elite players with HORRIBLE shooting form

[Knicksfever2010]

I prefer to discuss past players, nothing really current... I was watching old laker/celtic games on nba tv, and WOW magic johnsons shooting form wasnt any great shakes.

[CavaliersFTW]

I prefer to discuss past players, nothing really current... I was watching old laker/celtic games on nba tv, and WOW magic johnsons shooting form wasnt any great shakes.
Oscar shot free throws one handed, and both Oscar and Dr. J pulled back their shooting hands on jumpers which isn't considered good form (wouldn't say they were "HORRIBLE" though)

[KG215]

I guess he's not elite (although he was really good in his prime) and he's a current player, but I still find myself wondering how in the hell Shawn Marion got this far along in his basketball career with that hideous shooting form. Thing is, he was a mid to high 30% 3P shooter during his prime years in Phoenix, so you can't really be too critical of his shot.

[DuMa]

this is an easy one. Shaq.

[UK-NJ]

Jamaal Wilkes springs to my mind.

[crisoner]

http://membres.multimania.fr/jujoseph/Rick_Barry_shoots_a_free_throw_01.01.74.jpg

Rick Berry and his Grandma free throw shot.

But Rick Berry has the highest freethrow percentage ever right?
How come more people do not mimic his shot?

[7_cody]

Magic didn't even have a jump shot. He had a ugly push shot that was fairly effective.

[CavaliersFTW]

http://membres.multimania.fr/jujoseph/Rick_Barry_shoots_a_free_throw_01.01.74.jpg

Rick Berry and his Grandma free throw shot.

But Rick Berry has the highest freethrow percentage ever right?
How come more people do not mimic his shot?
Cause it's called the "granny" shot - and is unsexy as hell. Similar reason as to why big men don't shoot hook shots anymore. Extremely effective, but people are afraid to look bad so they avoid adding these things to their game.

[jlip]

Magic didn't even have a jump shot. He had a ugly push shot that was fairly effective.

Yeah...I was going to go with Magic also. His push shot was quite ugly.

[SourPatchKids]

Ray and Peja have pretty and highly effective jumpers, but they both have really weird forms, especially Peja's slingshot. I think Ray has some sort of OCD on his shot so he shoots it the EXACT same way every time, another reason why it works so well.

[inclinerator]

Ray and Peja have pretty and highly effective jumpers, but they both have really weird forms, especially Peja's slingshot. I think Ray has some sort of OCD on his shot so he shoots it the EXACT same way every time, another reason why it works so well.
their shots dont look bad at all

[clipps]

I remember playing a pickup game where we made a rule; unless your going for layups, you have to shoot granny style. We looked so rediculous.

Thing about the hook shot, its an ugly looking shot or players think tbey are 'too cool' for hook shots. Its just the hook shot is extremely hard to master and players are lazy these days.

[G-train]

IMO Reggie Miller has a horrible form, yet is one of the greatest shooters ever.
http://www.nba.com/media/act_reggie_miller.jpg

Crooked elbow, a weird hitch that changed timing seemingly on every shot, seemed to hold ball from different distances from his face shot to shot, guide hand too far over and controlling.

In the least it is far from correct form.

Rodman was an elite player that shot like he was making a chest pass.

[josh99]

I remember playing a pickup game where we made a rule; unless your going for layups, you have to shoot granny style. We looked so rediculous.

Thing about the hook shot, its an ugly looking shot or players think tbey are 'too cool' for hook shots. Its just the hook shot is extremely hard to master and players are lazy these days.
I don't understand how people think a hook shot is an ugly looking shot? :confusedshrug:

[thejumpa]

IMO guys like Reggie and Ray don't have horrible form or even halfway bad form. That's how they naturally shoot and it works for them. The shot is extremely effective and hard to guard. Same goes for Marion. Even Kobe has said that his form isn't the best to learn from. It's all about repetition. As long as you aren't getting blocked all the time or missing a bunch of shots...then there is no way you can have horrible form.


FWIW....Rondo has horrible form. His elbow sticks too far out, it's a slower release, and he has no touch whatsoever. It's either going to go in or brick stupid hard.

[plowking]

Dwyane Wade.

His wrist on his shooting hand comes in at a weird angle from the side with a little hitch. It looks smooth and fine from a distance, but when the show his shot from the back it looks terrible. Really should have been something he fixed a long time ago.

[D.J.]

Reggie Miller
Peja Stojakovic
Chris Webber
Shawn Marion


And I may get some heat for this, but Dirk Nowitzki. It obviously works for him, but it's not at all pretty.

[G-train]

IMO guys like Reggie and Ray don't have horrible form or even halfway bad form. That's how they naturally shoot and it works for them. The shot is extremely effective and hard to guard. Same goes for Marion. Even Kobe has said that his form isn't the best to learn from. It's all about repetition. As long as you aren't getting blocked all the time or missing a bunch of shots...then there is no way you can have horrible form.


FWIW....Rondo has horrible form. His elbow sticks too far out, it's a slower release, and he has no touch whatsoever. It's either going to go in or brick stupid hard.

So good technique is the ball going in?
Sorry thats not english, makes no sense.
Technique is how you complete the motion, not the result.
Reggie has poor technique, that's factual.
Reggie has great results, that's factual.

[IGotACoolStory]

I don't understand how people think a hook shot is an ugly looking shot? :confusedshrug:

No kidding. The hook shot is absolutely one of the sexiest shots around.

[SevereUpInHere]

Reggie Miller
Peja Stojakovic
Chris Webber
Shawn Marion


And I may get some heat for this, but Dirk Nowitzki. It obviously works for him, but it's not at all pretty.


Dirk shoots a lot of shots where he is completely off balance, often shooting off one leg, most shooting coaches would definitely think this is very bad form. From set jump shots he has really nice form though.

[RaininThrees]

Cause it's called the "granny" shot - and is unsexy as hell. Similar reason as to why big men don't shoot hook shots anymore. Extremely effective, but people are afraid to look bad so they avoid adding these things to their game.


IIRC, the granny shot is the most accurate way to shoot a free throw, once you learn how to do it.

[DixieNourmous]

Jamaal Wilkes springs to my mind.
Good Call! I remember he would bring the ball back over his right ear (above his head) using his right hand as pusher and left hand to oddly guide the ball.

Best I could find to show it V

http://images.checkoutmycards.com/zoom/3fdbcfad-415b-4c04-98cd-8bfc4a041bc8.jpg

Ball had a nice arc on it and nothing but net looked sweet. His Nickname was "Silk". Inducted into the HOF in 2012.





Just found video of this shot. Sweet once its in the air...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_fMXG2wE5U

[d.bball.guy]

I find Adam Morrison's shooting form awkwardly bad. Maybe it's just the stache, I'm not sure.

[MiseryCityTexas]

john crotty was not an elite player, but his shot was ugly as hell and still went in sometimes.

[hangintheair]

What comes to my mind is Kevin Martin.. It's not horrible but it so awkward..

[fsvr54]

Pretty much everyone I've ever seen has different form, so I don't know about this "formal" form.

[BankShot]

Bird and Magic have terrible shooting mechanics

[Pointguard]

In watching the Knicks championship years there was this guy named Dick Barnett whose heels would kick up to his butt on his jump shot and he was a good shooter - number is retired.

Bob McAdoo was the best jump shooting center ever and he annoyingly would keep one hand in front of the ball.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/history/legends/bob-mcadoo/bob-mcadoo-300-070811.jpg

[fsvr54]

Moral of the story is, form really doesn't matter, as long as it goes in the hoop. Throughout my days playing in different playgrounds, i've seen many people who could shoot, many of them with "bad forms".

[BoutPractice]

There's a difference between an unorthodox, effective form and a bad form.
For instance, Larry Bird's form is something that makes sense. Not only does he always do it the same way, but here's a certain logic to the way he shoots it, to the way his elbow faces the basket, to the arc he releases the ball with. Same with Dirk (it's even been mathematically programmed by a mad scientist) or Durant.

In contrast, you have someone like Dwyane Wade whose form looks good on the surface, but is flawed by design because he never truly aligns himself with the basket.

And then you have the hopeless cases like Shawn Marion.

[9512]

If you count Joakim Noah as Elite, then he belongs on the topic discussed. :roll:

His shot he calls the tornado or whatever. it looks like a school girl shot.

[coin24]

Kenyon Martin... Just launches it, zero arc:oldlol:

Shawn Marion.... Wtf:confusedshrug:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zm0Vg0U1og

[Overdrive]

John Stockton

[qrich]

Wasn't elite but Walter McCarty had beautiful form :oldlol:

[obonpaxis]

Anthony Mason

[brantonli]

hook shot is definitely a great looking shot:

http://youtu.be/mFppQfs75Ro?t=35s

There's something I just don't like about LeBron's jump shot. It looks really 'centered', like the left hand is too far below under the ball.

[ivienthol]

It's all in the wrist anyway. Especially when we get older because we get stronger.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Def Bird... Overall greatest shooter ever, shot the ball like over his head to the size, add that to the fact that he was almost 6'10, made it impossible to block, plus he made it look like a layup.