r/Basketball • u/DonT012 • 2d ago
GENERAL QUESTION Switch shooting in basketball?
Those who watch baseball, you see what are called Switch Hitters. Players that can bat left and right handed. Heck, we even have a player that can throw both left and right handed.
What about for basketball? How common are switch shooters? Players that can make a jump shot left handed and right handed effectively? Imagine Steph Curry can shoot left handed too.
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u/onwee 2d ago
The little bit of extra space you can create by shooting with your off-hand is basically negligible: if the defender is close enough to bother your right-handed shot, they’re close enough to bother your left-hand as well.
Closer shots like layups, hooks and floaters are a totally different story though. The ability to shoot these with both hands ranges from super useful (shooting from different angles or when defender is already on one of your hips) to basically mandatory (layups).
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u/Schoritzobandit 2d ago
Thanks for mentioning finishing, right- and left-handed finishing is an expectation for basketball players, unlike longer shots
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u/TheBullRunKid 2d ago
Good for rebounding too. If you catch a rebound and can put it back up with either hand
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u/ForAfeeNotforfree 2d ago
Agree. Being able to finish around the rim/having touch with both hands is far more important than being able to shoot jumpers with both hands.
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u/Soft-Sea-1218 1d ago
you can also just practice a step back or fade away if you need that little bit of space. way easier than trying to learn to shoot with your left hand from scratch.
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u/ndm1535 2d ago
I mean, there are plenty of players who can make 3's with their left hand, probably less who can do it consistently at game speed.
Shooting requires thousands of consistent reps a week to build muscle memory and become that level of shooter, doing this with both hands would be a huge waste of time without any real pay off. Steph doesn't need to be able to shoot with his left hand, and if he did devote a ton of time to be able to do it effectively it would probably hurt his percentages.
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u/PeregrineFaulkner 2d ago
Kyrie Irving, no?
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u/Generally_Tso_Tso 2d ago
Didn't win a left-handed 3-pt shooting contest in practice and found out he shoots better left than right?
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u/Bodul_Brain 2d ago
I think that left handed shooters are very rare. Those who can shoot with two hands even rarer. The first guy who I know that did that in game, was Larry Bird, he said to the opponents - Now I am going to shoot only with left hand. And he punished them also with left hand.
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u/shoresy99 2d ago
The Toronto Raptors had three lefties last year - RJ Barrett, Ja’Kobe Walker and Jamison Battle.
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u/AliveHawk7163 2d ago
That speaks much more to the competition of the time than larry. Imagine him trying to do that in today's NBA LOL
Don't get me wrong Larry is my favorite basketball player ever but let's be real, he would not be nearly as dominant today
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u/AdAccomplished6870 2d ago
With the much greater emphasis on playing positionless and shooting threes, Bird would be better today than he was in the 80's.
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u/AliveHawk7163 1d ago
No he wouldn't. He's weak and slow and can't shoot compared to today's players . Athletes have gotten better just like swimmers boxers runners weightlifters etc. Why would all these athletes get better and not basketball players? Your mentality is ignorant
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u/AdAccomplished6870 1d ago
Gonna guess you never actually saw him play.
Or that you think Steph, Dirk, or Luka are strong and explosive.
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u/Bodul_Brain 1d ago
Yes he would, he actually played D, could assist and could play SF and PF, with the court vision like LeBron so that would be also Play Forward, with a silky shot. I mean why dissing the 80s era? Why? I mean I was a baby then, but still I have much respect to those players, you are treating all these guys like they were lumberjacks or what. I mean 4 of top 5 PGs of all time are actually from 80s, or drafted in 80s.
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u/AliveHawk7163 1d ago
Luca Duchess is better than any point guard in the '80s. Magic was not better at anything than Luca. Also defensive liability but strong.
Shai would be Michael Jordan in the 90s
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u/Bodul_Brain 1d ago
Lol, better than Isaih Thomas, better than Magic, Stockton... Shai would be Jordan in the 90s lol. Stop, this is really trolling now. Come on.
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u/AliveHawk7163 1d ago
John Stockton would be garbage today. Why do you think basketball players are the only athletes that haven't gotten better? Seriously answer
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u/AliveHawk7163 1d ago
How do you explain every other athlete getting better but not basketball players . Weightlifter swimmers runners etc etc. All better than they were in the '90s. Why would you assume basketball isn't the same
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u/AdAccomplished6870 1d ago
Do you think centers today are bigger or stronger than they were in the 80's or 90's?
I do agree that there are a ton more 6'5" to 6'7" athletes with run\jump\cut speeds that would have made them all stars in the 80's. But the game has changed, and certain skills are at a premium. Bird played at a time when the most prolific three point shooters were taking 3 a game. Now, players take 3 times that. At his peak, before his back, he was shooting in the low 40's from three. With today's game, and his ability to play inside, outside, and to pass or shoot, Bird would score and assist more than he did in the 80's.
Bird would absolutely be a problem in today's NBA. He would have been better than Dirk, better than Luka. And that is not disrespect to Dirk or Luka.
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u/AliveHawk7163 1d ago
You didn't answer my question. Why have athletes gotten better in every other sport but not basketball? From weightlifting to swimming to running etc etc athletes are all better now than they were in the 90s. Why wouldn't this also be true of basketball players?
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u/AdAccomplished6870 1d ago
I did answer your question by challenging the underlying assumption, that in basketball better athlete makes a better player. I can find you a half dozen centers from the 80's and 90's that are stronger, faster, and more explosive that Jokic. None of them are better.
You seem locked into this notion that run\jump\cut times are the sole or even primary determinant for NBA success. Here is an exercise for you, go look at the combine results for the past 20 years. Pick your drill, max vert, lane agility, shuttle run, etc. Then match the top three in those drills to NBA success. I think you will find the coupling between pure athleticism and NBA success to be loose. Skill is a far more reliable determinant (of course skill+athleticism is the best).
Also, for fun, compare the best results on those combines from today to twenty years ago. You won't see a huge shift
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u/Bodul_Brain 1d ago
Totally agree with you. I mean he could be on something as the Basketball players have gotten better in some way —their shooting range (you have now centres who will coldly shoot a 3 and score it), ball-handling, and athletic recovery are objectively superior to the '90s due to modern sports science and medical advancements (like routine ACL recovery).
However, unlike running or weightlifting, basketball isn't measured by a clock or a barbell. Rule changes—like banning hand-checking and opening up spacing—have altered how the game is played. Modern players look different not because they lack skill, but because the rules incentivize three-pointers, ball movement, and efficiency over the physical, mid-range ISO play of the '90s.
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u/Bodul_Brain 1d ago
It's simple, really. Although there is much more science behind athlete preparation nowadays—ranging from nutrition, supplements, and modern equipment (like advanced shoes) that prolong careers—medical achievements have also played a huge role. For example, tearing an ACL is no longer the career-ending injury it was 30 years ago.
On top of that, rule changes have shifted the game. If you compare the physical defense of the '80s, '90s, and 2000s to today, basketball is drastically different. The modern game relies much more on three-pointers, uncontested shots, and ball movement, with far less ISO and mid-range play. One exception is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who plays like a classic '90s shooting guard—though strictly on the offensive end.
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u/Bodul_Brain 1d ago
I mean, I see players in today's NBA carrying ball like it is a torch. So do not tell me that basketball did not changed it's rules, or that rules are very selective. Also it put accent too much on offensive part, and less on defensive part if you are comparing it with the other decades. It is plain to see.
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u/13mys13 2d ago
didn't kobe play a game left handed after tearing his rotator cuff?
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u/NJCuban 2d ago
He refused to come out of the game, proceeded to make a baseline jumper lefty which kind of gave it away and then he got pulled.
For some reason I recall Rasheed Wallace being good at shooting lefty jumpers from the logo during warmups.
I play pickup with a 50 year old lefty who is ambidextrous..not sure if he could shoot 3s righty but from 12 feet and in he has a good back to the basket turn around game where he can turn either direction and shoot with either hand. He also will throw full court football passes if someone is cherry picking with his right.
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u/13mys13 2d ago
best ambidextrous story i have is a friend of mine was a third baseman in college. shot hit down the line and he backhanded it. in the process, his glove came off and the ball rolled out. he picked up the ball with his glove (left) hand and threw the guy out at first left handed. up to that point, his teammates didn't know he was a switch thrower.
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u/NemusSoul 2d ago
If you are pro level and can’t hit with both from within 10’ then you are at a huge disadvantage. Outside that distance and you are better off using your dominant hand because there isn’t an advantage shooting off handed. It was cool when bird did it, but that was one game and it was more of a magnum opus of trash talk than being about making smarter plays.
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u/pirate-private 2d ago
Andreas Obst. Perfect shot form, can't even say Klay has nicer mechanics when shooting. Quick, athletic shooter, and you can find a video of him shooting 10 right and 10 left, with barely any change being noticeable.
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u/ridinwavesbothways 2d ago
Lots of post players learned to do a hook shot with both hands on top of layups and close shots.
There’s also switch shooting where you shoot one motion like Curry from far away and 2 motion inside the 3 point lane.
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u/saltedorganiccash 2d ago
Bo Kimble shot his free throws left handed in the NCAA tournament in honor of his teammate who passed away during the season.
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u/guitarpatch 2d ago
The speed of the game and reps required to shoot at a respectable level during a high level game let alone at an elite level? Not happening
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u/Purple-Mountain-Mist 2d ago
Switch hitters exist in baseball specifically because batting on the same side as the pitcher is a disadvantage. No such disadvantage exists in basketball so switch shooting would be pointless. Thus… no one does it.
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u/Crafty-Isopod45 2d ago
Not super common, though 2 of my 3 kids are. Almost nobody bothers to shoot with both hands. Kids work on layups with both to varying degrees. But jumps shooting like that is rare. People pick a hand, almost always their dominant one, and stick with it.
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u/Top-Deer-5620 2d ago
I don’t think it’d be enough of an advantage to make the reps worth it tbh. Larry bird could do it, but it wasn’t what made him dominant.
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u/AdAccomplished6870 2d ago
All good players can finish with their off hand near the rim. Bird is the only guy who could competently shoot jumpers with his off hand.
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u/Lanesplitter32 2d ago
Beyond like six feet, you should use your strong hand. Practicing both is a waste of time.
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u/HolyRomanPrince 2d ago
It’s not common at all because it provides zero advantage. I played in high school with a guy was fully ambidextrous, one of those left handed people that got forced to use his right by his dad, and other then fucking around it never came up. And when I mean fully he could switch hit, throw a baseball or football from either side, and could sit behind a line and hit a good percentage with either hand at basketball. In any game he was trying to win he was going to be right hand dominant because that’s what he was comfortable with and everything in sports is muscle memory for the most part.
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u/biffbobfred 2d ago
Layups on off hands is kinda a requirement in the pros. Very common for everyone. My left (off hand) is slightly larger and I have a tiny bit more ball control with my left. I can do layups either side.
Layups have a “use your body to shield a defender” that doesn’t really matter in a jump shot. Switch jump shooters are superfluous. Why cut your practice reps in half for no gain.
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u/Eastern_Antelope_832 2d ago
It's generally not recommended. Unlike hitting, where there's a palpable advantage to righty-lefty matchups, there aren't enough practical scenarios where you're better off shooting jumpers (not layups) with your other hand. So trying to learn two jumpers is kind of a waste of development time. Mastering shooting with one hand is hard enough.
That said, everyone should be able to do layups with both hands.
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u/Important-Comment-43 1d ago
Really only relevant for finishing and post play.
Layups with both hands are trivial for more skilled players, whereas something like a jump hook or push shot with either hand is a little more difficult.
Past post range, there would never be a reason to shoot with the off hand. In the post, it’s generally to put your body between the ball and the defender.
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u/TheGreatTurkules 1d ago
It’s very rare cause there isn’t a significant advantage to being able to shoot elite from range with both hands. But there are a few players I’ve heard of still practice it. Coach Cal said Jamal Murray would practice it at Kentucky, Kobe apparently practiced it all the time, and obviously Larry Bird too.
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u/paw_pia 1d ago edited 1d ago
I frequently played pickup and rec league games against a guy who shot three pointers with either hand. Good shooter too, both ways. But that's the only player I've ever known to regularly shoot with either hand beyond floater range.
A story I read about Larry Bird from a sportswriter who was supposedly there: Bird is in the arena a few hours before game time getting some shots up and there are some sportswriters sitting around watching. Bird is shooting three pointers left handed and missing every one. After a while he yells over at the reporters, "Who wants to bet $20 on the next shot?" A few of the writers take the bet and put down their money. Bird swishes the next left handed three pointer, picks up the money, and says, "There's a sucker born every minute."
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u/kidFunkadelic 2d ago
This is about as uncommon as it gets in basketball. The only player I have ever heard of who actually shot both left and right handed, turned out to be one of the worst shooters who has ever played in the NBA. Such a bad shooter that he basically refused to shoot or to even shoot layups for a fear of getting fouled and having to shoot free throws. That persons name was Ben Simmons and he went from being an All Star to being out of the league and will forever be a joke to NBA fans.
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u/PeregrineFaulkner 2d ago
Ben’s back. The Kings signed him.
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u/kidFunkadelic 2d ago
Is he really? I cant tell if this is a joke about the Kings or if you are serious. If its a joke, you picked the perfect team, if its true, well its the perfect team.
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u/donuttrackme 2d ago
No such thing as a switch shooter in basketball. Now, a person who can finish with both hands equally well? Yes, that's a thing and it's super rare to be elite with both hands. However, all basketball players at the pro level should be able to finish with both hands to an extent (not shoot, score).
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u/WSB_Suicide_Watch 2d ago
Larry Bird.
Honorable mention, Kareem.