Bank shot is unarguably one of the most hard-learned shots to utilize in basketball. If you become the best at it, you can turn a lost battle into an exciting victory. What’s more? All coaches and teammates will love to have you on their side. On top of it, you’ll grab all-important points with the bank shot for your team and snatch the game from an opponent.
What is bank shot basketball?
A bank shot player uses the backboard to create a perfect angle to throw the ball into a hoop. The player jumps high and slightly backward to beat the defenders and aims the backboard to hit a bank shot. A successful shot will ricochets off the backboard and head into the net. Top players effectively score with this through mid-to-short range jump shots, taking full advantage of the small rectangle just above the rim on the backboard.
It’s easier to bank a shot in from close range than swishing from a long distance. If you learn this technical skill and create optimal angles to shoot the basketball at, you’ll increase your chances of making successful shots!
Learn how to execute a perfect bank shot with the help of Watts Basketball.
How to do a bank shot basketball – Tips and tricks
Imagine the score is tied, and you have got the opportunity to strike a last-moment shot. All eyes are on you, and your shot will decide the fate of your team. In the end, you can be a hero or will walk away with heavy steps and a hanging head. It all comes down to your shot selection.
Should you bet on a bank shot instead of the direct shot and try your luck? Let’s understand this through a study conducted by the engineers at North Carolina State University.
After simulating one million shots with a computer, researchers found:
- from many basketball court areas within 12 feet of the basket, the bank shot gets 20% more effective, and it has better odds than the direct shot.
- The study also explained that the bank shot gets really handy from the wing areas between the three-point and the free-throw lanes.
Not just research, many top basketball players have also emphasized the efficiency of bank shots. For instance, Tim Duncan, Russell Westbrook, and Dwyane Wade consistently rely on the bank shot. A bank shot is considered an old fashion, and visually, it doesn’t look as pretty as some other shots. However, no one can undermine the impact of a bank shot. If you learn it and create optimum angles, have skills to touch the ball gently, and bank it in, trust me, you’ll have unique positioning in your team. Your coach to teammates, everyone will love you for this ability.
Final thoughts
Let’s be fair. Everyone has their pet shot. A few prefer dunk, others love hook shots, and some even feel rejuvenated when scoring with a swish.
Similarly, bank shot is no different. It requires a lot of practice, patience, and coaching. To become the absolute best at it, you must have ‘good touch,’ on-targeted angles, and a burning desire to master it. And when you master it like a pro, you’ll play with an entirely different mindset and win crucial matches for your team in any situation!