Stephen Curry has shaped the entire NBA as we have seen today.
If you are out of the loop and have no idea who Stephen Curry is, well you should know that he is the greatest shooter the NBA has ever seen. Stephen Curry is also a two-time MVP and has broken his own record for most made three pointers in a season MULTIPLE TIMES. Currently, Stephen Curry has the most three pointers made in just one season with 402, and guess what, he is so good that not only is he number 1 on the list, but he is also Number 3, 4, 6, 9, and 16 on this same list. He has broken this record for multiple seasons which is just insane.
Stephen Curry holds many three point records in the NBA. Curry holds the record for most three-pointers made in an NBA season, most games in a row while scoring at least one three, and many points during his career had broken the record for most triples in a game numerous times. Stephen Curry has been the ULTIMATE three-point shooter in the league since 2012. No one in NBA history can ever combine with the same amount of efficiency and volume as Stephen Curry. He has such a big lead on everyone with three-point shooting and yet still has so much more time left in the league, with injuries being the only thing truly slowing him down.
What makes Curry is so different is the degree of difficulty all his three point shots truly are. He was probably one of the first to ever truly shoot from DEEP, way beyond the three-point line with ease. Most shots he takes beyond the arc come with a HUGE degree of difficulty. No one can do what Curry can. Over the course of the NBA, Curry has single handedly changed the way the game is played, and has influenced millions of athletes around the world. Everyone wants to be like Curry. It was just a simple skill for role players or the occasional all-stars, but now THREE-POINT shooting is EVERYTHING. Curry has changed the course of history for the NBA, and many want to join the ride with him.
It doesn’t matter to anyone like Curry, when it comes down to shooting, whether it’s a fade-away, a pull-up jumper, or a contested-jumper, it truly just didn’t matter for someone like Curry. He shot that ball with such ease and he shot it with such a high percentage. No matter the shot, you just knew it was going in. This NBA season, Curry was sidelined with a hand injury and honestly no one really realized how much the NBA missed him until he came back a few months ago to play against the Toronto Raptors. It took him a while to get back into his groove but once he did, oh man was it a show. He is just so entertaining to watch and it is just an honor to watch him.
With the help of splash bro Klay Thompson, Curry and Klay have shown the NBA that you can win with a three-point shooting team. A team that lives or dies by the three has created a dynasty for themselves during the 2010 decade.
What makes Curry’s shot so effective is his shot form. Did you know that Stephen Curry probably has one of the fastest releases in the NBA. It’s just so effortless for him.
Stephen Curry Shooting Form
If you truly want to shoot like Curry, you will want to read ahead. I will be breaking down Steph Curry’s shot form. If you truly want to know the secret behind his shot and what makes him such a great shooter, read ahead.
It is an interesting fact that Curry’s shooting stroke didn’t just come naturally. It’s actually true that he had to change his shot entirely just so he could have a chance to continue to play basketball and play in college. When Curry was in high school, he was shooting from his waist, which is typical for shorter and weaker players. Curry spent his time after high school developing his shot and changing his form. Curry slowly began to move his release point up to a higher point so that he was shooting the ball above his head. While he was changing his form, he was dealt with a growth spurt, and with that being said, it made his shot almost impossible to block. It is actually interesting to know that Curry breaks the rules when it comes to shooting. Honestly, I would be against this but again, it works for Curry and as long as it works for him, that’s all that matters. Sometimes you have to create your own rulebook. The truth is Curry can afford to break the rules because his shot is so consistent that he can get away with it. Stephen Curry proves that the main component of his success is his consistent release.
A combination of hard work and good genes has helped Curry become the player and great shooter he is today.
Alignment
With Steph’s shooting form, it is important to know that Curry doesn’t always keep his hips, elbow, and shoulder aligned to the basket when shooting. When he gets an open shot, he squares up completely to become that DEADLY shooter. Curry tilts his forearm just a little bit to position the ball above his shooting eye. Curry makes it a priority to get his shot off before his opponents even have a chance to react.
In terms of alignment with the basket, Curry tends to keep his shooting shoulder, elbow, and high aligned to the basket. Curry keeps his forearm slightly tilted away from his hips, and he keeps the ball above his shooting eye. His shoulder is directly aligned with his elbow, where his elbow is aligned with his hip.
When shooting, it is important to set yourself aligned with the basket.
The Turn
Curry actually has a much different TURN compared to most players.
Normally, we are taught to always square our feet towards the basket and to keep them shoulder width apart. Most players are taught to keep all ten toes pointed straight towards the rim. We are normally taught to always keep our feet pointed at our target, mainly our dominant foot [if you are shooting right handed, place your right foot in front of your left foot], placed in front of the other foot.
Although for Curry it is different.
Curry, maintains excellent balance and control by TURNING his feet roughly about 10 degrees away from the rim, facing towards his weaker hand, and in this case, his left hand. By doing this, he is aligning his hip and right shoulder towards the basket, and as a result, his shot is becoming much straighter and ultimately better. Curry is a right handed shooter, so he aligns his right side and turns his feet slightly towards the left.
When Curry is shooting a different type of shot compared to a normal jump shot, such as an off-dribble shot, his feet are pointed directly toward the rim, but when he does this, he makes sure to rotate his hips as he jumps to create more balance and alignment with his jump shot.
This method that Curry does also solves the problem of keeping your elbow tucked in which is a problem with a lot of shooting mechanics. Curry himself states that he actually does square his feet up the NORMAL way, but you can clearly see that he does not do this, so he was clearly either making a joke or was just trying to draw attention away from it so others don’t copy.
The Stance
When Stephen Curry shoots the ball, he is typically set up with the NORMAL wide stance, BUT… he points his knees inwards. He is also using the rules of [B.E.E.F] which means that he is following the rules of Balance, Elbows, Eyes, and Follow-Through. In this case, he is bending his knees and using his knees as his power rather than his arms or jump which is the correct way to shoot.
Curry uses something called the little knee flexion where when he shoots, his knees are slightly bent, giving him enough power to release the ball. Because of this, it helps him have the fastest release in the NBA. This is also a principle in the shooting technique known as BEEF which Stephen Curry follows.
The Dip
When Stephen Curry directly receives a pass, he moves the ball right down to his waist to gain enough momentum and power to shoot the ball. He dips the basketball and uses this momentum to create some rhythm. Curry releases the ball up to a point where it is above his head, and then he jumps and gives it a flick with a powerful release, all in one motion.
The dip is VERY IMPORTANT as it creates power and rhythm. It also helps Curry shoot the ball straighter and better.
Stephen Curry loves taking catch-and-shoot shots. With his shooting form, he has it set up to a point where it makes it easier for him to shoot the ball all in one motion. When he does catch the ball, he slightly lowers his arms and then immediately raises them up over his head while he is in the air after his jump. This gives him a STEADY release and gives him the added ability to shoot from deeper, which explains why he can shoot from so far, and is one of the best DEEP RANGE shooters in the league.
Some experts may argue that this isn’t an effective way to shoot, but all that matters is that it works for Curry and that he has mastered it. It’s all fine as long as it works for the way he plays the game.
Normally when Curry is shooting a shot off the dribble, he makes sure that he is already set up in this motion so that he doesn’t need to dip. He is already low and the ball is already at his waist, set up so he can get the shot off quicker
One Motion Shot
Some shooters actually add in some sort of hitch, stop, or add in motion when taking a shot, but Curry does not have any of that. Curry releases the ball in one SINGLE CONTINUOUS FLUID MOTION. This shot is very effective for someone like Curry because he is a long-range shooter and Curry has such a QUICK release. One-motion shots aren’t recommended for those who shoot closer to the basket, but that isn’t a problem for Curry because he has his own other techniques for around the basket.
One of the biggest benefits to a one-motion shooter is that it will help your release become SUPER-QUICK. This shot really benefits Curry because he has one of the fastest releases in the NBA because of it.
However… There is a tradeoff. With one-motion shots, you can’t really jump too high but again this isn’t a problem for Curry because he doesn’t jump too high in the first place. His jump shot is effortless.
Personally, I have a two-motion shot and I prefer it because it gives me more control of my shot and I don’t mind the slower release because most of the people I have played with in my life have been shorter than I. Players like Demar, Kawhi, or Kobe, would probably need the two-motion jumper because of the type of shots they take.
One thing is for certain though. The one-motion jumper works great for Curry and that’s all that matters.
S-Shot
I call Stephen Curry’s shot release an S-shot because the motion he makes with his arms actually has an S-shape. This is very effective and the shape you should be aiming for when shooting a jump shot.
Hand Position
Curry relatively uses a similar hand position to most in the NBA. He has a relaxed position with his on the ball, and you can see how his index finger and thumb make a V-shape.
It is also important to know that his off-hand is placed on the side of the ball and that his off-hand just comes right off the ball just before he actually flicks his wrist forward for the shot.
Setpoint
When Stephen Curry shoots the ball, the ball first travels backward and then forwards. He brings the ball up from his waist, just right up to above eye level.
Stephen Curry’s setpoint is right above his eye. If I want to get into the specifics, he brings it up to his right eye, which is the same side where he shoots the ball with his right hand.
Stephen Curry makes an angle that is less than 90 degrees which is different from most releases. Most releases typically release from a 90 degree angle, but for curry, it is around a 60-70 degree angle.
The Release
When releasing the ball, Curry uses his FOUR fingers to release the ball, excluding his thumb. The ball releases from the middle finger last which is typical for most shooters, including myself.
Curry holds his release for a FOLLOW THROUGH. This is actually a very important step from the B.E.E.F shooting method and is a very good rule to follow when shooting a basketball.
When Curry releases the ball, he keeps his eye on the rim at all times. He even follows the ball with his eyes all the way throughout his shot. This is also another important step in the BEEF shooting method.
Palm Shooter
It is important to note that Stephen Curry is actually a PALM SHOOTER. What this means is that he rests the ball on his entire hand. The weight of the ball is fully resting on the palm of his hand.
This was very interesting to me because for most correct shooting forms, you are supposed to leave some space between your palm and the basketball, and for the most part you are resting the ball on your fingers. Curry uses a different ideology.
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