Follow Your Shot

Follow your shot is a fundamental basketball principle that instructs shooters to actively pursue offensive rebounding position immediately after releasing a shot attempt, maintaining offensive engagement rather than passively watching the result or immediately transitioning to defensive responsibilities. This aggressive mentality creates additional scoring opportunities through offensive rebounds, putbacks, and second-chance points while also putting pressure on defensive rebounders and potentially creating favorable transition situations if the defense overcommits to securing rebounds. The execution of following your shot involves the shooter reading the trajectory and likely carom angle of their attempt as it's released, using that information to position themselves advantageously for the potential rebound, and attacking the glass with appropriate timing and physicality to secure possession or create opportunities for teammates. Elite shooters who consistently follow their shots provide significant value beyond their shooting percentages, as they generate additional possessions that don't appear in traditional shooting statistics but materially impact team offense. The tactical importance of following shots is particularly pronounced for teams emphasizing offensive rebounding as a core component of their offensive philosophy, as even one or two additional offensive rebounds per game can significantly impact scoring output and possession count over the course of a season. The technique of following your shot requires reading the shooter's position relative to the rim, the arc of the shot, the positioning of defenders, and the likely rebound location, all processed in the split second after release while the shooter is transitioning from their shooting motion to their pursuit movement. Statistically, shooters who follow their shots often lead their teams in offensive rebounds from the perimeter, demonstrating that this effort-based skill can be as productive as size-based rebounding near the rim. The coaching of shot-following behavior involves instilling a mentality of continued offensive engagement, teaching players to read shot trajectories and carom angles, and emphasizing that following your shot is not an admission of poor shooting confidence but rather a sign of competitive intensity and team commitment. The relationship between shooting percentage and following shots reveals that even players who shoot at high percentages should follow their shots, as the offensive rebounding opportunities created often exceed what would be lost by delayed transition defense. In transition offense situations, the decision to follow a shot versus getting back on defense becomes more complex, as teams must balance the potential for offensive rebounds against the risk of allowing fast-break opportunities if the defense secures the rebound and pushes quickly. Advanced analytics have quantified the value of following shots by measuring the additional points per possession generated through offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities, often finding that aggressive shot-followers create value that justifies occasional transition defense vulnerabilities. The development of shot-following instincts begins in youth basketball, where coaches encourage players to never give up on plays and always pursue loose balls, establishing habits that carry through to higher competitive levels. The positioning aspect of following your shot involves understanding that shooters often have advantageous angles for rebounds compared to defenders who must first locate the ball, box out, and then pursue the rebound, creating opportunities for alert shooters to sneak in for offensive boards. The famous example of Dennis Rodman's rebounding success included his exceptional ability to read shot trajectories and position himself accordingly, demonstrating that understanding shot patterns and carom angles can overcome physical disadvantages. The physics of basketball shot rebounds shows that shots from the corners tend to carom to the opposite side of the rim, while shots from the top of the key often bounce straight back toward the shooter, information that experienced players use when following their shots. The mental discipline required to consistently follow shots throughout entire games reflects broader competitive characteristics that coaches value, including effort, persistence, and team-first mentality. The film study of shot-following behavior often reveals that many players watch their shots or immediately transition to defense, missing opportunities for offensive rebounds that would have been available with active pursuit. The implementation of shot-following strategies must account for team defensive philosophies, as some coaches prioritize transition defense and instruct certain players not to pursue offensive rebounds, while others allow aggressive offensive rebounding from all positions. The individual skill development for effective shot-following includes improving anticipation of shot results, increasing explosive leaping ability for quick second jumps, developing physicality to battle larger players for position, and enhancing hand-eye coordination for securing rebounds in traffic. The statistical tracking of shot-following effectiveness has improved with modern player tracking data, allowing teams to measure how often players pursue offensive rebounds, their success rates, and the impact on overall team performance. The comparison of shot-following rates across different players and positions reveals that guards who actively follow their shots can generate surprising offensive rebounding numbers despite their size disadvantages. The tactical adjustment of explicitly assigning shot-following responsibilities in offensive schemes ensures that at least one or two players are designated to crash the offensive glass on every shot attempt, preventing situations where all five players immediately transition to defense. The energy cost of following shots throughout an entire game is substantial, contributing to overall fatigue and potentially impacting shooting percentages and defensive performance, creating trade-offs that players and coaches must manage. The psychological component of shot-following includes maintaining positive mentality regardless of shooting struggles, as the temptation to disengage after missed shots must be resisted to maintain offensive rebounding effort.