Growing up, I remember watching Tim Wakefield pitch for the Red Sox. For those who don’t remember, he was a knuckleballer who had a long and productive MLB career. A knuckleball is a pitch where the ball doesn't rotate.

When he was on, hitters looked absolutely clueless. It was amazing to watch pitches coming in at 70 MPH completely befuddle world-class hitters.

Unfortunately, shooting a knuckleball in basketball isn’t so effective. It results in a harder shot that does not produce friendly bounces.

Alternatively, I had a player who played for me 2 years ago who shot a complete side spin. When he shot, it looked like someone had spun a globe. This also led to some wild bounces.

You probably know that you want to shoot the ball with backspin. But how? Let’s dive in.

Why You Shoot With Bad Rotation

We previously identified 2 common shooting problems with rotation - the knuckleball and the side spin.

Both are issues. Each has a separate cause.

• Knuckleball - shooting a knuckleball is often the result of the ball being too far down in a player’s palm. Instead of rolling off the fingers, the ball gets pushed off the palm. This prevents rotation.

• Side spin - this can occur for a couple of reasons. A thumb flick (your guide hand thumb pushing the ball) can cause side spin. Conversely, it could be that the ball is coming off your pinky finger on your shooting hand. Either way, the ball will be impacted sideways.

The Finger Fix That Ensures Proper Rotation

So, how do you get proper rotation? The answer is pretty simple - ensure the ball comes off your pointer and middle fingers last.

If the ball rolls up the fingers of your shooting hand and comes off those fingers as your follow-through, backspin will result.

The 3 Finger Drill That Creates Proper Rotation

If improper rotation is an issue for you, try the 3 Finger Shooting Drill.

• Stand 4-6 feet from the hoop.

• Put your hands on the ball as you normally would.

• Then tuck the ring and pinky finger on your shooting hand under the ball.

• Shoot! By tucking those 2 fingers, you ensure that the ball comes off the ring and pointer fingers.

  

Do this drill for 3-5 minutes when you first come on the floor. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your spin improves.

If you find that you are still getting a side spin, it may be a thumb flick issue. If so, do the same drill with your guide hand 1” off the ball. That takes the thumb out of your shot.

Shoot Like A Scientist

Good shooters attack problems like physicians. They use data to trace the problem back to the root. Then they identify a solution and work to make it a reality. If the first solution doesn't work, they try a different one. But their work is guided by data and theory.

If you’re looking for a shot doctor to help you become a knockdown shooter, check out one of our Breakthrough Basketball Shooting Camps. We cover shooting from A to Z, helping you reach your potential and make a leap this off-season!

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Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First Jim Blaskiewicz says: 2/26/2026 at 4:48:12 PM I call it V ing the valve, draw a line around the hall starting at the air hole( valve). Now players have a visual as their pointer and middle finger split the line. Other thoughts: when teaching shooting use a multi colored ball so players can see the proper back spin. The thumb of the shooting hand and thumb of the guide form the letter T when placed on the ball correctly. The letter W helps us remember to cock the wrist when ball is loaded to shooting position. Skin on back of the hand will wrinkle. W- for wrinkle. W for wrist. Like     login   register

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