Shooting School - Shot Path
The “Shot Path” is the path the ball follows from the set point to the follow through. The shot path is generally not an issue as long as a shooter starts the shot in the set point and finishes with a consistent follow through and release point.
In the diagram to the right you will see three different shot paths:
1. Red Line:
Player brings the ball down before bringing the ball back up to shoot. This is negative motion which will cause you to lose any upward/vertical momentum you have created by shooting in one motion.
This motion is also a time waster and will slow down the shot, giving the defence more time to contest.
2. Green Line:
Player brings the ball backward toward (and sometime behind) the head, again creating negative motion and often a sling-shot type action.
3. Black Line:
The Bicep and forearm work as an elevator, not as levers. The ball should travel up the shot path and then forward to the basket (Up and out motion). This is the correct shot path as the motion has few moving parts which results in less variables. The more moving parts to a shooting action, the more things that can go wrong. The simpler the action, the easier it is to replicate time after time which will help players build muscle memory and a consistent shooting action.
