LAWRENCE — To be an excellent three-point shooter, you can be Stephen Curry. Or failing that, you can rely on sound biomechanics in the preparatory phase of a shooting motion from behind the arc.
New research from the University of Kansas has found that proper elbow positioning — along with greater flexion in the hips, knees and ankles prior to initiating the shooting motion — is one of the key determinants of successful long-range shooting efficiency. That science will now be used in an attempt to set a new world record for most consecutive made three-point shots.
Researchers at KU's Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory, part of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, have published a study using markerless motion capture technology to analyze the shooting mechanics of basketball players. The findings showed that athletes with a wider stance for improved balance and greater lower-body flexion during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion generated the biomechanical conditions favorable in optimizing shooting efficiency.
The innovative technology and findings are now being used by the researchers, alongside a former college basketball player, to push three-point shooting accuracy to a new record.
Biomechanical markers of proficient shooters
KU researchers have built a body of literature examining what characterizes proficient shooters from the free-throw line and two-point attempts . Given the evolution of the game, studying the mechanics of three-point shooting was a natural progression, as three-point shots have become an increasingly important part of basketball at all levels, from collegiate to professional play.
"If you look at heat maps of made shots in today's game, everything is happening around the perimeter or at the rim," said Dimitrije Cabarkapa, associate director of KU's Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory. "So we wanted to examine what makes a more proficient three-point shooter.
"What makes this study especially interesting is the use of the DARI markerless motion capture system, which allows for noninvasive and time-efficient data collection. We have also developed the ability to instantaneously analyze these shots, including elbow, shoulder and knee flexion, foot alignment, peak angular velocities and more, all within 30 to 60 seconds of testing."
For the study, 24 men basketball players each took 10 three-point attempts from the top of the key. The attempts were nonconsecutive, with 10 to 15 seconds of rest between shots, and were taken from the same spot on the floor to minimize fatigue and ensure consistency. Eleven of the shooters were classified as proficient three-point shooters, while 13 were deemed nonproficient.
Analysis showed that the proficient shooters consistently demonstrated greater flexion, or bend, in their hips, knees and ankles during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion, which ultimately allowed them to attain a lower center of mass.
"Having a wider stance is very important for stability," Cabarkapa said. "Without that, a shooter cannot maintain a stable base and is going to be off balance. Everyone usually focuses on the moment of ball release.
"While the release phase plays an important role, the majority of factors that determine shooting success happen from the moment the player catches the ball and begins initiating the shooting motion. What matters most typically happens before you release the ball, because once the ball leaves your hands, you no longer have control over the outcome."
Even among players capable of achieving the desired release height, those who lacked sufficient lower-body flexion, including at the hips, knees and ankles, were less likely to generate the force and velocity required to meet the demands of longer shooting distances, particularly from beyond the three-point line, the results showed.
The study was co-authored by Damjana Cabarkapa, assistant professor of exercise science at Singidunum University and a member of D2 Lab in Novi Sad, Serbia, and Andrew Fry, professor emeritus of health, sport & exercise science and former director of the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory. It was published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.
A former basketball player at James Madison University, Cabarkapa recalls his coach, Mike Deane, telling players there are four things to keep in mind when taking a shot: catch, set, step and shoot. A player catches a pass, sets into the preparatory phase, steps into position and then takes the shot.
The study's results show that the preparatory phase is vital to proficient shooting and suggest that coaches who have emphasized that teaching point have been right all along, Cabarkapa said.
The data also help bridge the gap between the lab and the court, improving translational research impact by ensuring that sport science can be directly applied by athletes and coaches as the designated end users.
Three-point world record attempt
Cornell Jenkins, a former college basketball player at Cal State Dominguez Hills and now a physicist, uses the principles of science to help athletes improve their basketball shooting performance. He is collaborating with the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory to set a new Guinness World Record for most consecutive made three-point shots.
Jenkins has partnered with Cabarkapa and colleagues to train at the lab and use the same markerless motion capture technology featured in the three-point study. Together, they have analyzed his shooting biomechanics and technique.
A highly proficient shooter, Jenkins can regularly make 30 to 40 consecutive three-point shots, but if he misses on the 41st attempt, the team can immediately analyze how his form and technique differed from the successful shots, helping him correct errors and optimize performance.
The initial phase of the project is complete, but Jenkins will return to KU in the future to further study his shooting technique using the DARI markerless motion capture system, including the addition of three-dimensional force plate analysis. As part of the continued training, the team is also examining how fatigue impacts biomechanical and physiological performance parameters.
"This is where science meets practice," Cabarkapa said. "We're refining everything we do in order to better understand each factor that can optimize athlete performance. We'll help Cornell monitor his progress and implement innovative technology to objectively assess his performance and advancement toward achieving this goal.
"Everything we do in the lab is athlete-centered and designed to help athletes become the best version of themselves."
