Need help learning how to Jump Shoot

[Naruto]

started hooping at 14, now im 17. my shot is money anywhere inside the 3, working on the 3s now.
imo shooting form doesnt matter atall. Just find a consistent release that is comfortable to you and get to the point where you can mimic that same motion with your eyes closed. Constantly throughuot my day, I will shoot an imaginary jumper. Looks silly, but helps.

Shoot from every spot inside 10feet until you master ur shot.

My shot is 99% of the time straight, I just have to worry about the distance and arc depending on what spot im at.
The biggest secret for me that instantly changed a bad shooting day at the park to a good one, was easing up the power from my arms. You dont notice it but that difference helps the shot a lot. I was using too much power n once I used less power, money.

It's all repetition, dont think just shoot

 

[nixonjames]

thanks for the tips, thanks to everyone else too.
as far as the release goes, do you flick the wrist? or let it "flop"? Like, does the wrist snap down, or does it flop and jiggle down?

yah you wanna snap it.

it's how you get that sharp rotation on the ball and it also helps for accuracy b/c you're spending more time touching the ball.

practice it just standing on the sidewalk doin the shooting motion.

everything that's been said about confidence is also completely huge and 100% on the mark.  of course there are lots of people who aren't shooters who shouldn't be jacking 12 misses cuz they actually dont have the skillset yet but if you got it... i'm so confident in my shot i make bad decisions sometimes tho, like step back3s... c'mon son i ain't kobe (i have to say that to myself a lot) but hey over-confidence is better than none in bball if you ask me

 

[nixonjames]

started hooping at 14, now im 17. my shot is money anywhere inside the 3, working on the 3s now.
imo shooting form doesnt matter atall. Just find a consistent release that is comfortable to you and get to the point where you can mimic that same motion with your eyes closed. Constantly throughuot my day, I will shoot an imaginary jumper. Looks silly, but helps.

Shoot from every spot inside 10feet until you master ur shot.

My shot is 99% of the time straight, I just have to worry about the distance and arc depending on what spot im at.
The biggest secret for me that instantly changed a bad shooting day at the park to a good one, was easing up the power from my arms. You dont notice it but that difference helps the shot a lot. I was using too much power n once I used less power, money.

It's all repetition, dont think just shoot

c'mon young blood,  you been playin 3 years and you can't vote but you have a valid opinion on shooting form?

but you prolly right, if you put the work in to develop your form however you like it, and it works, no one's gonna change it... Reggie Miller anyone... but if you have the ability at a young age to set that muscle memory from the start, the release form is proven to increase accuracy both in direction/arc/distance the 3 plains that determine whether it'll fall in the hole.

i'm just teasin... remember what we said bout connfidence? you good there

 

[Trillmatic90]

Dont worry about having perfect form, because that's not the key to being a good shooter. Look at Steve Blake and Kevin Martin. Their shooting form isn't pretty, but they're comfortable with it and as a result they're good shooters.

The key is to make sure your shooting form is something your comfortable and confident with. Whatever comes to you naturally and easily is what you should practice with and the more you practice and find that rhythm, the better your shot will become over time. Dont try to mold your shooting form after others.

 

[mgrand15]

Damn, you are thinking WAY WAY too much. You're asking about flopping the wrist or flicking it, the seams on the ball, giving up. You are way too focused on minor details. The finer parts of a shot are important but as long as you're elevating, releasing the ball quickly, getting decent arc on it and getting some sort of rotation on the ball - you're good. The other stuff should be about your comfort and repetition.

How bad of a shooter are you? Like, in game, you can't take anything but layups? Or are you just upset because you aren't a knockdown shooter?

It sounds like you need more confidence in your game. You've put the hours in the gym. Just let them fly during games.

 

[Bert.]

Got to have Confidence

pretty much, stop over thinking.

i used to think too much about my jumpshot which caused me to be very inconsinstent. i just thought all the time about my form, release, etc, etc and caused me to shoot differently and what not everyday.

then i said F it and just stopped thinking, got in the gym and shot a couple hundred every night. once you stop thinking about it, it comes so much easier. seriously.

 

[allreds]

p4l

 

[nycknicks105]

It all starts with your footwork. You're probably not balanced properly when you shoot.

You should also try to snap your wrist and give your shot a nice arc. Get a Wilson Wave ball for practice.

Also, spread your fingers don't use too much force when shooting. The best shooters all have a soft touch when they shoot.

I don't recommend shooting like Ray Allen, because his form is pure muscle memory. Getting to level takes years of conditioning and use of proper form.

If you go back to that picture someone posted of Ray Allen shooting, pay attention to the last 4-5 animations he does before the ball is released. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about shooting. All the best shooters will have close to the same motions. If you notice carefully you see he's using very little energy on his upper body and arms/hands. Most of the energy is in his lower body. Plus, his follow through is perfect as well. It's like the ball is apart of his body when he follows through. That's how you should feel when shooting. That takes a lot of time and work.

Confidence is huge too, like most people have said. When you think too much, mechanics and form all go out the window and you end up "aiming" your shot. Just relax and keep shooting. Eventually one shot will go in and that's all you'll need to get out of a funk. Any shooter will say the samething.

 

[il prescelto]

Damn, you are thinking WAY WAY too much. You're asking about flopping the wrist or flicking it, the seams on the ball, giving up. You are way too focused on minor details. The finer parts of a shot are important but as long as you're elevating, releasing the ball quickly, getting decent arc on it and getting some sort of rotation on the ball - you're good. The other stuff should be about your comfort and repetition.

How bad of a shooter are you? Like, in game, you can't take anything but layups? Or are you just upset because you aren't a knockdown shooter?

It sounds like you need more confidence in your game. You've put the hours in the gym. Just let them fly during games.

Uh to answer your first question, if I shoot in a game i'll likely brick. i usually don't shoot in games, though. so yea, layups only pretty much.

Anyways, I took the advice of everyone saying I was overthinking it. I went to th gym and shot a bunch of 15/17 ft. jumpers. And I completely ignored form. And I started making them. Like, a lot of them. I had way better accuracy, range, I felt more comfortable, and my form was more consistent. Now, the thing is though, this new form is more of a Lebron/Jarret Jack type shot (form wise only, of course). The ball is almost directly over my head, just slightly in front, it's centered with my body, my hand is at a 30 degree angle instead of being flat under the ball, and instead of shooting the ball upwards it feels like I'm flicking it forwards

But it seems to to work well, so I guess I'll stick with it, even though it's not really proper.

 

[mgrand15]

Yeah, you gotta get rid of that mentality. If you're just playing pick up games, you should NEVER be afraid to shoot. If you can't shoot 3s, just spot up from a little closer. Trust me, just the threat of you being willing to shoot that open jump shot opens up your game and everyone elses.

 

[tmacone]

This may be old but I actually find it one of the best shooting instructional videos out there. Covers everything from mechanics to psychology. It's a series of 5 or 6 videos.

(sorry embedding this video is disabled)


 

 

[jinkazama]

Anyways, I took the advice of everyone saying I was overthinking it.

Exactly...just get the basics down


- square to the rim
- feet set
- ball on fingertips
- jump
- shoot

Unless you are just naturally talented it takes hours, days, and months, to get a wet J and that's before playing against other people. Get the basics down alone, then go test your skills against the best. Don't be afraid to shoot...don't be afraid to pull out that new move you learned...if you don't do it against competition you'll never get better.

When I first picked up bball as a kid. I played for hours in my backyard. Shooting, practicing moves I saw on TV...I'd then go to the best blacktop in town to see what I had. Rinse...repeat...

I got my butt whupped on many occassions as a kid, but as I got older and better I started handin' out the beat downs.

 

[jiggaboi]

Most of these guys are saying you need the proper form and they are right. However, everyone has a different shooting style so do what feels comfortable and change it if it doesn't work. You look at all great shooters and they all have one thing in common: great foot work and balance. Thats the key. You need a stable base to launch off of so your shot has a better chance to go in. Now, its the form that comes into play. Yeah Ray Allen or Allan Houston have the "perfect" form. But you can also look at other above average shooters like John Stockton, Kevin Martin, Reggie Miller, or even Matt Bonner and they all have different techniques. It all comes down to practice and launching hundreds of jumpers within your comfort level.