Did you know that the free throw line at the top of the key is considered one of the most efficient places to shoot three pointers? The reason it’s so easy to sink three pointers from this spot on the court, even if you’re not very good at shooting from outside, is because there are no defenders near you when you take your shot. This article will teach you how to score three pointers from the top of the key like an NBA pro.
secret to sinking three pointers
Always have your elbow locked
Keeping your elbow locked when shooting, will help with your consistency. The locked elbow will keep your shoulders and arm in line, allowing you to shoot in rhythm. Shooting with a straight elbow ensures that your shot won’t be affected by outside distractions. Any movement or shakiness caused by excess body or hand tension will throw off your shot and cause it to fall short of its intended destination. For example, if you have issues keeping an elbow locked while shooting, try holding a piece of paper between it and your body as you shoot. When shooting on game day, take note of how steady you are before taking a shot. If there is any noticeable shake or jiggle in either shoulder or both, it’s important that you stop shooting until things settle down.
Keep your wrist straight
Keeping your wrist straight when you’re loading into your shot is an essential part of a great shooting form. When your wrist is bent, you sacrifice power, and it also makes it difficult to shoot accurately. Whether you’re practicing or shooting around with friends, make sure your wrist is straight when taking jump shots. Have someone look at your form if you can’t tell, but keeping everything straight will help you sink three-pointers more often than not.
Set your feet
When shooting a basketball, set your feet in a ready position so you can fire your shot as soon as you receive it. This ready position depends on whether you’re right-handed or left-handed. Your right hand (if you’re right-handed) should be positioned above your left with your shooting arm bent at about 90 degrees and directly under your ballhandling arm. You should have both knees slightly bent, keeping most of your weight to one side. Keep both arms straight and lock out your elbow, which will prevent excess movement that can negatively affect your shot’s accuracy. For lefties, it’s pretty much exactly opposite: The ball handling arm goes on top with knee bends happening on each side and a little less weight placed to one side.
Rebound, rebound, rebound
Another way to get more shots is by rebounding the ball. Good offensive rebounders are often referred to as garbage men, because their job is to clean up misses and missed opportunities. Rebounds can lead to fast break scores, putbacks (in which a player scores off his own rebound), or open jump shots at the basket. All three are efficient looks, and all should be a part of your team’s offense. The best players rebound like they’re trying to make up for lost time on the court; good defenders use that aggressiveness against them, getting as many long rebounds as possible, then feeding the ball back out to an open shooter who has little chance to steal the ball away in time.
Shoot on the way up
Players hold the ball too long, shoot the ball on the way up. They lean back and watch it go instead of following through, which keeps them upright and allows them to shoot a much more accurate shot. By shooting on the way up, you’ll improve your range (because you can get closer to the basket without having to be concerned about getting blocked) and increase your accuracy. This shooting form is particularly useful for players who need help scoring outside of the lane.
Have one foot in front of the other
When you’re shooting, have one foot in front of the other. If you were to stand with your feet side by side and jump up into the air, your weight would naturally shift toward the back foot. But when you shoot, you want all of your weight behind the ball so that it goes as far as possible. <You need to give more examples/make more points about keeping proper shooting footwork with one foot in front of the other when shooting.: You need at least two or three more examples.
Practice and repeat.
The more you practice and repeat the better you get at becoming a better shooter. There is not a lot that can be added in terms of shooting form, other than correct your form by trial and error. You have to feel it yourself and adapt with your own body as you do so, until your shot becomes fluid and natural. Practicing alone, without the burden of making shots or failing to make them isn’t something I always recommend. Because yes, sometimes going through a little failure is what makes us realize what we should change or improve on, but in general if you want to be good at anything the only thing that matters is how much time you put into it.
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
