Learn Proper Basketball Shooting Form: Fundamentals, Technique, Tips, & Drills

By

James Foglio

James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

All posts by James Foglio

Sports Editor

Updated 08 Apr 2024

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Learning the proper basketball shooting form helps any player master the game. Shooting skills are the foundation of a complete basketball inventory. It is a fundamental part of the sport. Practicing form shooting is the best method a player can use to improve these skills. The best basketball players practice their shot mechanics game after game.

What Is Proper Basketball Shooting Form?

When a player first steps onto the basketball court, there are four essential skills he must practice in order to become a better player: dribbling, passing, catching, and shooting form. Proper basketball shooting form will allow the player to make a basket from anywhere on the court.

Whether it’s a simple layup, free throw, or 3-point shot, proper shooting form can make all the difference. Proper shooting form begins with your feet. Each player should be on the balls of their feet while keeping them shoulder-width apart. It involves proper body positioning and shooting mechanics before attempting the shot.

Why Learning Proper Basketball Shooting Form Is Important

Form shooting is important in basketball because a player has to learn how to shoot in order to make the team. That’s the bottom line. This applies for all position: point guards, shooting guards, power forwards, small forwards, and center. Proper basketball shooting form involves the shooting arm and snap of the wrist.

This movement requires a high number of successful repetitions to master the rhythm. The correct shooting form requires patience and proper execution, resulting in a smooth and controlled shot. Shooting with proper form also helps you maintain accuracy when fatigue sets in during a game.

Proper Basketball Shooting Form & Fundamentals

There are four shooting forms and fundamentals a player should use to master proper basketball shooting technique: balance, elbow in, eyes on target, and follow through. Before you can run, you have to know how to walk. For that reason, focus on stationary shooting before anything else.

Balance

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart with the foot on the shooting side of the body toe-to-heel in front of the other foot. The back should be straight, knees bent, and hips square to the target. Your target is always either the square on the backboard or rim.

Elbow In

The ball should be held close to the chest and below the chin with the shooting hand toward the back and under the ball. The other hand is placed on the side of the ball and serves only as a guide.

For most shot attempts, the guide hand is very rarely ever needed to help you make the basket.

Eyes On Target

Next, it helps if a player focuses on a specific target, which could be the square on the backboard or the rim itself. Stay focused on this target before you attempt your shot.

Follow Through

After your target has been established, the ball can be released by a quick extension of the elbow and a flick of the wrist of the shooting hand. The follow-through motion is similar to reaching for an object in front of you a couple of feet above your head.

You should fully extend the elbow of your shooting arm. A backspin rotation will allow the shooter to develop a softer touch.

Types of Shots To Practice In Basketball

There are six different types of shots a player needs to practice in basketball: catch and shoot, shooting off the dribble, shooting in transition, free throws, floaters, and layups. All six types of shots are commonly used by college-level and NBA players. Learning how to perform all of them is a goal that every player should strive for.

Catch And Shoot

To master the catch and shoot, drop the ball in front of you as if was a pass. After the bounce, catch the ball with your dominant hand and elbow at the center of the ball.

Place your non-dominant hand on the side of the ball. Shoot the ball with your dominant hand. For example, if you’re right-handed, you would shoot the ball with your right hand.

Shooting Off The Dribble

Shooting off the dribble enables players to create their own shot opportunities even while being closely guarded. Bounce the ball and step into the shot with the opposite foot first, followed by the other foot.

When you pick up the ball, bring it to your set point above your eye level. Keep the ball away from defenders. Jump up and shoot the ball at the highest point of your jump, creating enough vertical separation from the defender.

Shooting In Transition

Learning how to shoot in transition is most important for in-game situations. Transition offense features fast-break offensive strategies. The main goal is for a team is to advance up the court to score as many points as possible. Basketball is fast paced. For that reason, a team can convert from defense to offense in a blink of an eye.

When your opponents change from offense to defense, there could be certain instances in which your opposing players are tired and/or don’t have enough time to establish their defensive formations. That’s when learning how to shoot in transition comes in handy.

Free Throws

Free throws are unopposed attempts for a player to score points from behind the free throw line. These types of shots are practiced the most by teams. Even then, not all players have solid shooting techniques. It’s critical to practice these shots.

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal shot just 52.7% at the foul line across his 19-year playing career. Stephen Curry, the greatest 3-point shooter in league history, is also the most accurate free throw shooter, shooting 91% overall.

Floaters 

A floater is a one-handed, high-arching shot that requires a soft touch and high arc to get the ball over defenders. The player releases the ball high enough over defenders to avoid the block and make the basket. This type of shot is used when a player is on the move and wants to avoid taller defenders. Floaters can be executed off one or two feet nearby a defender.

Layups

A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping and laying the ball up near the basket, using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the hoop. For a right-handed layup, you would use the right side of the square on the backboard as your target. 

Tips For Proper Basketball Shooting Form

For proper basketball shooting form, a player should have focus, balance and stance, reliable grip, shot pocket, delivery, upforce and landing, and have the ability to correct their own shot. Use all of these tips below to help you improve your shooting technique for a wide range of plays.

Focus

Before attempting your shot, focus on the orange rim attached to the backboard. Try to ignore the arc of the ball by keeping your attention on the rim and net that hangs below it. If you’re being guarded and none of your teammates are open, pick the best type of shot to help your team: jump shot, layup, or dunk.

Balance & Stance

Prior to shooting, your feet should be shoulder-width apart to maintain your balance. Your footwork is important as well. Point your feet in the direction of the basket, with your shooting foot — the foot on the same side as your shooting hand — ahead of the other foot. Bend your knees before attempting your shot.

Grip & Guide Hand

Hold the basketball at lower chest level and grip it with your shooting hand under the ball and your non-shooting hand on the side of the ball. Tuck your elbows close to your body and raise the ball in front of your head.

Shot Pocket

The shot pocket is the area a player is most comfortable starting the basketball from when beginning their shot. This could be around the lower chest or stomach area of a player. It all depends on a player’s arm length.

Delivery

For proper delivery, your elbow should be positioned under the ball. The ball stays in front of you and should not go behind your head. Use your knees, elbows, hands, and shooting arm to attempt a shot. Your elbow and wrist should extend in a straight line to the basket.

Plus, your shooting hand should extend in a straight line to the rim. The ball should come off the hand with perfect symmetrical backspin. Your guide hand stays to the side and should not help you shoot the ball above your head.

Upforce & Landing

Moreover, release the ball on the way up, just before the top of your jump. Use your legs to generate upforce. You should land in the same spot that you jumped, which demonstrates that you have great balance. If you land on an opponent’s foot, the defender will be called for a foul and you’ll be sent to the foul line for free throws.

Follow Through

During your shot attempt, your wrists should be relaxed. Your fingers should be pointed at the rim. A player should always see their fingers at the top square of the back board upon release. Hold your follow through position until the ball hits the rim.

Correct Your Shot

It’s imperative for the ball-handler to locate the rim as early as possible. Be sure to fix bad habits. If your form breaks down when you’re wide open, you’ll have time to correct your shot. While guarded, this is easier said than done.

It’s all the more reason to establish a proper shooting form rhythm during team practices and scrimmages. Work on your shot pocket and delivery. Hold your follow-through position until the ball hits the rim.

Drills To Improve Basketball Shooting Form

Stephen Curry’s Drills

Begin just a few feet from the basket and shoot until you hit five baskets. Record how many shots it takes for you to get to five. After that, take a step back to the middle of the lane and shoot until you hit five more successful shots.

Continue to move backward after making 20 in a row from five different spots. Shoot five form shots from five spots until you make 100 total form shots. Stick with it until your coach feels it’s time to add additional spots.

Pressure Jump Shots

Players must complete eight shots (two from each high post) while under the pressure. If they miss the shot, they have to join the same line and try again. This type of shooting form drill allows players to practice shooting open jump shots while under mental pressure.

• The first person in each line takes a shot and returns the ball back to the same line.
• If the player makes the shot, he moves to the next line. If he misses, he joins the same line to try again.
• This drill continues until a player has made a total of eight shots.

Speed Shooting Drill

Three groups line up along the baseline. The first player in the group dribbles with the ball across floor, pulls up for a shot, rebounds, then sprints back down the other end and shoots, rebounds, and passes to the next player in line.

This drill makes sure the players are exhausted when shooting the ball and tests players to decelerate and practice balance when shooting the ball.

Give & Go Shooting

Players weave in and out of the cones, pass to the coach, receive the ball back, and then shoot a number of shots off the catch going from one side to the other each time they shoot. The give and go helps players work on dribbling skills, footwork off the catch, and several shooting techniques.

• Every player has a basketball.
• Two coaches are nearby.
• Players line up in two lines on the half-court line on either side of the court.

Partner Form Shooting

Lastly, this drill is used by coaches at team practices to help each player find their most comfortable shooting form, and it allows the coaches to correct said shooting form of all players.

Players each have a partner and line up about 10 feet apart facing each other. Each one then shoots the ball to each other using correct technique so that their partner can catch it without moving. One basketball is used per pair.