My Learnings: #32

I’ve always loved shooting a basketball, and over time, I’ve gotten pretty good at it. While there are plenty of expert coaches out there breaking down every detail of the perfect shot—and I’m sure that’s valuable—I’ve stumbled onto something simpler that doesn’t get much attention: the shot really comes down to just three fingers. The thumb, index, and middle fingers do the heavy lifting. The ring finger and pinky? They’re just tagging along, and if you’re not careful, they might even mess you up. Focus on those three, and you’ll feel the ball better—your results will show it, too. Another trick I’ve picked up is using the backboard. Forget just aiming for the square like they taught us as kids; with today’s big glass backboards, you’ve got a huge canvas. High, soft shots that kiss the glass, creative bounces off the far side, even low scoop shots that arc up gently—they go in more than you’d think and open up all kinds of scoring options. As your skill with the backboard advances, learn to spin the ball off the glass to unlock even more angles. I once saw a video where Kyrie Irving, one of the NBA’s greatest finishers, said he’d spend hours practicing backboard shots, often adding spin to score from every possible angle. Better yet, learn to bank it one-handed. Dribble, control, and shoot off the glass without pulling the ball back to both hands. If you’ve got big hands and long arms, it’s a game-changer—defenders can’t touch you. And if all else fails, treat the court like a track meet. Sprint past your man, beat him to a good spot, and easy buckets will follow. Basketball’s a blast, and little strategies like these make it even more fun. I wish I’d played more when I was younger and figured this stuff out sooner—it would’ve made scoring feel effortless. Hope this helps you enjoy the game as much as I do!