Improve Your Jump Shot and
Increase Your Scoring Average

So, you have a good jump shot but want to make it better? Or, your jumper is a little off, and you want to fix it?

Read on and get your jumper back on track.

The jump shot can be broken down into 4 distinct parts:

1. Stance, Footwork and Jump
2. Form and Mechanics
3. Arch and Eyes
4. Scorer's Mentality

Chances are, if your jumper isn't where you want it to be, one of these areas is lacking. Or, to put it another way: improving in each of these areas will help your shot improve.

Let's look at each of these 4 areas in more detail.

Stance, Footwork and Jump

If you've read any of the information on our website or in our newsletters, you know how much we focus on footwork. The reason? Footwork is the key to playing the game well.

Every second you are on the floor is played with your feet. No matter what move you make, what position you play, proper footwork is the foundation for playing the game well. And this holds true with shooting the jump shot as well. You have to have good footwork (proper foot placement, be on balance, etc.) to shoot the ball well.

Having good footwork and a solid base can either make, or break your shot.

• Make sure that you are in a good athletic stance (triple threat position) when you catch the ball and get ready to go up with the shot.
• Make sure you are on balance.
• Make sure to really get off the ground (this is a jump shot after all, not a set shot). Not only does getting off the ground help you get the shot off against the defender, it helps give more power and force to the shot itself.

Form and Mechanics

After you establish your footwork, and a solid base to shoot the shot, you have to make sure your shooting form, and all the mechanics that go into it, are solid. Here are the key areas to focus on:

• Keep the shooting elblow in (the elbow on your shooting arm).
• Keep the ball on your fingertips (do not let it touch the palms of your hands).
• Make sure your guide hand (on your non-shooting arm) gently touches the ball, but that the shooting arm provides all the power for the shot.
• Make sure to shoot up and out (instead of out and up)...this is VERY important.
• Finish the shot with full extension (your shooting arm should be fully extended) and a good, solid flick of the wrist to put backspin on the ball.

Arch and Eyes

Another focus area is the arch of the shot. Good shooters tend to shoot the ball with good arch on their shots. Shots that have a nice arch (as opposed to frozen-rope type, straight line shots) are softer shots, and have a better chance of going in, especially if the shot isn't a swish.

If you find your shot missing more than usual, make a mental note to put more arch on your shot. That will usually correct the problem.

Next, be sure to focus on the back of the rim when you go up for the shot. Actually, focus on the inside of the back of the rim. This way, you'll tend to shoot the ball into the basket (and over the front of the rim). If you focus on the front of the rim, you tend to focus on shooting just over the front of the rim, which often causes the shot to come up short.

Let's put it this way: if you focus on the back of the rim and shoot the ball short, it still has a chance to go in. If you focus on the front of the rim and shoot the ball short, it has no chance to go in.

Scorer's Mentality (confidence)

Finally, get the mindset of a scorer. Approach the game with absolute, 100% confidence in your shooting and scoring abilities. When you go up for a shot, fill yourself with confidence and the belief that the shot WILL go in. Period.

That's half the battle. If you are hesitant, unsure of yourself, and timid when you play basketball, you're creating a situation where you are likely to play below the level you are really capable of. Play with confidece and power, and take each shot as if you've made your last 100, and will make your next 100 shots. If you don't, you're only selling yourself short.

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