Developing an Effective Basketball Shooting Technique

Based in Michigan, Raji “RJ” Zaher owns and operates 5 PLY, LLC, a company that sources and distributes personal protective equipment. Passionate about sports, Raji Zaher maintains a strong community presence and coaches youth soccer and basketball.

When it comes to improving shooting accuracy in basketball, it’s important to focus on maintaining a comfortable stance, with the shooting foot just slightly in front of the non-shooting foot. Line up the pads of your fingertips along the ball’s horizontal seams, which allows backspin to be controlled.

Spread your fingers wide enough to ensure that the ball can be comfortably balanced in one hand, and leave some space between the middle palm and the ball. The elbow of the shooting hand should be bent and positioned under the ball, while the non-shooting hand should be positioned at the side of the ball. The non-shooting hand should provide stability and should not move or add any spin to the shot.

Shooting the basketball requires an uncoiling motion that involves the legs, core, and arm moving in tandem with the elbow and wrists, which extend straight toward the basket. With this straight-line orientation, the ball will come off the fingers with a symmetrical backspin that provides just the right arc into the basket.