In December 1996, the Street & Smith’s Sports Group collaborated closely with the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Coaches Association to publish the Street & Smith's NBA Playbook, on which I served as Editor in Chief. The Playbook was a slick 48-page magazine directed at secondary school students and provided free to every male and female varsity player in the United States. There were profiles of Olympic gold medalists David Robinson and Lisa Leslie and of high school sensation Elton Brand, as well as essays on sportsmanship and proper shooting form.A major section of the magazine was devoted to the five positions in the game—center, power forward, small forward, point guard, and shooting guard. The skills needed for each position were described and written by a different NBA player: Butch Beard, Alex English, Paul Silas, and Bill Walton. Dell Curry wrote the essay (below) on the shooting guard.
One of the best shooters in the game, Curry finished in the top 10 in the league in three-point field goal percentage. In 1995-96, his 10th NBA season, he averaged 14.5 points, his ninth consecutive season in double figures. Curry did a masterful job of teaching the fine points of shooting to his elder son, Stephen, eight years old in 1996. Fast-forward two decades to the 2015 NBA Finals, where Dell Curry and his wife, Sonya, were hoping to see the sharpshooting Stephen, the NBA's Most Valuable Player, lead the Golden State Warriors to the league championship over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Here is the lesson on shooting in the 1996 Street & Smith's NBA Playbook from Dell Curry:
Shooting guard—the job description for this position is in the title. And it's a job most players, regardless of their size or level of competition, would eagerly apply for and gladly accept. What are the requirements for the position? To take the shots. Yes, most applicants believe they have the credentials to do that—or at least they say they are willing to try. But the position is not open to everyone. To be an effective shooting guard you must earn the job. And to do that, you have to demonstrate that you can hit the outside shot on a consistent basis.
Proper Form
When I was growing up, form used to be the most important consideration for shooters: keeping your elbow in a direct line with your body. I don't think that's the most important thing now. A player has to be comfortable with his own shot. Still, there are some standard guidelines for proper form: You have to be square to the target, having your feet and body facing directly at the basket, not pointing to the sidelines. You must be conscious of that and you have to work on it. And when you are on the move, dribbling the ball, you have to be able to pull up, be square, and shoot.
Improving Your Shot
I have devoted a lot of time over the years in trying to improve my shot. It's pretty simple. You get a ball and a basket. I like to practice taking two or three dribbles going one way. Then I pull up and shoot. Actually, you don't even have to shoot the ball. Just practice your form. Make sure that your feet and shoulders are square to the basket. If you do enough repetitions, it becomes a habit. And that is really the primary thing. You have to work at shooting the ball. If you don't put in the time, then it's not going to happen. It's as simple as that.
Early Start
When I was growing up, before I was in high school, I'd sometimes shoot for two or three hours a day. Coming from a small town [Harrisonburg, Va.], and having four sisters, I found that this was something I could always do by myself. Afterward, when I finished my workout, I would go and play with my buddies.
Technique
Alex English was among the top scorers in the NBA for years, but he readily admits that he didn't have a very good technique. He shot off-balance a lot. Nevertheless, Alex was a great shooter. That just shows you that technique, in some cases, is up to the individual—providing, of course, you can fill up the basket. The most important things are being square to the basket and taking good shots, shots you know you can make. High-percentage shots. That goes for every player.
Confidence
You need confidence to be a good shooter, and you have to maintain your confidence even when you are missing your shots. If I miss five or 10 shots in a row, I know the next 20 are going to go in. I just know it. I never count my misses. I count my makes. I didn't always feel that way, but I gradually developed that attitude. It helps me when I'm in a slump. I believe that when you are in a slump, you have to shoot your way out of it. But that doesn't mean that I am selfish. I like to pass. I always did.
Versatility
There are other aspects to basketball besides shooting. If you want to improve, if you want to become more of a complete player, then you have to learn the different parts of the game and you must be skilled in the fundamentals. You have to be able to pass the ball. You have to be able to dribble. You have to be able to move without the ball. Basically, the two guard has to be able to do all the things a point guard does in addition to shooting the ball consistently well.
Screen Test
The shooting guard has to be able to move without the ball to get open for a shot. You have to learn to use your teammates to come off a screen with a quick release on the jump shot. When I first got to college, I had to learn to do that. One of the assistant coaches at Virginia Tech, Bobby Stevens, helped me a lot in that area of my game. He worked with me on a swivel move.
Swivel Move
It's really quite simple: You come off the screen, you turn on your inside foot, you catch the ball, and you shoot. Pivot, swivel, and square up all in one motion, instead of catching the ball and then squaring up. It has to be all in one motion. It's more efficient and it makes it harder for the player covering you. At first, it was a difficult move to learn. But I practiced it over and over. Now, it's a habit for me. I don't even think about it. The key is to develop good footwork and get your body square.
Challenge Yourself
The thing I do when I'm practicing my shot is set a personal challenge. I set goals. For example, if I take 50 shots, I have to make 40 or 45. If I don't, I run sprints. Then I go back and shoot again. I call that practicing with a purpose. If you want to get better, you have to challenge yourself. A shooting drill like that is good for your stamina and because it also simulates game conditions. You should practice shooting when you're tired or breathing a little hard because that's the way it's going to be in a real game.
Defending Good Shooters
There are many things you can do to try to slow down the other team's shooters. Make them work as hard as possible at both ends of the court. Deny them the ball. Make them move without it. Try to learn the plays your opponents run for the two guard and then anticipate the moves and take away their options. We look at film of our opponents all the time to help us on the defensive end.
Commitment
Kids should spend more time practicing, but I know they don't. Fifteen or 16 years ago, when I was in high school, we did. But that has changed. High school has changed. Kids don't spend that much time practicing. They would rather make a spectacular dunk than learn how to shoot the ball correctly. But the thing to remember is that you are not going to get too many dunks in a game. Your time would be much better spent in learning to shoot the ball correctly.
