No matter what type of defense you play, these are some important concepts that will help a team and individual players be more effective.

COMMIT …. be willing to sacrifice yourself for the good of the team
COMMUNICATE .... open your mouth and talk effectively
CONSTANT .… always be aware and in a stance, especially when off the ball
CONTEST…. challenge everything - shots, positioning, dribbling, and passing
CONVERT …. from offense to defense, don’t get beat in transition.  Sprint back!
CONTAIN …. the ball handler,  never give up a straight line drive
CLOSE OUT …. under control on every shooter giving no open shots
CHASE …. all rebounds and loose balls, be willing to get on the floor for the ball

I often compare shooting a basketball to a golf swing. The biggest similarity of both a golf swing and jump shot is that repetition, rhythm and muscle memory are vitally important. While every player has a unique shot, there are some basic fundamentals that good shooters have in common.

When it comes to shooting mechanics there are lots of little details that go into developing great form. Earlier in my blog I discussed footwork which is where proper form starts and it should build from there. A player must always have his hands ready to shoot. Catching the ball with the finger tips and quickly getting the ball on the palm (not heel) of the hands helps to speed up the shot. When hands are properly on the ball the thumbs should be about 1-2 inches apart and form a "T".

The next step is critically important and where many players falter. As the shot begins, the ball should be brought up into the shooting pocket which is just off the shooting hand side of the head. For me as a right handed shooter, my right thumb is pointing at my right side temple or forehead when the ball is in my shooting pocket. At this point the shooting elbow should come up underneath the ball forming a 90 degree bend in the arm. A key point here is that the elbow should be pointing at your target. The big mistake I see players making is that they never get the ball out to their shooting pocket correctly. They let the ball rest on their off hand which usually puts the ball closer to the middle of their forehead. With the ball in this position it is almost impossible to get your elbow underneath the ball. This is why I am a big proponent of one handed practice shooting because it forces correct ball and elbow placement.

At this point it all boils down to the single most important part of the shot, the follow through. From the shooting pocket the first movement should be up, extending the elbow above the eyes and finishing with a flick of the wrist. It's important on follow through to put your fingers in the rim. Depending on how you hold the ball you may be more inclined to finish more with your middle or pointer finger. Also a good practice is to envision a spot in the middle of the rim and shoot the ball to land on that spot instead of straight at the spot. This will help get the arc needed to develop a shooters touch.

This was a brief overview of proper shooting mechanics and some important points that are key for any shooter. As I mentioned before, shooting is like a golf swing. Every day I see guys without perfect form make shots. Why? They practiced the same way over and over - repetition, rhythm, and muscle memory.

Every shot starts with footwork and therefore it is critically important. Proper footwork builds a foundation for the rest of a players mechanics. In a perfect world, like a free throw, every shot would be taken with a player having perfect technique and balance. Here are a few key points.

• Shooting hand foot a few inches in front of the other foot and centered on the rim. On free throws I place my big toe in alignment with the nail in the floor on the free throw line (designates the center of the rim).
• Feet shoulder width or comfortable distance apart. To figure out the best distance for a player, ask him to do a standing vertical jump. However far apart he puts his feet to jump is the most comfortable position.
• Knees should be slightly bent with weight evenly distributed on each leg. It's important to not lean back but have the weight on the balls of your feet and shoulders forward.

Ideally every shot would start from this position but in a fast paced basketball game that often is not possible. The main line of teaching for shooting footwork is to lead with the non-shooting hand leg and step into the shot, called a one two step. For a right handed shooter that would be a left right step. It is important to be low with the butt down and hands ready as the player steps into the shot. Mastering this technique is an important first step for any shooter.

Once a player has mastered this basic technique, he must move on to more advanced footwork. This is the point where I may differ from many coaches. I truly believe most players hurt their ability to shoot in a game because they do not experiment and practice different footwork. I especially like to use warm up and spot shooting to practice different steps. For example if I was going to shoot 10 spot shots I would try not to use the same footwork more than twice. Here is what the footwork on the ten shots might look like:

1. Stepping in left right x 2
2. Stepping in right left x 2
3. Standing still - no steps x 2
4. Slight side step left x 2
5. Slight side step right x 2

Working on different footwork in this manner helps a player get comfortable with getting his feet into proper alignment in different ways. As a player becomes more advanced he can incorporate back steps, staggered feet, wide feet and even the occasional one footed shot. Obviously if a player is struggling to make shots, he should revert back to his most comfortable footwork to make a few shots before branching out again.

Advancing from spot shooting to shooting game shots off the move is where great shooters separate themselves. Being able to master the footwork of shooting off the dribble and coming off of screens will take a player's game to another level. The only way to get better at the different game shots is to practice them at game speed. Incorporate specific game situation shots such as one two step off the dribble or curl step off a down screen into every workout. The most important thing is to be creative and do it at game speed. Have a little imagination - If a player can make tough shots in practice, he will make tough shots in the game!

Being a consistent perimeter shooter is developed through hours of correct and focused practice. Taking 100 shots the right way is better than 400 the wrong way. Great shooters have consistent technique and excellent muscle memory developed by being intensely focused on details. One of the biggest mistakes I see players making is how they approach practicing their shoot. Every single shot that is taken will either be enforcing correct technique or creating bad habits. Many players walk into the gym and just start shooting without any thought to a warm up or a progression to create consistent shooting mechanics. The warm up time is important because it allows you to focus on the fundamentals while at the same time building confidence as you see the ball go through the net.

Developing a consistent warm up routine is important for any shooter. I used one myself as a player and coach. I simple call it "100". It is designed to help reinforce good habits as well as allow a player to get 100 made shots in before he even breaks a sweat. With a rebounder and one or two basketballs it only takes about 15 minutes. The key is to focus on every detail and fundamental of each shot during this time. It's not about how fast it gets done but that it's done right.

"100" WARM UP

• Start about 2 feet from rim. Make 10 one handed form shots from right block, left block and middle. (30 makes total)
• From 7-8 feet away make 10 bank shots from both left and right side (50 makes total)
• From 15 feet make 10 shots from both baselines and both elbows (90 makes total)
• Finish with 10 made free throws (100 makes total)

At the end of this routine, a shooter should be fully warmed up and ready to start shooting at a faster pace and on the move. This routine is not complicated but is very effective. Nothing like starting a practice having made 100 shots to boost a players confidence.