Why Shooting is the Most Important Skill and Most Difficult to Master/Part 1

The latest and the most consistent data supports that shooting is the most important skill in basketball.Great shooting alters the dynamics of the game. Creating  space for driving lanes is one of them. If a player can master the art and science of shooting they can potentially elevate their game to the highest levels of basketball. They can earn a spot on any team.Shooting is so important that some coaches design entire offenses around shooters. I read a report recently stating that 74 percent of college coaches attending AAU circuit games during the recruitment process are looking for shooters as top precedence among the top prospects in the country every year.

Shooting is also the most difficult skill to master as it requires fine motor skills and almost zero margin for error. In my playing days I used to train nearly four hours a day and it still took me years to master the technique. In my fourteen years as a development Coach, with shooting as my specialty, I have observed very common shooting errors  among players at every level especially the youth.

Here is a list of the most common errors I see as a shooting Coach:

1)The top most common error especially among the youth is the misuse of the guide hand. In coaching terminology we refer to it as the thumb flick( where the guide hand rotates inward towards the center of the ball  causing the guide hand thumb to push the ball on the release . The guide hand is only for support and balance in the shot sequence and should remain motionless.

2)Elbow flare out/Inverted  elbow-Shooting elbow misaligned either too far in or out. Causes miss shots left or right and side spin. Elbow should be positioned directly beneath the ball

3) Shot hitch – the ball pauses between the shot pocket and set point or right afterwards .Disrupts energy transfer, timing, and fluidity of the release 

4)Shooting arm  flop/drop -the shooting arm drops or flops erratically after the release. There’s no follow through .The shot either lacks control or is flat with no arc

5)Head tilt- erratic tilt of the head backward on the release caused by pulling the arms back The shot frequently falls short because the right trajectory of the shot is interrupted from this mechanical flaw

6)Shoulder turn- rotating shoulder movement too far left or right. The shot is misaligned too far left or right 

7)No leg engagement -no hip drop in the shot  to generate power.The error causes a flat shot 

8)Too low of a shot pocket- the shot pocket is set too low  causing an energy leak and poor shooting rhythm

9)Guide hand grip/drop- too much pressure on the ball with the guide hand causing resistance. Creates friction between the two hands that disrupts overall shooting coordination

10)Shooting fingers rotating- shooting fingers  rotate inward or outward on the follow through that creates side spin on the ball in both directions

11) Shooting arm sway-on the follow through the shooting arm sways inward towards the face causing either side spin or misalignment of the shot left or right

Shooting palm push- a push release with the palm rather than a fingertip release causing the shot to catapult with too much force towards the basket,