Everyone Thinks They Can Shoot

One of the most dangerous places you can find yourself as a learner of basketball is in the illusion that you’ve arrived — that you’ve “figured it out.” This mindset shuts the door on curiosity, growth, and the pursuit of mastery. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the skill of shooting.

How often do we see players who take a few three-pointers, maybe even make some, and then crown themselves as “good shooters”? They stop asking questions. They stop studying the art. They stop learning. And that, my friends, is blasphemy in the world of basketball.

Think about the greats — Kobe Bryant, for example. Even at the height of his career, Kobe was never satisfied with what he knew. He was a seeker. He watched other shooters, asked questions, experimented, and adjusted. He hunted for knowledge like a student hungry for truth. His relentless curiosity kept him sharp, adaptable, and always a step ahead. That’s the mindset I believe every player should adopt. Because the truth is, shooting never stops teaching. If you keep looking, it keeps revealing. It offers deeper truths and hidden secrets to those who are humble enough to keep searching.

“I play with all types of shooters and they teach me where I should grow my shooting skills.  A youngster recently renewed my understanding of the turnaround shot from close range.  A shot I can hit but fail to utilize it in the same fashion.  Another shooting guru uses the midrange shot in a spectacular way, which encourages me to keep thinking outside the box when it comes to varying my shot approach.  Then there are secrets to footwork when preparing to shoot that I am rusty on, seeing this allows me to reconsider being complacent.  The point is if this information on shooting is applicable to you then you should keep an open mind, especially when you can't destroy elite players with your shot from all levels of the court yet.”

--Coach Robert 

Shooting is not just about repetition — it’s about revelation.

The more you pursue understanding, the more the game opens up to you. And the edge you gain from this pursuit? It’s immeasurable. It’s the difference between the player who plateaus and the student who keeps climbing. It’s the reason why I never assume I’m done growing in any part of this game. There is always something more to discover, some angle you haven’t explored, some refinement that can take you further.

And if you truly believe you’ve reached the end of what you can learn — look again. Listen to those who are still trying to figure it out. There is wisdom to be found in the questions of beginners and the struggles of those on their own journey. Their search can remind you why you started, and reignite your own passion to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.

Because as it’s written: For those who ask will be given. Those who seek will find. Knock, and the door will be opened.

Shalom.