How to Position Your Hands to Shoot a Basketball

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By Kerry Winans
eHow Contributing Writer

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A good shooter will always be a valued team member. Good shooting is a function of proper shooting form and a lot of practice. This article focuses in on the proper positioning of hands in the shooting process.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Basketball

Step 1

The ball should rest on the upper pad of your shooting hand--this is the pad at the base of your fingers.
Step 2

Your fingers should be comfortably spread with your middle finger in the middle of the ball--when you are practicing this form, point your middle finger at the air hole in the ball.
Step 3

Your shooting wrist should be cocked back so your palm is facing the ceiling. With your wrist cocked and the ball at the top of the palm of your hand, you should be able to balance the ball with one hand.
Step 4

The guide hand (non-shooting hand) should be on the side of the ball with the fingers pointed towards the ceiling.
Step 5

Practice catching the ball and quickly getting your hands into this position.

Tips & Warnings

Hand position works in conjunction with keeping your shooting elbow tucked in, your shoulders square to the basket and your legs bent (for an overview, see Resources below for a link to my article on proper shooting form).
Using this form may feel uncomfortable at first--practice often and it will feel natural.

Resources