You might be surprised by this NBA data on shooting...

It's VERY important as it can greatly improve your shooting percentage by quite a bit... without any shooting practice!

Let me explain...

During the 2022-23 NBA season, here are the 3-point shooting percentages based on the distance from the defender.

• 0-2 Feet: 29.3%
• 2-4 Feet: 29.4%
• 4-6 Feet: 34.6%
• 6-8 Feet: 38.6%

When you compare a 29.4% and 38.6% 3-point shooter, that's the difference between being a poor shooter and a Hall of Famer!

In fact, look at the 3-point shooting percentages of some of these all-time greats:

• Steph Curry - 42.6%
• Ray Allen - 40.0%
• Reggie Miller - 39.4%
• Chris Mullin - 38.4%
• Larry Bird - 37.6%

Also, since 3-pointers are worth more than 2-pointers, you can look at points per shot and effective field goal percentage.

• 0-2 Feet: 0.88 PPS - 44% EFG
• 2-4 Feet: 0.88 PPS - 44% EFG
• 4-6 Feet: 1.04 PPS - 52% EFG
• 6-8 Feet: 1.16 PPS - 58% EFG

Relative to 2-point shots, this is a 14% increase... just by shooting open shots!

Now this is data from NBA players. They're going to be better at making contested shots than your average college, high school, or youth player.

It wouldn't surprise me if you saw differences of 20% to 30% for open vs. contested shots on teams below the NBA level.

So if you want to be a great shooter, simply take open shots that are within your shooting range!

Also, you might be wondering why I didn't include 2-point shots in this analysis.

From the data on NBA.com, the data on 2-point shots included layups.

Even contested layups are highly efficient shots, so that skews the data slightly.

If you'd like to learn how to improve your shooting percentage, master your shooting technique, develop a quick release, and extend your shooting range, check out the shooting resources below.

Resources For Youth Basketball

Breakthrough Shooting Camps

Breakthrough Shooting System & Workouts

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First Larry Ellis says: 2/19/2024 at 1:24:02 PM It all starts with teaching the fundamentals. Larry Bird once said learn the fundamentals first. I probably over teach this especially dribbling. In the long run it pays off. My moto keep on keeping on Like     login   register Craig Hutton says: 2/11/2024 at 4:17:35 PM I grew up in the Maquoketa Boys Basketball program under hall-of-fame coach Bill Fleming. Coach Fleming was years ahead of his contemporaries in understanding what it took to build a program that would be competitive year in and year out. He was following the ideas you are sharing in this series back in the late 1960''''s. I might not have this quite right but I think in one 20-year span Maqoketa boys program never finished below 2nd in the WaMaC conference. Not bad. Another Hall-of-Fame Coach was Coach Harold Shepard who did the same as Coach Fleming in building a dominating girls'''' basketball program at Vinton-Shellsburg where he won state championships in 6 on 6 and then 5 on 5. He built a program. I think the Vinton girls won more than 10 WaMac conferences... in a row under Coach Shep. I wish more coaches knew what those coaches or those still coaching do that makes their kids competitive year in and year out. I feel bad for kids and communities who love the game and want to compete but currently don''''t have a basketball program. They might have a varsity basketball team, but they don''''t have a basketball program that will help their kids be very competitive every year. Those schools that have programs don''''t rebuild each year they just reload. Thanks for this series.! I hope those who want to be a leader of a program are reading very carefully to your suggestions. I have been coaching basketball for over 35 years and your ideas on building a program are right on! Thanks, Coach! Like   1 reply   login   register Joe Haefner says: 2/12/2024 at 9:48:08 AM It's a small world, Craig! I can attest to Coach Fleming's reputation and his great teams. I played and later coached for a few seasons at nearby Anamosa high school. Funny story... we played against Coach Fleming my junior year as he was trying to get his 500th career win. I was lucky enough to hit a buzzer beater that prevented that 500th victory. Thankfully, he got the victory the next game. I also got a chance to scrimmage on Coach Fleming's outdoor court behind his house during the summer. His son Dan Fleming was one of the best jumpers I ever witnessed. He floated through the air. Also, Adam Hepker a former Maquoketa standout has led many of our Breakthrough Camps and is now the head coach at Mid Nazarene in Kansas City... where the legendary Coach Rocky Lamar recently retired... who also played for Fleming at Maquoketa. My high school coach said Coach Fleming was one of the most helpful coaches he ever dealt with. Thanks for sharing! Like     login   register

Leave a Comment Name : Email (not published) : Four times three is equal to?  (Prevents Spam) Answer :  Load New Question Comments : Leave this Blank :