NBA 2K Tips: How to Shoot Better

Here are some general tips to maximize your player’s ability to knock down shots and drain threes like there’s no tomorrow.

Practice Practice Practice

We talkin’ about practice! Practice mode is a great mode to work on new shots, work out the kinks in your shot, finding the sweet spot of when to release the ball, etc. A good general rule is to take the shot at the peak of the jump. Also you may want to turn on shot feedback (game settings > presentation) to get a general idea of what release timing constitutes a good shot, excellent shot, poor shot, etc.

Know Your Hot Spots

While in practice mode, press Select to pull up the Hot Spots graphic which will show you the zones on the court that you shoot the best at. Hot spot zones will also increase as you increase your shooting attributes.

Take Good Shots

This goes without saying – never settle for bad shots. The shot clock gives you 24 seconds, so utilize it to the fullest. When you take a bad shot – i.e. heavily contested, rushed, forced, etc – it’s basically a free gift to the defense and let’s your opponent off the hook. Always strive to get good looks of the basket where the defender isn’t close enough to heavily contest the shot.

Complete the Shooting Section of Training Camp

Take full advantage of the in-game training camp that NBA 2K provides. This will get you fully familiar with every shot type in the game so that you have a number of shot varieties to attack the defense in different situations.

Shoot with the Button Instead of Right Stick

Everyone has their preference, but we find it easier and more fluid to use the X (square for PS3/PS4) button instead of the Right Stick to shoot. On some shots, like layups or the runner / floater, the Right Stick method comes in handy a little more – but generally the button delivers better results.

Choose Shooter Signature Skills

The best shooters will be the combination of user intangibles (i.e. knowing when to take the shot), using a player with high outside shot attributes, and having multiple shooting signature skills. If you want to be a knock-down shooter, like the Splash Brothers or Ray Allen, the five best signature skills to have are: Deadeye, Catch and Shoot, Microwave, Corner Specialist, and Shot Creator. When you combine those along with an excellent shot selection, a player like this can be almost unstoppable.

Experiment with Various Jump Shots

If you haven’t found the right shot yet, you may want to just try experimenting with different shot bases and releases (via Edit Player). A fast way to practice different NBA players signature shots, is to create a custom team and fill it with NBA players that you shoot well with in the game. Go to practice mode to try out their shot. This way you are able to try out their shot without having to purchase it first with VC.

What jump shot has worked the best for you in NBA 2K? Post it in the comments and check back here for future NBA 2K Tips.