A Puzzle and a Blindfold
Your shot won't look like mine.
I've worked on making my shot as simple as possible.
I tend to dip pretty low because I sometimes don't recruit my legs as I should.
My release point is just barely above my eyes.
I use my left thumb as part of my release.
I have very little front-to-back movement or negative energy, so I can typically pull the trigger at a high speed and a high clip.
I don't have a bouncy wrist on my release, because it feels stronger to freeze it out.
I bring the ball slightly to the right of my center through my lift process.
I look at the back of the rim.
[Photo Note #1: BriAnna shooting – example of her form and release]
There's a lot to discover in shooting.
Your shot won't look like mine.
And I promise that you can still get buckets with yours.
Every Shot Is a Puzzle
In fact, I want you to check out all of these great shooters — tell me... do you think any of them look exactly the same?
[Photo Note #2: Collage or sequence of Luka Dončić, Kristi Toliver, Ray Allen, and Diana Taurasi shooting]
Look closely and you'll find that each shooter has an authentic nuance to their shot.
Luka pulls the ball behind his head — part of what makes his stepback so deadly is that strangely placed release point.
Kristi has a tad bit of negative energy but aggressively uses her forward jump to generate the right trajectory.
Ray tends to jump as high as he can and double-clutch for control.
Diana swings the ball out more than the average shooter.
Each shooter's shot is akin to their very own personal puzzle.
The pieces are made up of:
Footprint
Handprint
Hand size
Jump force
Core strength
Lift speed
Shoulder shape/kinesthetic makeup
Depth perception
Arm length
Across the board, no matter what kind of pieces make up your puzzle, the pieces can all fit together to give us the same end-product — in this case, a bucket.
And no puzzle will ever be exactly the same.
Why?
Each of us differs in our size, our speed, our strength, our thoughts, our heart rate, our smiles, our fingerprints, our preferences, etc.
A true mark of finding yourself is the ability to embrace and build upon what makes you unique — both on the court and off.
Shooting Without Sight
Right now, many of you have likely spent countless hours trying to put together the puzzle of your own shot.
I'm sure you're getting up the reps and putting in the extra time.
But here's the truth:
Most of you are trying to complete your puzzle with a blindfold on.
Are you able to describe your shot in detail the way I did at the beginning of this post?
Do you know what your shot looks like?
Feels like?
Could you explain these things to me with ridiculous attention to detail?
This is what I help shooters do in my 4-Day Shooting Intensive.
The only way to truly see a drastic change in your shot is to understand what makes it your own.
Taking the time to study, learn, experiment, and gain a full understanding of the puzzle that is your authentic shot will allow you to remove that blindfold and see with your own eyes exactly what is holding you back.
[Photo Note #3: Bri coaching during a 4-Day Shooting Intensive or athletes analyzing film]
Here's what's crazy... over the past year and a half I've worked with hundreds of shooters using this system, and I've never seen it fail.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that after four days the work is done.
But what I am saying is that the first key to achieving mastery lies in gaining a holistic understanding of your puzzle pieces.
After we get there, the results speak for themselves.
Real Results
Just this year, three of my intensive students have had record-setting seasons:
🏀 Amanda Wiley (15) — Yuma, AZ
Leading her 3A Division in 3-pointers made (49)... and she's only a freshman.
🏀 Emma Cannon (32) — Forward, Indiana Fever
Averaging 26.9 PPG on 54.7 FG% overseas — and primed to dominate in the WNBA this summer.
🏀 Angelina Montoya (16) — Phoenix, AZ
Set her school record for 3-pointers made (44) and improved from 22% to 38% from three in one season.
[Photo Note #4: Action shots or headshots of Amanda, Emma, and Angelina]
Shooting is hard.
Shooting with a blindfold is even harder.
If you'd like to book me for an intensive, please reach out. I've currently got five spots left for the Summer/Fall, and they'll go quick.
Let's find your shot together. It's my favorite thing to do.
If you're interested, check out my training website for more information. :)
Seek clarity. Minimize movement. Get buckets.
I'll see you next blog. 🔥
Shooters Shoot.
BriAnna
