I have never been able to do jump-shotting, the act of jumping makes my shot weak. I’ve always done standing shots, where the legs are what provides the force for the shot (actually, that’s specifically how my basketball coach had coached us way back in the day; shoot with both feet planted on the ground so that the leg strength propels the ball.)
But it’s common for basketball players to jump-shot anyway even when nobody is nearby to guard them - even though this forces them to use nothing but arm strength to propel the ball. Is it just habit?
Jumping while shooting imparts that same velocity on the ball. You don’t have to push the ball as hard vertically as it’s already going up - thus why jump shots leave the shooter’s hands at the top of the jump. You’re putting MORE leg strength into the shot, as you’re not stopping short of leaving the floor.
And, don’t disparage habit when you’re talking about shooting a basketball. I’ve heard rumors that practice and consistency can actually improve one’s shooting.
Jump shooting is probably done out of habit to ensure proper form, velocity, arm motion, and release point. You’re taught jump shots because you expect to have a defender near you; sometimes it’s hard for your body to turn off the jump shot switch when you’ve got a clear shot. The times I recall shooters like Kobe Bryant not going for jump shoots is when they have really wide open looks as a result of a shot that’s set up off ball movement and an extra pass. In those situations, the shooter is really wide open, and it’s almost like he knows he’s going to be wide open by the time he touches the ball.
Another factor is that if you’re down near the low post, getting vertical actually increases the successful shot percentage, as you get closer to the rim.
This sounds like the sort of thing that is amenable to empirical assessment.
Are there stats available of individual players? the number of shots taken, number of shots made, from where on the court, defended/undefended and then stratified by jump/no jump.
That may show whether, for any individual player, their jumping increases their scoring and also where jumping in general, is a benefit.
Yes, rhythm and consistency of process matter a great deal. Upper level players won’t get many opportunities to shoot set shots. So they practice a smooth consistent jumper.
Your arms, and the ball, continue to move upwards even as you slow, vertically. If the shot was an instantaneous motion only taken at the peak of a jump, you would be correct. A proper jump shot begins at the feet before they leave the floor and continues all the way past the release.
I agree, but if your body has stopped moving up, then your arms are providing no more velocity to the ball than they would from a set shot with your body standing still on the floor. The only advantage I can see is you are shooting from a higher position, so the ball doesn’t need to rise as much.
In that instant, correct. You’ve been giving the ball that velocity the entire jump.
I’m trying to imagine the jump shot you’re envisioning. So much work is being done prior to the release, it’s not just someone jumping up then throwing the ball at the very top of the arc.