The Loss Art of the Jump Shot... Dying Breed....

Good shooters in the NBA; Can be compared to finding a needle in a haystack! The art of jump shooting is long gone. There is still a dying breed left. Peja, Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Dirk, Brent Barry come to mind. But the days of Reggie Miller in his prime Eddie Johnson, Del Curry, Jeff Hornacek, Dennis Scott, Bird and the Pearson brothers are long gone. The OK coral had nothing on them. Quickly, name a current young player that is a three-point specialist? Kerr, Paxson, Hersey Hawkins, Detlef, Petrovic and Craig Hodges in his normal t shirt at all-star weekend are long gone...

Today kids are purely concerned with athleticism, size and speed. In most recent years purist watch the pro game and marvel at the declining shooting percentages. They sit shaking their heads in disgust at current player’s jump shots, lack of rotation and most importantly shot selection. With the globalization, commercialism and recent And 1 hype machine. Today kids are not focusing on their jays. They are solely concerned with their handles, dribbles and first-step. All good but when you elevate for a shot. It looks horrid and takes away from the art form. AU coaches and grassroots teachers do not enforce the science and mechanics. I know they try because they teach for the love and passion of the game. But, in 2004 kids emulate Lebron who is the truth but is a prodigy, one of a kind, special, and 240lbs of muscle at the age of 18yrs. ESPN likes to show kids clamoring and running up and down after buses idolizing Hot sauce and Professor like their at the pinnacle of their profession. No disrespect,It is much overdue they deserve their money, hype and the entertainment is needed . Oh yeah don't forget that Moutain Dew is Code Red! But, even Skip to my LOU had to work and improve on his shooting and fundamentals to get his big contract to finally secure a basketball home. Street Ball is pure and the essence of the game, but it also sends mix messages. Times have surely changed folklore stories of street, urban, suburban and Midwest kids staying up all-day to perfect their jump shot.

are Long gone… Cats are getting drafted in the league now because of vision TJ Ford, Telfair and Livingston are proof of the sudden drop. People forget that Lebron behind the scenes works out with NIKE in the summer taking 2000 shots a day to with a certified shooting instructor. NIKE invested in the kid and must see immediate returns. I miss the days of true solid ball rotation with the kick out to Stockton,

Tim Hardaway and Reggie Miller who consistently gun-down opponents and put their gun finger in their hips. College coaches can’t teach the art any more. Coach K, Knight, Calhoun and Roy Williams beg kids to stay longer than a semester. Yes the art form is loss. Gone like the wind. You notice the young ballers in the league lack the fundamentals. In the 60’s 70’s 80’s and early 90’s players prided themselves on form, mechanics, a rotation and results. Ray Allen feels " REPETITION is the key". The NBA wants to improve scoring but they need to improve on clinics, grassroots teaching and solid summer programs with certified teachers.Will they? Or will they just go oversees… and look for the lost jump shot across the Atlantic.