Developing a consistent form and your ability to shoot from anywhere is crucial for building the muscle memory that’s required to become an elite shooter. As a general rule, working on your three-point shot during every practice session will help make sure you’re not overlooking one of the most critical aspects of playing successful basketball overseas: having a good shot.
Use drills to practice everything
Kobe Bryant worked on his game until his last season, the best shooters are shooting! The only real way to get better at shooting three pointers is by practicing. It’s a lot like a quarterback throwing in the rain and snow, or on a muddy field. If you want to get better at basketball, you have to shoot a lot of basketballs. You have to make your own rain or mud and go out there and practice like there’s no tomorrow. Kobe’s constant work ethic has certainly rubbed off on many young players in the league, even 20 years after he made his NBA debut (and you thought pro athletes peak early).
Give yourself space
It’s the most basic of basketball fundamentals, but the most important. Understanding your spacing on the court is absolutely critical to your development as a shooter and an athlete. Often, one of the biggest hurdles for young players is that they don’t know when to pick spots and catch rthym. If you feel rushed or are looking around while you’re shooting, chances are that your shot will suffer. You might get lucky once or twice, but over time those shots will fall to the wayside because you won’t be able to keep a steady rhythm. The solution?
Experiment with your shot
Almost every professional basketball player is a great shooter, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work on their shot constantly. When it comes to three-point shooting, maintaining consistency means a lot more than just getting shots up—it also means working on your shot over and over and over again to find what’s comfortable for you. Lots of players will experiment with different release points, follow throughs, heights off of their feet and more. Though it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what makes you shoot well, tweaking is one way to increase your chances of being consistent.
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one-stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
If you want to level up your shooting accuracy, we got you. We created the 6ixShooter Academy. A one-stop basketball training program to help elevate your game and become an unstoppable shooter with coach Seth McCoy a.k.a 6ixShooter. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
