Stephen Curry is an NBA superstar who dominates his opponents on the court. In 2016, he won the league MVP and helped lead the Golden State Warriors to their second NBA championship in three years. Perhaps most impressively, he was able to do this despite being one of the worst three-point shooters ever at the start of his career! How did he do it? Here’s how Stephen Curry’s secret from shooting long range shots can help you improve your game on any court, whether you play in a back yard or at Madison Square Garden.
Step 1: Embrace Your Talent
Rather than spend a ton of time focusing on your weaknesses, try to understand what you’re good at and dive deeper into it. Stephen Curry has tremendous shooting range, but that doesn’t mean he puts in all his practice time perfecting jump shots from 30 feet. Rather, he focuses on how to shoot from 30 feet even better than he does from 3 feet away. His secret? He works a lot of deep shooting—shooting off-balance shots and unguarded shots—because doing so helps him feel comfortable taking deep shots when defenders are guarding him closer.
Step 2: Work Hard Every Day
Working on your game everyday is an important part of being a better shooter. There are a few things you can do to improve your shot and shoot long range shots better such as getting to a shooting range early in the morning to get yourself ready for an evening game or spending time after practice working on your jump shots, three pointers, and free throws. Stephen curry is famous for his deep shooting range however he makes sure that he practices everyday even if it’s just 15 minutes before his kids wake up from their nap. Working hard every day will make sure you’re always on top of your game no matter how hard you play at practice. This will let you work through injuries more easily when they come because all those hours before practice help keep injuries away.
Step 3: Practice Proper Form
On the surface, Stephen Curry is a phenomenal shooter. Not only can he hit shots from long distance but he does it with incredible consistency. While it takes time and practice to get there, developing proper form will help you become a better shooter. Focus on your footwork and staying balanced when taking a shot, then follow through with your shot so that you know exactly where the ball is going to go. Follow the proper mechanics and you’ll become a better shooter in no time.
Step 4: Build a Stronger Upper Body
Developing upper body strength to have strength for shooting deeper shots is a large factor for why Stephen Curry is such a good shooter. Basketball is a game of explosiveness, speed, power and quickness. Some of these physical attributes will be easier to gain than others, but developing upper body strength can be developed with time and dedication. It is important to develop your push shots to shoot at long distances which will enable you to increase your upper body strength for jump shots.
Step 5: Sharpen your Eyesight
Dr. Tom Amberry is a vision expert who works with the Golden State Warriors, so we can trust his words when he says that Stephen Curry—one of the best shooters in NBA history—will only shoot after he has already found where to look on the court. This may seem like common sense, but many basketball players will have tunnel vision whenever they shoot the ball. Instead of looking at one specific place on the basketball court and moving their eyes to follow it, these players will lock onto a single point and shoot blindly from there. In basketball, accuracy matters more than power or speed—and shooting with your eyes means you’re less likely to flinch under pressure or be too quick to aim for the rim just because you’re out of breath.
Step 6: Work on Nerve Control & Breathing Techniques
The vast majority of your success shooting from long range will depend on one thing: how you can stay focused and keep your nerves under control. Stephen Curry is a great example of someone who has mastered these skills (his three-point shooting record during game six of the 2016 NBA Finals is proof enough), and there are several techniques you can use to sharpen your focus and stay calm, especially when you’re shooting from distance. The most common? Focus on your breathing. Deep breaths not only help you stay focused and in control, but it also helps relax your muscles so you’re more comfortable.
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
