Jump Shot

The Jump Shot is very effective whether its a 3 pointer or a 2 pointer.  When you are preparing to shoot a jump shot you have to square up on the basket ready to get the ball.  When you recieve the ball, the first two things you MUST do is bend your knees and focus on the rim thinking of nothing but making the shot.  When your knees are bent, raise your arms to the position you will shoot at.  Make sure you keep a straight elbow (this will increase strength and accuracy).  Finally, when your arms are set jump up and flick your elbow and follow through.  A perfect jumpshot should look like this....

#34 Korie Lucious of Michigan State Jumpshot

                       Elbow is bent at about a 45 to 60 degree angle as he transfers the energy from his legs all the way to his fingertips by the time he follows through.

                                                             Elbow straight after shot

Passing

There are two types of passes you must learn if you want your team to score points; a chest pass and a bounce pass.  A chest pass has to be strong and square in the chest.  If your pass is off target, a turnover is likely.  A bounce pass is a pass you can use when a 4 or a 5 is posting up.  But if the pass is off target, you have almost no chance recovering the ball.  When you have these to passes down, you can bet fancy with your passes.

Shot Blocks

Blocking Shots are not hard learn.  However, its very easy to foul on a shot block.  If you play a 3, 4 or 5 it is very important to learn to block shots.  When you are jumping up to block a shot, you have to get as much contact on the ball and make as little contact as possible on the player.  When you jump, just jump staight up.  If you jump towards the player, its a sure foul.  You also have to learn to block shots with both hands which will lower the chancesx of a foul.

With little body contact and avoiding the hands/arms, Ben Wallace is one of the all time great shot blockers

Free Throws

The Free Throw is very important to winning games and in the future; Championships.  When you set up for a free throw, you will se a straight line or a nail in the center of the free throw line.  That is where you should set up your right foot for right handers or left foot for left handers.  Before you shoot you have to bend your knees.  Your legs are where your strength comes from.  After you bend your knees, stay in the position you are with your knees bent for balance.  For the perspective of where you should be looking at, you should be looking at the front of the rim.  Looking at anything beyond  the front of the rim, the shot will likely be strong.  finally raise your arms while keeping your balance, push your legs up and flick your elbow.

Balance and eyes are a key to making your free throws.

Elbow is still straight, eyes focused on the basket.  (If you are not strong enough to shoot with your arms above your head, just lower them to your chest.  But it is still the same form.)

Follow through...  Arm straight, legs no longer bent wrist curled over.



The Layup

The Layup is the most consinstent shot in basketball.  If you can make layups, you will be succesfull.  On a right handed layup, you want to jump off your opposite foot and let the ball roll of yyour fingers to bounce of the backboard and i the basket for 2 points. 

For the Left hand, you want to jump of your right leg and aim for the square on the back board.

Remember....

For right handers learning the left hand, you really have to focus on your foot you jump off of because jumping off the wrong foot is a likely miss.

Go up strong.  Don't hesitate because there is a defender.  Going up strong will likely lead to the defender backing off or a foul.                    

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In this photo you see Johnny Flynn driving towards the basket.  You will also se the defender has to back off so he doesnt draw the foul.



             

Bad Habits To Avoid

1.  Do what you can to win a game.  If you have an open jumpshot but there is also a player open at the post perimeter, pass to the player at the post.  Always do the little things that will make a big impact.

2.  When you are shooting free throws, some players tend to not control their elbow so there shot can be short, strong, to the left or to the right.  Always keep your elbow straight shooting on a line.

3.  Be smart...  Don't commit to stupid fouls.  If an opposing player has a layup and there is no way yu can stop him, dont commit a hard foul.  It just gives you another foul and maybe even a three point play.

4.  When your at the post perimeter, don't hesitate using a post move.  This will likely lead to a double team or turnover.

5.  Don't waste time on offense dribbling.  It does nothing but waste time on the shot clock and the ther teams defense gets stronger.  its more efficent to pass the ball around to make an open shot than trying to go iso against five opposing players.

6.  Don't let the prescense of the defender limit your abilities.

7. Have confidence.  If you think you can't do something its not going to happen.

8. When your team is losing, don't get nervous and rush the offense.  Just stay calm and focus on taking the lead back.