As well as being biggest sport in some top countries around the world, the court game of basketball is the most lucrative in the world. In this article, we have used comprehensive and detailed visual aids to teach you how to shoot a basketball perfectly, Steph Curry style.
How to Shoot a Basketball Perfectly
Start with the lower body first
- Keep your toes pointing in the same direction when shooting
- You can choose to face the basket according to your preference or turn slightly to the left (Curry’s preference is 10-15° to the left).
- The same orientation can prevent knee varus or valgus from causing sports injuries.
- The right foot should be placed slightly forward.
This is because when shooting, the forward force of the shooter will cause the upper body to have left-handed power (if the left hand is the weaker hand). The left foot should be in front when shooting with the left hand.
Perfectly executing the power and positioning of the lower body, will make the shot more coordinated.
- Bend your knees while keeping your back at a straight angle. This is the source of shooting power. Most of the power of shooting comes from the lower body and then transmits upwards.
- The feet must be shoulder-width apart. Too close will affect stability, and too far away will reduce strength. Placing the distance between your feet at a shoulder width distance brings perfection.
Upper Body
For the upper body, the elbows should not be too far away but positioned in the shape of “eight”, so that the palm of your hand can face the basket.
Leave space in the palm, and open the palm naturally to allow the ball to have proper backspin, so that even if it is not hollow into the net, it is easier to bounce into the basket. Expert shooters like Steph Curry are big promulgators of this technique. Watch the GIF below.
The index finger should be at the center of the ball, facing the basket. After the shot, the index finger should point to the center of the basket so that your shot will be very straight. Note also, that the blow hole is the center of the ball.
Keep the elbow fully extended after the shot and the position of the elbow should be higher than the eye. The higher the arc of the shot, the larger the area of the ball into the basket. The perfect arc is about 48°-55°.
To perfect your shooting posture training, it is important to note that marksmen make millions of shots, and have to practice continuously after the correct posture to strengthen muscle memory.
Now, having mastered the body posture, we now explain how to shoot a basketball in four scenarios. Follow the GIFs and pictures below to perfect your shooting.
1. How to shoot a basketball perfectly following a catch
2. How to shoot a basketball perfectly following a Dribble
There are 3 basic dribbling actions that can come before your shot and they are.
- change direction to shoot
- crotch dribble to shoot
- back dribble to shoot
Watch as Steph Curry executes this move.
3. How to shoot a basketball following an emergency stop 
4. How to shoot a basketball perfectly after retreat
Sideways shot
Conclusion
This article has focused on visual aids to help you learn how to dribble in basketball. However, to find your most comfortable shooting position, you don’t have to rigidly imitate all of this moves, the one that suits you best is the perfect one.
Despite this, you must simulate the speed and rhythm of the game during your shooting training in order to maintain a high shooting rate when on court.
