The Last Dribble Before the Shot
Posted by Steve Bzomowski on August 31, 2007
After you’ve made the move (and looked behind you to make sure that the fake that you threw at the defender hasn’t left him or her injured) and you find yourself open and committed to the shot, all that remains is to get comfortable: good balance, good vision, confidence in the familiarity of form and repetition. Whether it’s a layup or an open jumper, you are aided in achieving good balance (and strength) going into the shot by taking a hard last dribble. On the layup, it helps establish the rhythm of the footwork; on the jumper, it helps you elevate into your shot. It also feels good, the thwack of the ball on the floor shows confidence and lends authority to your game.
Technorati Tags: Dribbling, BallHandling, ShootingBasketballs
August 31, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Forgive me, but I do Tivo the And 1 Mixtape tour on ESPN. I see streetball players using “the last dribble before the shot” in a shot fake very effectively.
In other words, they’ll do a “last dribble” with the left and bring the right arm and hand up oh, so close as if to meet the ball in the left hand, pick up the dribble, and get the right (shooting) arm and hand near shooting position, as if to raise up for a jumper. If the defender goes for the fake, the ball handler drives around them.