Shoot With the Hoop!

The artful use of a hula hoop can straighten out some of your players' shooting problems

BASKETBALL COACHES ARE always looking for ways to improve their players' skills, particularly in shooting.

As player personnel director for the Cleveland Cavaliers (two years) and assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers (12 years), I observed countless practice sessions both in the USA and abroad, and nearly always detected a lack of instruction in shooting techniques.

The conventional wisdom is that some players can shoot and other cannot. It's true -- some players are obviously more skilled than others. But everyone can improve through good instruction and application.

The first stage in the re-teaching of the motor skills is to convince the player that a change in technique is necessary and will produce a positive result. Both coach and player must make a total commitment to change. The problem could be the feet, posture, elbow hand, fingertips, or release.

When learning a motor skill, the player will usually exhibit some degree of recession. He will often say that the new technique feels funny, different, or weird.

The coach must tell him it's natural to feel that way and that he isn't going to achieve immediate results. But over the long haul, he will definitely improve and with patience, commitment, and proper practice, he (or she) will accomplish the desired results.

One of the most common problem areas in shooting is the elbow. The player will keep his shooting elbow out too far and the result will be a weak position, a flat shot, and limited range. The ball will often hit the front of the rim and it will be difficult for the shooter to achieve consistency.

Jody Gardner, a former Long Beach State player, gave me a great idea on how to improve a player's shooting technique -- the use of a hula hoop.

The player stands four to eight feet directly in front of the basket, with the coach standing directly behind him. The coach places the hoop over the top of the player's head, and the player assumes a normal shooting position with the ball.

Note: The coach or a teammate can adjust the height of the hoop to the size of the player.

The hoop serves two primary purposes:

One, it enables the coach to adjust the arc of the shot by simply lowering or raising the hoop. The player will automatically shoot over the hoop, thus promoting an elbow lift and a higher release, as well as a proper release and follow through.

Secondly, the coach can adjust the hoop closer or farther from the player's shooting arm. By pulling the hoop in, the coach can bring the elbow closer to the body, producing a position that will enable the player to lift the ball higher and shoot with more arc and more range.

The hula hoop is a very simple teaching tool, but extremely effective. I used it last season with the Las Vegas Silver Bandits (IBL) and at a shooting camp at the U. of New Mexico.

The players were quite receptive and the results were very positive. I would strongly recommend the use of the hoop in your shooting drills.