Q&A for How to Shoot a Basketball

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  • Question
    How do I hold a basketball properly?
    Ryan Tremblay
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Ryan Tremblay is a Basketball Coach and the Owner of National Sports ID and STACK Basketball. With over 30 years of experience, Ryan specializes in basketball coaching, social media marketing, and website design. Ryan created the National Sports ID as a platform to verify the age/grade of youth athletes and STACK Basketball to inspire young athletes to grow into mature individuals and basketball players. Ryan was a First Team All-Decade basketball player in Bergen County and finished in the top 20 all-time leading scorers in the county’s history with 1,730 points. He went on to Caldwell University on a basketball scholarship where he was part of three championship teams. Ryan was a two-time All-Metropolitan, All-State, and All-Conference point guard and the all-time three-point leader in the school’s history, landing him in the Caldwell University Athletic Hall of Fame.
    Ryan Tremblay
    Basketball Coach
    Expert Answer
    You'll need to hold the ball so your fingers are perpendicular to the lines on the grip.
  • Question
    My shots go left and right a lot, but always have good distance. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Have you elbow straight under the ball. And also shoot from your finger tips. Not your palm. If you do this, your shot will (hopefully) go in straight. Practice a lot.
  • Question
    How do I have perfect technique when shooting a three-pointer if I'm short?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Use your legs and hips to provide more power. This will give you the distance.
  • Question
    How do I put more power into my shot?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Start the shot from your chest and bring it up with lots of momentum, so that the shot will have more power behind it. You could also tryto start down lower to the ground and use your legs to produce more power.
  • Question
    My shots don't always reach the rim from the 3-point line, what can I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Use your arm and leg power, and make sure you're following through with your shooting. You can increase your power by doing squats and push-ups.
  • Question
    How do I shoot if I'm young?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Turn more in the air, dip more, and jump forward further. Make sure that your shoulders are leaning back and relaxed. This will allow you to have more power.
  • Question
    What position should my hands be in when shooting the ball?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You should have one hand on the side of the ball, and the other hand on the back of the ball.
  • Question
    How do I stop airballing my shots?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Start the shot from your chest and bring it up with lots of momentum so that the shot will have more power behind it. You could also try to start down lower to the ground and use your legs to push up and produce more power.
  • Question
    How can I throw the ball from three points?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Start the shot from your chest and bring it up with lots of momentum. This way, the shot will have more power behind it. You could also try to start the shot down closer to the ground and use your legs to produce more power.
  • Question
    How do I shoot using that technique while under pressure from other players?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Practice, so you can get used to the feeling of pressure.
  • Question
    Am I allowed to shoot with two hands in basketball?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Yes, but it's better to learn to shoot with one hand.
  • Question
    Is it important to put both hands on the ball when trying a shot?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The second hand is just there to balance the ball in your hands. You're shooting with your primary hand only.
  • Question
    If I follow these steps, will I always shoot correctly?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, but you will probably be a lot more efficient and accurate than you were prior to reading this.
  • Question
    Is it good to "reach into the cookie jar"?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Some players like to do that as a follow-through, but it's not absolutely necessary.
  • Question
    How do I shoot the basketball straight to the basket? It always hits the board and not the rim.
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Community Answer
    Make sure your arm is straight under the ball and your fingers are near your eyebrows. Use your left hand to balance and keep the ball straight when shooting. Aim for a high arc so you have a higher chance of making the basket. Shoot in one fluid motion.
  • Question
    After a lot of shot practicing, I started to feel some pain in my elbow when I shoot. What should I do?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The only cure for elbow pain (probably tendonitis) is to rest the elbow.
  • Question
    I always have my shots going more upward than straight/arched. How can I stop doing that?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Don't try to shoot high, your jumping action is enough to get the ball high. Just focus on getting the ball to the rim.
  • Question
    When I aim for the basket, I put my shooting hand directly in front of my face. Is that correct?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Some people are better with different things. Do whatever works and feels best for you.
  • Question
    It has become a habit to shoot with two hands. Any advice on how to break my habit?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    To break a habit you just need to keep doing it the correct way until it becomes natural. Just keep practicing taking jumpshots using one hand as your guide hand. The more you practice, the easier it will become.
  • Question
    How can I make my shots go in a majority of the time?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Practice! If you have to achieve anything, practice and the will of not giving up and staying motivated are a few essentials. Just never give up and try to beat your previous scores.
  • Question
    How do I shoot a three point line shot?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    When jumping, make sure your dominant foot is aligned with the basket. As for shooting, keep your arm straight and follow through after the ball leaves your hand. Most importantly, practice.
  • Question
    How do I shoot on double rims?
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Community Answer
    You have to practice having a high arcing shot so most shots swish instead of hitting off the backboard or rim.
  • Question
    I am in high school, and I am a decent shooter. The problem is I am short and get slapped in the wrist a lot. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    First of all, in most cases that is a foul. Secondly, I recommend you get a faster jump shot or jump higher when you shoot.
  • Question
    Will playing basketball help me build muscle in my arms?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, it will, but this wouldn't be the most effective exercise for building arm muscle.
  • Question
    How do I add less power to my shot?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The "power" of your shots starts at the legs, or when you jump, and then goes through a motion that stops when you follow through. So basically, to get less power in your shot you want to have little or no jump, and when you follow through, make sure you have finesse and aren't pushing the ball too much.
  • Question
    How can I shoot a ball when there are a lot of opponents around me?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    When you are dribbling, step back away from the opponents and release the ball quickly. The step back helps create space.
  • Question
    Whenever I try to shoot the ball straight, it goes slightly to the right. Why does this happen?
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Adrian Jeziorski
    Community Answer
    Your non-shooting hand could be balancing the ball incorrectly or your shooting hand isn't directly under the ball.
  • Question
    How do I improve my shooting from long range?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Practice shooting close to the basket until you have a good shot form. Then slowly move back. Make sure you use your legs, too! And work on increasing your arm strength.
  • Question
    Can I still learn how to shoot without a ball?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Sure. Work on your form (the way your arms and legs should be positioned when you shoot). There are YouTube tutorials you can watch to help with this. Just practice holding your body in the proper position, then when you do get the ball, you'll know what to do.
  • Question
    How can I score from the side portion of the 3 point line? I'm good at scoring 3 points using the backboard, but can never score from the side. Is there any technique I can score better?
    Jacob CHEUNG
    Jacob CHEUNG
    Community Answer
    Try to aim for the three triangles facing down and shoot towards the middle one.
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