I remember watching grainy footage of legendary players from the 80s and 90s, trying to decipher their shooting form through the pixelated images. Meneses, the 56-year-old three-time PBA champion, recently made an interesting observation that stuck with me - he said technology, especially in this social media era, somehow helped today's generation understand how they were as players during his time. He's absolutely right. When I think about how we can improve our shooting today, we're standing on the shoulders of giants who came before us, and we have the incredible advantage of being able to study their techniques in high definition, from multiple angles, and in slow motion. That's why I want to share these five proven techniques that combine timeless wisdom with modern understanding.
The first technique that transformed my shooting was proper hand placement. I spent countless hours analyzing videos of Steph Curry's release and comparing them to Ray Allen's textbook form. What most people don't realize is that the shooting hand should be centered with the index finger pointing directly at the basket, creating what coaches call the "shooting pocket." The guide hand should rest gently on the side of the ball without influencing the shot's direction. I made the mistake early in my career of pushing with my guide hand, which caused my shots to veer left or right unpredictably. It took me about three months of daily practice - roughly 500 shots per day - to retrain my muscle memory. The difference was dramatic. My field goal percentage jumped from 38% to nearly 52% in game situations.
Balance forms the foundation of every great shot, and this is where many players, including myself initially, struggle. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with your shooting foot slightly forward. I prefer my right foot about six inches ahead of my left, but some shooters like Klay Thompson use a more squared stance. The key is consistency - find what works for you and stick with it. When I'm off balance, my shooting percentage drops by at least 15-20 percentage points. Your knees should be bent and your weight distributed evenly, ready to transfer energy from your legs through your core and into your shooting motion. This kinetic chain is what creates that beautiful, fluid motion we see in elite shooters.
The elbow alignment might seem like a minor detail, but it's actually crucial. Your shooting elbow should form an L-shape and be positioned directly under the ball, aligned with your knee and the basket. I used to film my shooting form from different angles and noticed my elbow would flare out to the right occasionally. This small flaw caused inconsistent rotation and made my shots less reliable from beyond the arc. It took conscious effort to correct, but once I did, my three-point percentage improved from 33% to around 41% over a single season. The ball should roll off your fingers with backspin - I aim for about three rotations per second, which helps the ball settle softly into the net when it catches iron.
Follow-through is what I call the "signature" of your shot. Your wrist should snap forward with your fingers pointing toward the floor, creating what coaches describe as "reaching into the cookie jar." This ensures proper arc and backspin. I maintain my follow-through until the ball reaches the basket, which feels unnatural at first but becomes second nature. When I'm tired during games, I sometimes catch myself shortening my follow-through, and my shots inevitably fall short. The ideal arc peaks about 3-4 feet above the rim, giving you that perfect margin for error. Studies have shown that shots with higher arcs have up to 15% better chance of going in, even when slightly off-target.
Finally, the mental aspect of shooting cannot be overstated. Visualization and repetition build the confidence needed to knock down shots in pressure situations. I developed a pre-shot routine that involves taking a deep breath, visualizing the ball swishing through the net, and focusing on a specific spot on the rim. For me, it's the middle hook where the net attaches to the rim. This routine, combined with consistent practice, has helped me shoot 89% from the free-throw line over the past two seasons. The great shooters all share this mental toughness - they expect every shot to go in, regardless of previous misses.
Looking back at Meneses' comment about technology helping today's players understand previous generations, I realize how fortunate we are. We can study the nuances of legendary shooters, analyze our own form with smartphone apps, and make incremental improvements that players from earlier eras could only discover through years of trial and error. These five techniques have fundamentally improved my shooting, but they're just the beginning. The beautiful thing about basketball is that there's always room for refinement, always another level to reach. What works for me might need slight adjustments for you, but these fundamentals remain constant across generations of great shooters. The next time you step on the court, remember that you're part of a continuum of players who've dedicated themselves to perfecting this beautiful, seemingly simple act of putting the ball through the hoop.
