How does releasing the basketball from a higher point affect its flight path?

The physics of a free throw

Chapter 1

The arc of triumph

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Chapter 2

The spin doctor

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Chapter 3

The kinetic pipeline

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Chapter 4

The chaotic court

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YOUR GOAL

Master of The physics of a free throw

Ch 3 · The kinetic pipeline

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BETA

dave Adjust the launch angle and release speed to master the physics of a perfect swish.

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dave The Kinetic Pipeline

Power from the floor, let it flow up to your fingertips

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dave The role of the flick

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dave The final wrist flick determines the ball's launch angle and spin.

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dave Releasing the ball higher reduces the distance it must travel.

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Fun Fact

Leg power: Over half the energy needed to shoot a free throw actually comes from your legs, not your arms!

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Glossary

kinetic chain (noun)
A series of connected physical joints that sequentially transfer force throughout the body. In 2018, North Carolina State University researchers showed how this bodily sequence optimizes a basketball free throw.

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Gossip

What is the most distracting pre-free throw routine?

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Quiz

Which finger is typically the very last to touch the basketball during a proper release?

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dave The high release advantage

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Quiz

In sports biomechanics, what is the term for energy transferring from the ground up through the body?

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dave The kinetic chain

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Quiz

How much time does the final wrist snap take during a basketball shot?

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dave The consistency of muscle memory

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Quiz

Which part of the human brain coordinates the muscle memory needed for consistent basketball shooting?

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Quiz

Approximately what percentage of a free throw's power originates from the shooter's legs?

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Quiz

Why do basketball players perform the exact same routine before every single free throw?

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Quiz

How does releasing the basketball from a higher point affect its flight path?

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Quiz

What is the primary function of the wrist flick at the end of a basketball shot?

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