Five shots to greatness
A basketball player with a good middle and outside shot, good driving skills, and a good post game is considered a fairly well-rounded player. However, a player who develops five more great shots can become virtually unstoppable and be on his way to becoming a basketball legend.
The five great shots that could elevate a player to basketball legend status are the fade-out jump shot, the clockwise spin jump shot, the 360-degree jump shot in the clockwise, the slam-bam reversed, and the dipsy-doodle ice cream sundae.
First of all, the vanishing jumper is one of the shots Michael Jordan used on his way to total basketball dominance in the NBA. The offensive player pushes towards the basket and suddenly stops right in front of the defensive player. Instead of jumping up or towards the defensive player, the offensive player jumps back approximately 3 to 5 feet. This maneuver changes both defensive blocking and offensive shooting angles. In addition, it is more conducive to better shooting touch due to the backward movement and lack of forward body momentum.
Second, the clockwise jump shot is taken by backing the defensive player into the paint. Instead of rotating in the traditional counterclockwise direction, the offensive play rotates in a clockwise direction. This maneuver throws the defensive player off balance because most defensive players block shots across the body. When an offensive player spins clockwise instead of counterclockwise, it creates a moment of defensive uncertainty that allows the player to make a clean shot at the basket.
Third, the 360 degree clockwise jumper is set up similar to the vanishing jumper. The offensive player pushes towards the defensive player, stops quickly and jumps. While jumping, the player rotates his body 360 degrees clockwise. Defensive players intend to block the impending shot by crossing their body; however, the offensive player’s dominant arm is no longer where he should be because he has moved away from the defensive blocking maneuver. Instead, the defensive player ends up on the offensive player’s side with their dominant arm completely blocking the position. The player has a clean shot at the basket. It is important that the attacker fully rotates his head before completing the rotation of his body, similar to that of a dance pirouette. Quick head rotation helps the player find the basket.
Fourth, the slam bam-put rear shot is taken off an offensive rebound. The offensive player quickly secures the rebound and pogo-sticks or quick jumps to the basket. With his dominant hand, the player spins the basketball from right to left. When the basketball bounces off the backboard, the spin of the ball is reversed from left to right, and the ball quickly goes into the basket.
Lastly, the dipsy-doodle ice cream soda shot is one where the offensive player drives to the basket and shoots off. While airborne, the player continually swings their arms to the sides and up and down in an effort to avoid the hands of defensive players. The key to successfully completing this shot is knowing where the open shot area is. A player does not have to see the basket to take the shot; he just needs to know that this open area has a clear path to the basket. Good players can choose the open area before flying. Great musicians can not only pick an open area before they fly, but like a good jazz musician changing notes to match their bandmate’s flow, they can quickly change the location of that area if they see that the original area suddenly becomes unavailable.
These five strokes mentioned above are not essential to becoming a good player. However, if you want to become a basketball legend you need to have them in your arsenal.