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Basketball Debate: Follow Your Shot or Get Back on Defense?
In gyms across the country, from high school practices to Division 1 sidelines, one basketball debate never seems to go away:
Should players follow their shot or get back on defense?
It’s a topic that stirs passionate opinions among coaches, players, and fans alike. Some argue that hustling after your shot shows grit and gives your team extra possessions. Others, like us, believe in the power of confidence, spacing, and transition defense.
At Shoot-A-Way, we have a clear stance: don’t follow your shot.
Here’s why.
Why “Following Your Shot” Might Be Hurting Your Game
Coaches who teach players to follow their shot usually do it to encourage hustle and rebounding. That’s a fair goal—but at what cost?
It Compromises Shot Quality
Great shooters know the importance of balance and follow-through. When players are taught to chase the rebound before the ball even hits the rim, they often rush the shot, lean forward, or cut their follow-through short. All of this decreases shooting accuracy.
At Shoot-A-Way, we designed The Gun basketball shooting machine to help players build muscle memory and elite shooting confidence—neither of which comes from being worried about chasing rebounds.
It Sends the Wrong Message
Training players to follow their shot subconsciously tells them not to trust it. Imagine shooting with the mindset of “I better go get it in case I miss.” Hear from basketball trainer, DJ Sackman, explaining why following your shot sends the wrong message to shooters.
Instead, we believe players should be trained to shoot with confidence. Repetition on The Gun allows shooters to see the ball go through the net hundreds of times per session, building a belief system that says, “I’m going to make this.”
It Breaks Defensive Transition
Basketball is a fast game. As teams push the pace, every second counts when the ball changes possession. A player who’s sprinting toward the hoop after their own shot is also leaving their team exposed in transition.
Smart teams prioritize getting back, stopping the ball, and setting the tone on defense. Giving up an easy bucket while one player chases an offensive rebound isn’t a good trade-off—especially when shooters can be trained to shoot higher percentages and let the designated rebounders crash the boards.
How The Gun Reinforces Confident Shooting (Without Chasing the Ball)
The Gun by Shoot-A-Way is engineered to give players the most efficient reps in the game, helping shooters develop rhythm, confidence, and elite muscle memory—without ever having to retrieve their own shot.
Rapid fire reps:
The Gun rebounds and passes automatically, allowing players to stay in their shooting motion without chasing the ball.
Shot tracking:
Players can focus on form, not rebounds, and track their makes and misses by location.
Game-speed training:
Players learn to shoot like they’ll play—under pressure, on the move, and with a consistent follow-through.
Following your shot has no place in this environment—and that’s the point.
What Coaches Are Saying
We talk to coaches every day who debate this issue. Some old-school coaches love the hustle. Others see the value in training shooters to shoot, not rebound. One coach put it best:
“I don’t want my shooters crashing the glass—I want them hitting the shot and getting their butts back on D.”
Bottom Line: Trust the Shot, Don’t Chase It
There will always be moments in a game when instincts take over. A long rebound might land in your lap, or a buzzer-beater might require you to follow the shot. But in a well-run offense with a confident shooter, the default should be: take the shot, follow through, and get back on defense.
Let the rebounders do their job. Your job is to shoot it like it’s going in.
At Shoot-A-Way, we stand by that—and we built The Gun to make it happen.
Want Your Players to Shoot with More Confidence?
See how The Gun basketball shooting machine helps players level up their shooting form, confidence, and performance—without chasing rebounds.