Introduction

The basketball jump shot is the most common way of scoring points in a game of basketball where the aim of the game is to score more points than your opposition within a time limit (Struzik, Pietraszewski, & Zawadzki, 2014). As the jump shot is the most common method of scoring points it is important for players to optimize their technique in such a way that will maximize accuracy and efficiency. Different players utilize different techniques and there are many variables that affect the trajectory of the basketball jump shot. This blog will analyse the effect some of these variables may have on the accuracy of the jump shot. Through this analysis this blog hopes to find points of reference which a basketball player can use to understand and improve their jump shot technique and hopefully score more points in a game.

Jump shot technique

Traditionally the basketball jump shot is broken down into three phases, The preparation phase, the execution phase and the follow through phase. For the purpose of this blog the phases need to be understood in seperation, but should be performed all together as one movement. Proper understanding of these phases will go a long way in the improvement of the jump shot and this understanding is necessary for our biomechanical analysis. The following paragraphs will explain the three phases in some detail to provide the necessary background knowledge heading into our biomechanical analysis.

The preparation phase

In the preparation phase a player needs to find themselves in a well-balanced position in order to make the jump shot accurate. The feet are slightly staggered forward and behind the shoulders but the centre of mass should be directly above the feet to aid stability. Proper balance is key to this stage as the player is aiming to propel their body vertically in the next phase, with very little horizontal velocity (Knudson, 1993). In the preparation position the player should have the shoulder of their shooting arm aligned with the basket, this will increase the accuracy during the execution phase (Babcock, 2016). At its starting point the ball is held just above the knees but slightly away from the body. This ball position allows the shooter to execute the shot quicker as the ball is close enough to the point of release while still being far enough to generate sufficient vertical velocity through the arms.

Execution phase

In this phase the player generates enough force to overcome gravity and elevate his body off the ground in a vertical direction. Generally this is done to increase the release height of the ball, minimising the defenders ability to block the shot. The biomechanics of the forces involved and the projectile motion of the ball will be discussed in more detail in the next section of this blog. As the player’s body is elevated off the ground the ball is lifted above the head whilst still maintaining a bend in the elbows. This allows a greater range of motion for the triceps muscles, which is a dominant muscle during the moment of release. At the moment of release the ball is released from one hand only, the opposite hand is used only for control up until the release point. At this point the shooting hand should be in the centre of the ball which allows the player to apply force to the middle of the ball only, providing a more accurate release (Babcock, 2016). As we can see in the final frame of the photo below only the fingertips are in contact with the ball at the final stage of release. This allows more backspin to be applied to the ball, which has various advantages that will be discussed in the next section.

Follow through phase

The first frame of the follow through action below shows the player flicking the wrist forward in the direction of the ball. This movement applies further backspin on the ball and the use of the wrist muscles helps control the distance of the shot. It is recommended that players hold this arm position until after they land on the ground as this emphasises the important role the follow through has in the jump shot technique (Babcock, 2016). During this phase players will also be preparing to land on the court safely and will do so by exerting force through their legs and trunk to cushion their landing.