Seriously, this blog is about feet. Your feet when shooting a basketball. As many of you know I’m very particular about shooting and the form it takes to be successful. Your entire shot starts with your feet- and you don’t want start off on the wrong foot. Get it?
OK, so where should you have your feet. First they should be pointed at the hoop. The feet are the compass of your shot and the ball tends to follow where your feet are pointed. What happens is your feet will turn your knees, hips, core and in turn your shoulders to where they are pointed. If they are not straight then you have to fight everything else back to square.
Your feet should be shoulder width apart, not too wide and not too close together. You should think of about doing a squat in the weight room. You know what a squat is right? I hope kids are still doing those. If you squatted with your feet too wide or too close and your feet crooked what would happen? You’d be at the doctor’s office. There is a reason why you squat with your feet straight ahead and shoulder width apart. It’s where you are the most powerful. Wouldn’t you want to be the most powerful in your jumper as well?
Most people know the ½ inch rule, where your shooting hand foot is ½ an inch in front of the other. I think whether your feet are equal or ½ inch is doesn’t matter but you definitely don’t want to be over two inches from each other. That will start to throw off your shoulders and everything else.
Lastly and probably the most important part- your weight placement. Your weight needs to be balanced and equally displaced. If your weight is too far forward it will push you off balance and make everything lunge forward and push the shot path flat. If your shot is flat you have a much lower chance statistically to make the shot- that is a fact. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone shooting off their heels but if you do, don’t. From a balanced position you rise up through your toes. A great tip is to jump stop before your shot and think about your feet, notice where your weight is and then correct it to be balanced. Close your eyes and think about your feet and how that balanced position feels- then lock in that memory and repeat it.
It’s important to start out your shot right and everything starts with your feet. Build from the ground up and start with the right processes. There is a completely separate topic about feet and that is footwork, this blog is about feet placement. Stay tuned in the future for shooting footwork and the process of developing solid footwork. When it comes to feet placement be balanced, just as in life a balanced approach is usually the right way to go.
Josh Wilson
DOB: 5/17/87
Height: 6'2
Weight: 200
Euro Basket Bio
Erdgas Ehingen Germany 2009-10
Starting point guard for Erdgas Ehingen Urspringschule in Germany's Pro B League. As a rookie, he averaged 15.2 points per game, along with 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot the basketball well from everywhere on the court — 50 percent on 2-point shots, 40.9 percent from 3-point territory and 77 percent from the free-throw line. His season-high point total (29) came in Ehingen's second game of the season, back in early October
Northern Arizona University Career Notes:
The only player in Division I to rank among the top 40 in assists per game each of the last three seasons…Ranks among top 20 returning national assist leaders in 2008-09…Ranks first in school history and third in the Big Sky Conference with 636 career assists... Ranked first in the Big Sky Conference in assists each of the last three seasons, the first player in league history to lead the league three consecutive seasons...Ranked 39th in Division I in 2007-08 at 5.2 assists per game…Finished ninth in the nation in 2006-07 with 6.0 assist average...Ranked the 11th-best total in the nation and best among freshmen in Division I in 2005-06 at 6.1...195 assists in 2005-06 set a single-season school record, eclipsing the mark set by Harry Payne in 1985-86…Owns three of the top four single-season assist totals…Owns two of the top 10 single-game assist performances in school history...
Northern Arizona University 2008-09 (Senior):
All-Big Sky team honorable mention...ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District 8 selection presented by COSIDA...Big Sky Conference Player of the Week ...Broke 3 school records; assists, minutes played and games played. Was positioned to become the all time assist leader in Big Sky history but injured foot and missed the second half of the season.
Northern Arizona University 2007-08 (Junior):
All-Big Sky second team selection...ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District 8 selection presented by COSIDA...Big Sky Conference Player of the Week (Feb. 25)...Saw action in all 32 games with 31 starts...Averaged 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists...Had 17 games in double figures...Scored a career-best 25 points against Wichita State in ESPNU BracketBusters game, eclipsing previous single-game best 20 points two times (Adams State, Northern Colorado)...Recorded five or more assists 22 times, including eight or more assists eight times...Led the Big Sky Conference and ranked 39th in the nation in assists at 5.4 per game...Set school career assist record against Haskell at 17:06 mark of the first half, finishing with nine assists...Hit game winning three-pointer with two-tenths of a second left to defeat No.%
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