The fadeaway shot, sometimes called the fall-away, is a difficult shot attempt in basketball. It is derived from the common jump shot but with mechanical differences. Instead of jumping straight, the player leans his body backward away from the basket to get off a clean shot.
What is a fadeaway in basketball?
You can shoot a basketball in a lot of ways. One of the most difficult shots to attempt, however, is the fadeaway. It is somewhat derived from a jump shot, but instead of jumping straight up and down, the fadeaway requires a player to lean and jump backward. The purpose of this is to create separation from the defender, so it’s harder to block.
Key Takeaways
- The level of difficulty of a fadeaway is one the highest in basketball.
- The fadeaway is one of the most difficult shots to block because of the space it creates.
- Since it is so hard to do, the fadeaway is also one of the least efficient shots in basketball.
- If you are an excellent fadeaway shooter, you can use this to bait defenders into committing fouls.
- Although Michael Jordan is the one who made the fadeaway famous, it was already a big part of Wilt Chamberlain’s game.
The Popularity of the Fadeaway
As mentioned, Wilt Chamberlain already has the fadeaway in his bag of offensive tricks way before Jordan. But even so, the fadeaway became more synonymous with Jordan simply because it was his go-to shoot. MJ was 6-foot-6, and he had to go over bigger defenders all the time; the fadeaway was the perfect weapon. He also made it prettier because of his leaping ability.
After Jordan, Kobe Bryant also perfected the art of the fadeaway and made it his bread and butter. Bryant was never the vertical athlete Jordan was, so he gets his fadeaways off using insane skill and footwork.
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How to Shoot a Fadeaway
The fadeaway is a shot that requires an unholy amount of skill and athleticism. The players who have perfected it no doubt worked countless hours in the gym to nail it. With that being said, you also need to have the fundamentals down to pat to pull off this difficult shot.
Here are some tips on how to do the fadeaway:
- Shooting the fadeaway may be done anywhere in the court. But like any other shot, the farther you get, the chances of making the shot painfully lower. If you want to make the fadeaway a regular part of your offensive arsenal, begin from a shorter distance from the basket. Ideally, you may want to shoot a fadeaway from the low post.
- From your point of attack, make sure that you stay low with your dribble. This will give you more upward thrust when you are about to shoot a fadeaway.
- Make sure that you create contact with the defender to provide that initial space between you and him.
- Create more separation by pushing off your inside leg. If you’re wondering where your inside leg is, it’s the one nearest the defender.
- Now, there may be times when you have to shoot a fadeaway going to your dominant hand. To make the fadeaway more accurate, drift your leg from the back all the way to the front. This kicking/drifting motion of the leg is needed to lessen the pressure in your core and shoulder.
- Hold your follow-through much longer. In shooting fadeaways, you will need that extra power and arch to put the ball through.
Five Best Fadeaway Shooters in NBA History
it’s an art form with the right shooter. Here are five of the best.
1.) Michael Jordan
The fadeaway is Jordan’s signature shot, and it was indeed a sight to behold. He was the best fadeaway marksman the basketball has ever seen. For opponents, MJ shooting a fadeaway is equivalent to money in the bank. Cash!
Michael Jordan Fadeaway Plays Video
2.) Dirk Nowitzki
Just when he thought we had seen everything in basketball, the 7-foot sniper from Germany begged otherwise. Dirk invented a variation of the fadeaway, shooting off of one leg while creating separation with the other. It’s safe to say this shot was what got the Mavs the title in 2011.
Best of Dirk Nowitzki’s Fadeaway Video
3.) Wilt Chamberlain
The Big Dipper has been doing this since the 60s, so it’s just fitting to put the big man here.
Wilt Chamberlain’s Fadeaway Video
4.) Kobe Bryant
Bryant modeled his game after Jordan, and we could entirely see where he’s coming from. The range of his fadeaways is insane. Plus, the degree of difficulty is something that makes opponents scratch their heads in disbelief.
Kobe Bryant’s Fadeaway Video
5.) LeBron James
Like Jordan, the biggest hole in LeBron’s offensive game is shooting. He worked hard enough for it that he now has a reliable jump shot, including a fadeaway.
LeBron’s Turnaround Fadeaway Video
These five would make quite the all-star team, don’t you think?
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