Did you know that there are several types of shot in basketball? That’s right! Players use countless techniques to shoot. You can score by jumping, dunking, trays, hooks and so on.
It may seem easy to perform all these movements, but it’s not. Basketball is a sport that requires a lot of physical conditioning, balance, motor coordination and, above all, hand technique. It takes years of training before you can master the fundamentals.
If you have any doubts about this subject and are looking for material that illustrates all types of basketball shots, this guide will help you!
We’ve compiled all the shooting mechanics below. We’ll explain how they work with complete explanations and images. This way, you’ll understand everything perfectly and won’t be left floundering during basketball matches!
Oh, and we’ve used images from some YouTube channels to illustrate the mechanics: Sikana, Howcast, Thincpro and DeepGame. Subscribe to get the moral high ground!
What is a shot in basketball?
Before we break down each type of shot in basketball, we need to understand what a shot is.
In basketball, the shot is the movement athletes use to finish plays. Its aim is to put the ball in the basket and score.
Shots can generate one, two or even three points, depending on the location on the court and the context in which the shot was taken.
If the player hit a basket inside the three, the team gets two points. If the shot was made outside the three (without stepping on the line), the team gets three points. If the player made a free throw, one point is scored.
Free throws are bonuses awarded to teams that suffer individual fouls, collective fouls (after the limit) and technical fouls.
Basketball shots
- Jump shot
- Fadeway
- Bank shot
- Layup
- Finger roll
- Euro step
- Hook
- Free throw
- Dunk
- Alley-oop
Jump shot
Among the types of shot in basketball, the jump shot is the most popular. After all, it’s the simplest and most practical way to finish a shot.
In the jump shot, the athlete positions their body, jumps and, at the highest moment of impulse, throws the ball with one hand.
For this technique, you have to rotate your wrist slightly to give the ball a spinning effect, which can help improve accuracy.
Fadeway
The fadeway is a specific type of jump shot. In it, the player jumps backwards and throws the ball in order to escape an opponent’s touch. This technique was the trademark of two basketball monsters: Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant.
Bank shot
The bank shot is a jump shot that touches the table before going into the basket. It’s not a very popular shot, but it was a hit with power forward Tim Duncan.
Layup
The layup is one of the main types of shot in basketball. It is a shot in which the athlete throws the ball towards the basket in a smooth and controlled manner, usually a short distance from the basket.
In this technique, the player takes two steps, jumps, propels his body and uses one of his hands to “drop” the ball gently into the basket. On most occasions, the athletes rely on the help of the table to score the point.
Finger roll
The finger roll is a type of layup often used in matches. The movement consists of jumping and throwing the ball with your fingertips.
It’s a very effective technique for escaping stumps from tall opponents, as the ball forms a parabola and falls straight into the basket.
Euro step
When a layup is made with two steps in opposite directions (one step to the right and the other to the left, for example), we call it a euro step. This movement is perfect for deceiving the marker.
The technique was given this name because it originated in Eastern Europe in the 60s. In the NBA, it first became popular with Lithuanian Sarunas Marciulionis in the late 80s and then with Argentinian Manu Ginobili in the 2000s.
Hook
The hook is one of the basketball shots that pivots prefer. The mechanics work like this: you put your body between the ball and your opponent, stand sideways and shoot the ball with just one hand.
This shot, however, lacks precision. That’s why the recommendation is to shoot it as close to the basket as possible.
Visually, the move looks like a hook, which is why it was named that. In the NBA, it was deadly in the hands of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Free throw
The free throw is the bonus shot a team receives when it is fouled during a match. It may look easy enough, but not all professional athletes manage to make good use of it.
The shot must be taken at the free-throw line and the player must not take their feet off the ground to shoot the ball, at most flex them. Among the types of shot in basketball, it is the only one that gives the team a point.
Dunk
The dunk is one of the most plastic types of shot in basketball. There’s even a competition for it in the NBA! The event is called Slam Dunk and rewards the most creative shots.
The dunk move consists of jumping and dunking the ball into the basket without throwing it. You need a lot of momentum to reach the hoop.
Dunks can be made in different ways: with one hand, with two hands, from the front, from the back, passing the ball under the legs, etc.
Alley-oop
We’ll end the list of types of shots in basketball with the alley-oop, which is nothing more than a high pass followed by a dunk.
The pass in question needs to be made close to the rim so that the teammate can catch the ball in the air and, within seconds, put it in the basket.
That’s it! Now you know all the types of shot in basketball. What’s your favorite shot? Tell us in the comments
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