Is Curry a great shooter because he practices these shots or is he able to make these shots because he is a great shooter?
Furthermore, how would a high-school coach react to a high-school player warming up like this before a practice or game?
I imagine, based on conversations with numerous coaches, that the most common answers are that Curry can shoot these shots because he’s an amazing shooter, so he can do whatever he wants, but a high-school player should not shoot like this because he or she needs to improve.
Why can’t we look at these shots as a path to improvement?
Do we want players who can make shots only when everything is perfect?
I coached a player years ago who attempted shots like this during our shooting drills. Everyone else focused on making their shot, as we shot until the group made 10 or 15 shots. He tried something new on every shot. He frustrated some players; some thought that he would be a better shooter if he took his practice more seriously. However, most considered him among the top shooters on the team, and we had four other players shoot over 38% from 3 on the season; this was a team that succeeded largely because of shooting.
Initially, his shots frustrated me. But, when I stepped back, and I thought of Curry, my feelings changed. Adding variability into shooting drills likely improves shooting. These shots create a greater range through which he can shoot, whereas most approaches limit players to a mythical ideal or perfect shooting technique.
Therefore, I’d suggest that practicing these shots is one reason that Curry is elite, and I’d encourage high-school players to explore more with their shooting. That does not mean that shots like these are the only practice in which one should engage, but spending a few minutes exploring different shots will improve a player’s overall shooting, not detract from it.
