B.E.E.F. It's What Your Shot Needs for Dinner
Many of the greatest shooters ever to play the game of basketball, know that their fundamentals need to be sound. When you look at Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Lebron James, James Harden, and former greats like Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird, you’ll see that their commitment to shooting the right way, brought them hall of fame status. If you’re looking to make your school team, play in college, or even play at the professional level, becoming a great shooter takes time and effort but will pay dividends for years. Take a look at the four key principles to shooting in the acronym B.E.E.F.
Balance
This is a major key to success as a basketball player, let alone a shooter. When you want to consistently knock down jumpers, you need to start with the proper footwork and focus on your balance. Especially when it comes to shooting on the move, be sure to keep your feet at least shoulder width apart before you elevate into your shot. A deep knee bend and the ability to get and stay low will be extremely important for making a jump shot regularly. You want to be jumping straight up and down on all of your shots, especially when you’re training.
Eye
Where your focus goes, energy flows so be sure you’re locked in on where you want the ball to go. You should be able to see the rim before you shoot, and if you can’t, you may want to adjust your form. As you climb up the ranks and play better competition, your ability to concentrate while someone is trying to block your shot will be very important in your career. Think about how focused Kobe Bryant was and how he was so present when he played. Keep your eye on the rim when shooting and depending on who you ask, they’ll tell you to look at the front of the rim or the back of the rim. I teach and prefer to look at the front of the rim.
Elbow
Lining up your elbow onto the rim along with the right 90 degree angle will make all the difference in your shooting ability. It’s one thing to shoot your shot and it’s another thing to confidently shoot, knowing your shot is going in. With proper elbow alignment and your elbow pointing at the rim, you’ll increase your shooting percentage tremendously. If you line up your toe, your knee, your hip, and your elbow on the rim, you’ll knock down jumpers consistently. And if you miss, you always want to miss long or short, never left or right. That way you can adjust your legs and the strength you give your shot but you won’t have to worry about much else, especially during a game.
Follow through
When you’re able to follow through and make it consistent, you’ll be able to regularly get buckets. A great follow through is a commonality in all great shooters. For those of you that are striving for greatness, be sure that your elbow finishes above your eye, your pointer finger is the last finger to touch the ball, and all of your fingers are pointing down after you release the ball. A strong wrist flick on the follow through will also assist with developing your range and extending it. Consistency is key and a strong follow through makes sure that you’ll continue to make shots. Be a shot maker not just a shot taker.