3 point shot Archives - Grit Basketball

Step back 3s are stepping back

So, if you’re a college basketball fan or player, you’ve probably already heard that on Wednesday the NCAA approved moving the 3-point line another 16 1/4 inches to the international distance of 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches starting for Division 1 this fall. That’s a pretty significant change considering the last time the line got moved in 2008 it was only a foot.

But the game has changed quite a bit since then (read: Steph Curry), and this bump was inevitably coming. Now the question becomes, how do players adjust?

Odds are we’re not going to see much of a reduction in 3-pointers taken despite the change. We’re in a jack-it-up era, and for long-ball shooters (which defines just about everyone these days), 16 inches isn’t going to deter attempts much if at all. But it will reduce makes. At least in the short run, watch for percentages to drop across the board, especially for those players who aren’t consistent with their shot.

And that’s the key. While some may think they need to get a little bit stronger now that the line is pushed back, the real goal is to get more consistent in your form. The physics of adding 16 inches to your shot aren’t complicated, so long as your body is moving the parts in the correct way in the first place.

That’s why at GRIT, we teach the Pro Shot technique, focusing on the dip, the finger release, the sway, and the follow. The correct mechanics in every shot you take make distance less and less of a barrier.

But as with anything else, that takes reps. And if you’re looking to become a Division 1 basketball player (or D2 or D3 when the rule takes effect in 2020) who can shoot a high percentage from distance, it’s definitely time to get into the gym and start getting comfortable from 22+. That means more attention to form than anything else.

Steph’s Shooting Mechanics: 1 Motion vs 2 Motion

Check out Pro Shot’s analysis of Steph Curry’s shooting mechanics during the 2015-16 season then watch the video on “Understanding 1 Motion vs 2 Motion.”

Things to look for:

ONE MOTION – Look at the fluidity of Steph’s one motion shot. A big reason why Steph is able to get so much power and range on his shot is because of his “one motion shot.” He shoots on the way up, very early in his jump.
TURN – Steph also has a turn prior to shooting the ball every time he shoots. This helps him keep the ball straight and is a BIG part of his accurate shooting.
SHOULDERS/TURN – Steph’s shooting shoulder ALWAYS leads his shot and his guide arm shoulder is always behind him. Yes, this is part of the turn. When you see a turned shooter, the shooter’s chin should be behind his shooting shoulder.
ONE EYED SHOOTER – Steph is a right-handed shooter so his arm/follow-through is in front or very close to in front of his right eye. For a left-handed shooter, the arm would be in front of the left eye. We call this being a ONE EYED shooter, because when you look at the shooter you see only one eye. The player’s follow-through is covering the other eye.

Always remember that to become a great shooter shooting mechanics come first. Once you have the correct technique, you then you have to consistently practice (reps, reps, reps). After you have the mechanics right, it’s reps, reps, reps of game situational shots, contested shots, and shot under pressure.

The Golden State Warriors Have Revolutionized Basketball

Team executives saw the 3-point line as a market inefficiency and unleashed Stephen Curry to exploit it.

Watch the video from the WSJ: An analysis of four plays shows how Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors pull off their game-changing 3-point strategy.

An analysis of Steph Curry’s shot and footwork

Steph Curry is just simply fun to watch, I always talk to players about the importance of watching the game and watching great players. Take advantage of the opportunity out there to watch players like this every chance you get!!

Obviously we can look at a lot of things that Steph Curry does, his changing of speeds and direction with his ball handing, his movement without the ball, his finishing moves and ability to finish around the rim, his craftiness and basketball IQ, his level of confidence and toughness that he plays the game with, his shooting, shooting and more shooting. Because of all these things I suggest you look at this video several times.

Pertaining to his insane ability to shoot the ball look for some of these things:
Look at Steph’s arc and how the ball drops into the rim. Majority of the time the ball is dropping down into the rim. I’ve seen a lot of players struggle with getting ark on their shot. a couple things that may help with ark are: shooting one motion, raising your release and relaxing your shoulders back, and working on shooting up and over a defender or D-Man can be helpful.
Look at his footwork (how he utilizes the hop as well as 1-2), he used the hop often off the dribble as well as on catch and shoot whenever he needed to get the shot out quickly. the 1-2 is good to have in your game as well but know that the hop allows to get into the shot very quickly. Also look at how Steph is always on the balls of his feet before he springs into his shot.
Look at a few of his shots in slow motion to see what his overall technique looks like. Specifically how he starts and ends his shot.

Also look at how Steph likes to start with a slight turn and ends with his shooting hip and shooting shoulder aligned with the rim. And for those very athletic guys and gals out their, look at how he shoots the ball in one fluid motion. He releases the ball on the way up which will help with your arc and power. There are some shooters that elevate and shoot at the peak of their jump, but always remember there are a lot of benefits to shooting earlier in your jump ON THE WAY UPWARD.