Good shooting form is not one big thing. It is five small things done the same way every time. Use this checklist before and after each set of shots.
The five points
- Feet: shoulder-width apart, shooting-side foot slightly forward, toes pointing at the rim
- Knees: bent before the shot, so the power starts from your legs
- Elbow: under the ball and pointing at the rim, not flaring out
- Wrist: cocked back at the set point, then snapped forward at release
- Finish: arm fully extended, fingers pointing down, held until the ball lands
How to use it
Take five shots and check only one point at a time. Checking all five at once is too much. Pick the weakest point, fix it for a full session, then move on.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the legs: arm-only shots get short fast
- Elbow out wide: the ball drifts left or right
- Dropping the hand early: the finish disappears when you are tired
A quick drill
Stand 5 feet from the rim and shoot 20 shots one-handed, saying the five points out loud before each shot. Slow and clean beats fast and sloppy.
Check it with data
It is hard to see your own elbow or knee bend while you shoot. HoopArea tracks elbow extension, knee bend, wrist snap and arm alignment from a video of your shot, so you can see which point on the checklist needs work.
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