Remember
these steps:
1)
Footing:
a) Line up your right foot with the center of the basket. (If you are on the
foul line, look for a tiny mark on the line that marks the center. If there
isn’t one, get a tape measure, find the center, and make the mark with a pen
or scrape it in with a pin.).
b) Square up to the basket, make sure your feet are not too far apart, but are not too close either. Stand so that you are comfortable and are able to jump up.
2)
Ball:
a) Find the air hole on the ball. Put either your right middle finger or pointer
finger on it. (If you need more spin on your ball, find the air hole, and then
trace your finger down to the seam on the ball, and put your right middle or
pointer finger over that instead.)
b) Place your right hand on the right side of the ball. The thumb of your right hand & the thumb of your right hand should not be touching, but if they were, they would be forming the letter:
c) Your right palm should not be touching the ball. You should be holding the ball in your right hand with the tops of your fingers. In other words, there should be space between the ball and your palm.
3)
Legs and Arms:
Bend your legs and your right arm, but keep your back straight.
4)
Release:
Push up with your legs and your arms, launching the ball at the basket. Another
way of thinking of this is, “L-Bend-Extend” Your right arm should look like
the letter “L”, then you “Bend” it, and lastly, you “Extend” it up.
Don’t forget to flick your wrists and allow the ball to roll off your
fingertips.
5)
Arc:
Don’t forget to arc the ball! Remember, the rim is twice the size of the
basketball, if the ball falls into the rim from above, there’s a better chance
of it going in, even if it’s slightly off.
6)
Aim:
Some people look at the front of the rim, some people in the exact middle,
others look to the back of the rim. You need to decide what is easiest and best
for you. You should not be looking at the backboard. Your aim should be for the
ball to go through the basket without touching the rim or backboard,
“Swoosh.” The backboard was originally designed and added in 1894 to keep
spectators from interfering with shots that were heading toward the basket, it
is unnecessary and unhelpful to aim for it or hit it while you’re shooting
from somewhere on the floor. Originally, the basket was just that: a basket
without a backboard. (This does not count for layups or post moves, many of
those require the use of the backboard.)
7)
Position:
For a jump shot: the ball should be held about 4 inches in front of your face
and 4 inches above your head.
8)
Follow-through:
Keep your shooting arm up and your middle or pointer finger pointed towards the
basket until the ball hits the ground. Look at your hand: if it the ball went in
correctly, then it was on target. If it didn’t, look at where your hand was
pointed and use that to decide why it didn’t go in. If your shot was too
short, it didn’t reach the basket, bend more with your legs.