7 Ways To Shooting More Wide Open Shots
With the game on the line, sometimes you need to shoot wide open, meaning that you’re not trying to force anything; instead, you just let the shot go and trust that it will find the basket. However, shooting accuracy can be hard to achieve when you don’t have much time or space to release your shot without being contested by a defender. Here are seven ways to improve your shooting accuracy and boost your shooting IQ so that you can get those wide open shots when they need to happen most.
1) Shoot more often
If you want to become a good shooter, you have to take shots. A lot of shots. Some will be good and some won’t, but shooting a lot is simply how you get better. This means putting in extra time at home or after practice getting up those shots that might not be as pretty as others. Every player has those bad shots they would rather take over a normal shot; they just have to learn when and where it’s OK to take them.
2) Have a vision
Whether you’re a righty or a lefty, visualizing your shots should be second nature to every good shooter. Put simply, it doesn’t matter what kind of open shots you shoot; they all benefit from good visualization. Research has proven that good shooters visualize their shots on a regular basis and apply specific practices that set them apart from other players who may have more talent than them but haven’t made it in professional basketball because they don’t have mental toughness. As with any tool, visualization only works if you actually use it.
3) Target specifics
These shots are crucial to offenses, especially in the half court. If a team has any chance of running an efficient offense, they need open shooters on the floor at all times. But to get wide open shots you have to earn them. Use these tactics to get yourself more open looks and take your game to the next level. Good luck out there!
4) Get good conditions
When you have a defender crowding you, it’s tempting to force up a shot or try to create contact. In reality, forcing up a shot is no way to score—even if you end up drawing fouls and getting to shoot free throws. Ideally, when a defender crowds you, you should look for a way out of that situation—basically doing anything but taking an ill-advised shot. This can mean doing things like picking up your dribble and looking for better spacing (like crossing over into open space), swinging or giving it back if there’s someone else in better position (again, waiting for space to open up), or even passing it back if it means resetting yourself in prime position with more time on the clock.
5) Practice, practice, practice!
Studies have shown that shooting can be improved by more than 500% when a player practices more than 25 hours over the course of a month. Yet, most people only practice for an hour or two each week. So, to become a great shooter you have to practice on and off the court. The best way to do that is setting a goal for yourself and finding time to work on your game after work and before going to bed each night. When setting a goal for yourself make sure it’s not too easy; otherwise you’ll quickly become bored and stop practicing altogether. Shoot 1000 shots from just outside the paint with both hands after work every night and watch how quickly your jump shot improves!
6) Work on your technical skills
Shooting iq, shooting accuracy. The best shooters are always working on their fundamentals, and that’s because great shooting is all about details. Working on specific techniques will help you get open and knock down those shots. If your shot is off from time to time, follow these tips for a wider array of possibilities: 1. Pull-up 3s can be very effective if done properly, especially for taller players as it gives them room to elevate over their defenders. 2. When driving with a smaller player against a bigger defender, drive hard at him and draw him away from his post on your side of the court so that it leaves you wide open for an uncontested jumper or layup along with giving more room to drive closer to baseline 3.
6.1) Try out all kinds of equipment
Basketball players are creative. They find what they can to better their shot. If a shoe salesman comes up with a new shoe that’s supposed to help your game, you better believe all of your teammates are going to try it on to see if it will work for them too. One small way a player can make their shot more consistent is by making sure they always shoot from two feet, which improves consistency and shooting accuracy. Here’s an excerpt from an excellent piece on how to increase your shooting iq (an essential component of basketball). Increasing your shooting IQ doesn’t mean working on jump shots, either; you’ll want to become proficient at layups as well—because layups score more than any other kind of play in basketball.
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
