Ray Allen and Physics
Ray Allen is known today for being one of the greatest shooters in the history of basketball. Allen currently holds the all time NBA record for most made three point shots, with 2973 over the course of twenty seasons. In addition, Allen also posed an impressive 40% career average for three pointers, which is roughly 7% above the league average. With such high credentials, Allen's shot is often used as a prime example of how to shoot a basketball effectively. Though it may not seem like it, Allen's method of shooting utilizes various elements of physics to maximize efficiency. Allen's mastery of such techniques helped him become the proficient shooter he once was.
Firstly, one of the most impressive parts about Allen's shot is the angle that he launched the ball at. Somewhat surprisingly, the ideal angle for a shot is not a perfect 45 degrees. Rather, the best launch angle depends on the height of the shooter and type of shot being attempted. This is because the shooter is not necessarily looking to maximize distance or velocity. They are simply trying to create an arch that allows for the widest possible margin for error. A faster ball is more likely to hit the rim with too much force and bounce off. A slower shot is more ideal, and therefore a slightly higher angle is required. Below is a table created by one professor on the correlation between height and launch angle.
5'4" - 52.5 degrees
5'8" - 51.5 degrees
6'0" - 50.8 degrees
6'4" - 50.1 degrees
6'8" - 49.4 degrees
7'0" - 48.7 degrees
Therefore, Allen, who is 6'5", requires a launch angle that is between 50 and 49 degrees. Analysts have shown that what made Allen such a special shooter was his ability to consistently create a launch angle within 2 degrees of this mark. Not only was his form so consistent, but he was frequently able to get the shot off in a mere 0.73 seconds. This quickness combined with near pinpoint accuracy was what made Allen such a dangerous shooter.
Another impressive part of Allen's shot was the timing of his release. Physicists have shown that the ideal height to get the shot off is on a plane parallel to that of the rim. This is because the distance between the ball and the basket will be a straight line, thus creating the shortest possible distance. Less distance allows for a much larger margin of error. This can be visualized by drawing a triangle between the ball, the rim, and the shooters feet. Simple trigonometry will show that the line between the ball and the rim is shortest when it is straight rather than at an angle. Allen uses this to his advantage by consistently releasing the ball at the climax of his jump, which is almost nine feet off the ground.
According to Newtons's Third Law, every action has an equal an opposite reaction. When a player is shooting a ball, the force that he transfers to the ground is transferred back to him so that he can jump. The player can then use this force to launch the ball towards the basket. Therefore, when shooting a basketball, lower body strength matters just as much as upper body strength. This is why Allen's ability to get up to nine feet off the ground is so special, as it allows him to get the ball to the rim from over 23 feet away.
Lastly, Allen also uses friction to his advantage. As he releases the ball, he puts an incredible backspin on it of about two rotations per second. This helps the ball travel at its lowest possible speed, lowering the chances of it clanking off the rim. Backspin also helps the ball when it strikes the rim, as the rotation causes the ball to lose energy and experience a further decrease in velocity. A faster ball without backspin would be more likely to bounce off or roll out of the rim. Such a shot is known as a "knuckleball".
The video below gives a nice visual representation of everything discussed in this blog.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Q2LjnKBc8
http://2012ojhssports.weebly.com/shooting.html
http://uwire.com/2010/04/27/grad-student-uses-physics-to-analyze-basketball/
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/13/the-science-behind-shooting-a-basketball/
Firstly, one of the most impressive parts about Allen's shot is the angle that he launched the ball at. Somewhat surprisingly, the ideal angle for a shot is not a perfect 45 degrees. Rather, the best launch angle depends on the height of the shooter and type of shot being attempted. This is because the shooter is not necessarily looking to maximize distance or velocity. They are simply trying to create an arch that allows for the widest possible margin for error. A faster ball is more likely to hit the rim with too much force and bounce off. A slower shot is more ideal, and therefore a slightly higher angle is required. Below is a table created by one professor on the correlation between height and launch angle.
5'4" - 52.5 degrees
5'8" - 51.5 degrees
6'0" - 50.8 degrees
6'4" - 50.1 degrees
6'8" - 49.4 degrees
7'0" - 48.7 degrees
Therefore, Allen, who is 6'5", requires a launch angle that is between 50 and 49 degrees. Analysts have shown that what made Allen such a special shooter was his ability to consistently create a launch angle within 2 degrees of this mark. Not only was his form so consistent, but he was frequently able to get the shot off in a mere 0.73 seconds. This quickness combined with near pinpoint accuracy was what made Allen such a dangerous shooter.
Another impressive part of Allen's shot was the timing of his release. Physicists have shown that the ideal height to get the shot off is on a plane parallel to that of the rim. This is because the distance between the ball and the basket will be a straight line, thus creating the shortest possible distance. Less distance allows for a much larger margin of error. This can be visualized by drawing a triangle between the ball, the rim, and the shooters feet. Simple trigonometry will show that the line between the ball and the rim is shortest when it is straight rather than at an angle. Allen uses this to his advantage by consistently releasing the ball at the climax of his jump, which is almost nine feet off the ground.
According to Newtons's Third Law, every action has an equal an opposite reaction. When a player is shooting a ball, the force that he transfers to the ground is transferred back to him so that he can jump. The player can then use this force to launch the ball towards the basket. Therefore, when shooting a basketball, lower body strength matters just as much as upper body strength. This is why Allen's ability to get up to nine feet off the ground is so special, as it allows him to get the ball to the rim from over 23 feet away.
Lastly, Allen also uses friction to his advantage. As he releases the ball, he puts an incredible backspin on it of about two rotations per second. This helps the ball travel at its lowest possible speed, lowering the chances of it clanking off the rim. Backspin also helps the ball when it strikes the rim, as the rotation causes the ball to lose energy and experience a further decrease in velocity. A faster ball without backspin would be more likely to bounce off or roll out of the rim. Such a shot is known as a "knuckleball".
The video below gives a nice visual representation of everything discussed in this blog.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Q2LjnKBc8
http://2012ojhssports.weebly.com/shooting.html
http://uwire.com/2010/04/27/grad-student-uses-physics-to-analyze-basketball/
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/13/the-science-behind-shooting-a-basketball/
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