Your shooting hand does the work. Your guide hand only keeps the ball steady. When it pushes, the ball spins sideways and misses left or right.
What the guide hand should do
- Sit on the side of the ball, fingers pointing up
- Stay light, without squeezing
- Come off the ball before the release
- Never add a push or flick
Common mistakes
- Thumb flick: the guide thumb snaps at the end and curves the ball
- Hand under the ball: it pushes upward and changes your arc
- Letting go late: the ball leaves with both hands
One-hand fix drill
- Stand 3 feet from the rim.
- Put your guide hand behind your back.
- Shoot 10 one-handed form shots.
- Add the guide hand back, only touching the ball, and shoot 10 more.
What to look for
Your shooting hand should finish with the wrist snapped and fingers pointing at the rim. The guide hand should stay still and relaxed. If the ball still spins sideways, film it from behind and check the thumbs.
Track it
HoopArea checks arm alignment and wrist snap on each shot, so you can tell whether your release is clean or being pulled off line.
See your own shot scored. Film one jump shot and HoopArea maps your joints and scores your form out of 10, with the exact fixes. Download HoopArea free on the App Store