Pete Maravich averaged 44 points per game in each of his three years at LSU. He was Player of the Year his senior year. He is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history (by far). He accumulated more than 16,000 points in the NBA. He was selected to the All-Star team several years, led the league in scoring once and was shut down several times. He scored 68 points vs. the NY Nicks in 1977. Pete Maravich could shoot the basketball well.
Due to countless hours of practice, Maravich developed his main shot along with several trick shots so that he could use any of them depending on the situation at hand. However, the main blow from him was amazing. Analysts have stated that if the three-point line existed during his career at LSU, he would have averaged 57 points per game. That means Pete frequently shot from long distances. So, one may ask, how did Pete get so good?
Maravich gave several training seminars and boot camps in his career, and much of his shooting advice is still taught today. This article will cover some of those tips in the hope that any young player can enrich his playing by practicing these techniques.
First, you need to be in control of the ball with your fingertips. You always catch the ball with the pads of your fingers, not the tips of the outermost fingers or the palm of your hand. This provides optimal control over the ball not only when shooting, but also when dribbling. With good fingertip control of the ball, with your dominant hand on top of the ball and your supporting hand to your side, bend your knees slightly. This gives you a nice balance. Then lift the ball over your head, with the elbow of your dominant arm directly in line with the basket. Remember to keep the ball to the left or right in both eyes when you have picked up the ball and are about to shoot. If your shooting arm is blocking one eye’s view of the basket, you lose depth perception.
When you’re ready to shoot, be sure to shoot the ball straight up. You are shooting the ball, not pushing it towards the goal. Stretch your legs to give power and shoot. On your follow through, line up your arm, hand and index finger with the target. Make sure you shoot with a good bow at the ball. This will increase the area of the hoop that the ball can go through.
Those are the fundamentals of any basketball shot. Pete Maravich also gave some great visualization advice. When you practice, and when you are about to shoot, imagine a little green man right in front of you. Imagine he just shot and waved the goal with ease. As fun as it sounds, if you practice it enough, it gives you an instant feeling of confidence. It can work wonders when you’re on a losing streak.
The key to success in any sport is practice. Use the techniques found here and you’ll be well on your way to playing basketball like the “gun.”