The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

[youvalss]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

But you'd still be better off with better form, especially if your shot is flat, which is the case with pretty much everyone outside of professional shooters.

Well, as for the flatness issue you may be right. However, I used to play with a friend of mine who's 5'10 and a bit chubby and it's kind of funny to see him playing. The thing about him is that he shoots only hook-shots. He can't really shoot the regular way, so he shoots hook-shots even from 3. And he makes a lot of shots, he's pretty consistent and it's really hard to block his shot because when he shoots those hooks he doesn't even fix his angle before the shot - he just shoots it without even aiming and it always catch me by surprise. What a guy I wish I had a vido of him playing...

[Maxattax3]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

But you'd still be better off with better form, especially if your shot is flat, which is the case with pretty much everyone outside of professional shooters.

Why? As long as you are using muscle memory it doesnt matter. For example... I bet Shawn Marion can shoot better than everyone on these boards. and his form is so terrible it is hilarious.

Another thing. Larry Bird was a great basketball player. he did everything... not just shoot.

edit: about shots being flat. that can be a problem no matter how you shoot.

[ehh]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

Why? As long as you are using muscle memory it doesnt matter.

edit: about shots being flat. that can be a problem no matter how you shoot.

That's the entire point! If your shot is flat then something is wrong with your shooting form. You can be a successful shooter with a flat or unorthodox jumpshot, but you can't argue with physics. If you have proper arch on your shot, the better chance it goes in.

I also disagree that Marion is a better shooter than anyone on these boards. If put into an NBA game where you have to get your shot off against elite defenders, then yeah obviously.

[K_rob11]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

I coach basketball for an elementary school (5th-8th graders) and I am constantly trying to teach these kids the "proper" shooting form. Some of them pick up on it more quickly than others. The ones who don't are not necessarily worse shooters...just not as consistent. And to me, that is the key.

The reason why you are always taught to shoot with your elbow in is because if your elbow is in, it is straight. I always teach my kids to work from the bottom up when shooting. Start with the feet...make sure your feet are straight (they should be pointing at your target when you land from jumping), your arms straight as you are going through your shooting motion (this requires your elbow to be straight) and your head (some people tilt their head when they shoot because they are not keeping their arms straight causing them to loose sight of the basket).

This is proven to be the most effective way of shooting because it is the easiest. When your feet, shoulders, arms, and head are straight, the ball will generally travel straight. That's why its called the perfect form. Alot of people don't like him, but I think J.J. Reddick has perfect form....from the release, bending his knees, good lift off the floor, follow through, and keeping everything straight (squaring up). But as pointed out, its not the only way to shoot successfully. People who shoot differently are usually changing something in the "perfect form" which causes them to change something else to compensate for the 1st change...because ultimately the goal is to get the ball to travel straight.

If you shoot with your elbow out for instance, you are doing something else in your mechanics to offset that change. Pushing more with the off-hand, putting a different spin on the ball (remember that knuckle-ball Tim Hardaway used to throw up there?), shooting it with a higher arch, etc.... Something is being done to get the ball to travel straight. That is what causes the inconsistency.....it takes more steps to get the ball to travel straight than it would be to do so using the "perfect form".

[Zeppelin8]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

That's the entire point! If your shot is flat then something is wrong with your shooting form. You can be a successful shooter with a flat or unorthodox jumpshot, but you can't argue with physics. If you have proper arch on your shot, the better chance it goes in.

I also disagree that Marion is a better shooter than anyone on these boards. If put into an NBA game where you have to get your shot off against elite defenders, then yeah obviously.

I agree with you. I've played bball till I was 16. I had not much arm strength back then but I was a good shooter, at least when it came to drills. I had a high arc on my shoot.

Nowadays I rarely play and I noticed that I've completely lost my touch (I'm 22). I have no balance and I can't get my legs right. I also noticed that most of my shots were rimming in&out. When I tried to change my style to get more arc, but I've ended up throwing bricks.

The last time I've played was a year ago. We were a few guys played at younger levels -semi pro- (I don't know if you understand that, I'm from Europe things are different here). Anyway, there was a guy who was in his mid 30's. I'm pretty sure he never balled seriously. Heck, he even rarely dribbled. But he was hitting shots from everywhere. He had a nice touch, nice balance and high arc on his shot. If that ain't enough, he also had a pretty quick release. We ended up winning, just because this gay was in our team. He said he was practicing his shot almost every day.

Shooting over defenders in serious event is completely different. But let's take the guy I've mentioned above, give him the ball, lock him up in a gym and let him take jumpers for a month or two. I bet he could beat some NBA players in drills. But as ehh said, it's a whole different story shooting over elite defenders.

[ehh]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

The reason why you are always taught to shoot with your elbow in is because if your elbow is in, it is straight. I always teach my kids to work from the bottom up when shooting. Start with the feet...make sure your feet are straight (they should be pointing at your target when you land from jumping), your arms straight as you are going through your shooting motion (this requires your elbow to be straight) and your head (some people tilt their head when they shoot because they are not keeping their arms straight causing them to loose sight of the basket).

This is proven to be the most effective way of shooting because it is the easiest. When your feet, shoulders, arms, and head are straight, the ball will generally travel straight. That's why its called the perfect form. Alot of people don't like him, but I think J.J. Reddick has perfect form....from the release, bending his knees, good lift off the floor, follow through, and keeping everything straight (squaring up). But as pointed out, its not the only way to shoot successfully. People who shoot differently are usually changing something in the "perfect form" which causes them to change something else to compensate for the 1st change...because ultimately the goal is to get the ball to travel straight.

If you shoot with your elbow out for instance, you are doing something else in your mechanics to offset that change. Pushing more with the off-hand, putting a different spin on the ball (remember that knuckle-ball Tim Hardaway used to throw up there?), shooting it with a higher arch, etc.... Something is being done to get the ball to travel straight. That is what causes the inconsistency.....it takes more steps to get the ball to travel straight than it would be to do so using the "perfect form".

I was a 'elbow under the ball' shooter until I saw this site (never purchased the book) and I've shot this "elbow out" way for about five months. It's much more natural and feels smoother.

The funny part about it lining up straight though as you mentioned, look at the photo below, the second to last picture on the right. That release/follow through is perfect, straight as can be. That's the most important part of a jumper IMO, is the release. You can get to that perfect release whether you are a rifle-style shooter or an elbow-out shooter.

As I've adjusted to this shooting method my shot was inconsistent as hell through the transition, I'm a lefty and my shots would often drift to the right side of the rim because my hand wouldn't be directly under the ball and it would be slightly angled, causing me to push up and slightly to the right. I fixed this by focusing on following through with my off hand as well to assure my shoulders stayed square to the hoop (Mark Price mentions this in the vid DC posted in the NBA forum) and ever since then my J has been as wet as it's ever been. High arching, beautiful swishes. Pretty effortless too, my range is back out to 25-26' feet with much less effort than my rifle-style form.

[K_rob11]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

The funny part about it lining up straight though as you mentioned, look at the photo below, the second to last picture on the right. That release/follow through is perfect, straight as can be. That's the most important part of a jumper IMO, is the release. You can get to that perfect release whether you are a rifle-style shooter or an elbow-out shooter.

As I've adjusted to this shooting method my shot was inconsistent as hell through the transition, I'm a lefty and my shots would often drift to the right side of the rim because my hand wouldn't be directly under the ball and it would be slightly angled, causing me to push up and slightly to the right. I fixed this by focusing on following through with my off hand as well to assure my shoulders stayed square to the hoop (Mark Price mentions this in the vid DC posted in the NBA forum) and ever since then my J has been as wet as it's ever been. High arching, beautiful swishes. Pretty effortless too, my range is back out to 25-26' feet with much less effort than my rifle-style form.

You are correct. Getting into that straight position just before your release is the most important part of the shot....along with bending your knees to get good lift off your shot (your boy Ray Allen does this perfectly). (!!! remember this young ones: you shoot with your legs!)

I guess it doesn't matter how you get to that 'straight' position, just as long as you get it there.

I haven't fully checked out that site yet ehh, but I will check it out when I get home from work...it seems pretty interesting.

[ehh]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

I guess it doesn't matter how you get to that 'straight' position, just as long as you get it there.

Yup, def the bottom line right there. The site is nice, def worth checking out. It shows a ton of information, no need to really buy the book, lol. The author needs to work on his marketing skills.

[Vast]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

Yup, def the bottom line right there. The site is nice, def worth checking out. It shows a ton of information, no need to really buy the book, lol. The author needs to work on his marketing skills.

lol true. What about the hands and fingers on release i believe its also very important for accuracy on a jumpshot.

[Jet Sufferer]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-nV0Gzof_0

Watch Pistol Pete's video's on shooting.

[ehh]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

LOL, damn dude are you Pistol Pete's son or something? Not knocking you, just funny that you're on a Pistol Pete tear.

Anyway, those vids demonstrate the old 'elbow under the ball' method. I guess it's good for comparison purposes if someone isn't familiar.

[ehh]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

Funny thing about Maravich's video, even though he preaches the rifle-style form here's a still shot from the clip...he's using the V/symmetrical approach in The Perfect Jumpshot. His elbow is not directly under the ball and he has an inverted V, though his right elbow is extremely low.

[Jet Sufferer]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

LOL, damn dude are you Pistol Pete's son or something? Not knocking you, just funny that you're on a Pistol Pete tear.

Anyway, those vids demonstrate the old 'elbow under the ball' method. I guess it's good for comparison purposes if someone isn't familiar.

Keeping the elbow in line, the "gun barrel" is proper shooting technique and the easiest way to become a consistent shooter, less moving parts. Get the fundamentals down and it boils down to using your legs and just releasing the ball with the proper touch.

Many years ago at Hal Wissel's basketball camp with hundreds of players, all of our jump shot technique was videotped.

Hal Wissel himself chose my jump shot as "perfect" and played it over and over demonstrating proper shooting technique.

I can not touch a ball for a year and start drilling NBA 3 pointers like they're going out of style. Having your elbow in line is the easiest way to be consistent, LeBron James should try it.

[Jet Sufferer]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

Funny thing about Maravich's video, even though he preaches the rifle-style form here's a still shot from the clip...he's using the V/symmetrical approach in The Perfect Jumpshot. His elbow is not directly under the ball and he has an inverted V, though his right elbow is extremely low.

What you're missing it the view of the hoop, I guarantee you his elbow and hand are in line with the basket.

[GSW]

Re: The Perfect Jumpshot (book/site)

Keeping the elbow in line, the "gun barrel" is proper shooting technique and the easiest way to become a consistent shooter, less moving parts. Get the fundamentals down and it boils down to using your legs and just releasing the ball with the proper touch.

Many years ago at Hal Wissel's basketball camp with hundreds of players, all of our jump shot technique was videotped.

Hal Wissel himself chose my jump shot as "perfect" and played it over and over demonstrating proper shooting technique.

I can not touch a ball for a year and start drilling NBA 3 pointers like they're going out of style. Having your elbow in line is the easiest way to be consistent, LeBron James should try it.

sometimes players with broad shoulders, and/or muscular chests have a difficult time bringin their elbows all theway in.

i have this problem, although ive somewaht corrected it, and its clearly lebrons problem s well.

our elbows tend to flair out naturally while shooting.