How to Shoot Like Kevin Durant

Last Updated: January 23, 2023

Kevin Durant is maturing into one of the NBA's best offensive players and one of its most deadly shooters. He's a member of the elite 50-40-90 club, which means that a player shot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, and 90 percent from the free-throw line in a given season. Less than ten players have accomplished the feat. If you want to learn how to mimic the fundamentals of Durant's patented shot, you've come to the right place. See Step 1 for more information.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Learning the Fundamentals

1
Put your hip toward the basket. The most distinctive thing about Kevin Durant's shooting technique is that he doesn't square up to the basket to take a shot, he instead aligns himself by pointing his hip to the hole. Some analysts believe that squaring up this way can help to take tension away from the neck and shoulders, resulting in a more natural action, though it traditionally isn't the way shooting is taught.
2
Aim your toes at 10 o'clock. Likewise, Durant's feet aren't aimed at the hoop when he shoots, but turned to approximately 10 on the clock, if the basket is 12. Some other shooters, like Dirk Nowitzki, orient themselves to the basket similarly, lessening the torque on the neck and shoulders and throwing off defenders.

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3
Sweep and sway. Durant doesn't jump straight up in the air when he takes a shot. Instead, he sweeps his feet forward and sways his shoulders back, resulting in a high-arcing shot that he's learned to make incredibly accurate. It's not the most technically-perfect form for a shot from long-range, but it has yielded great shooting percentages for KD.
4
Shoot the ball properly with a traditional follow-through. Unlike Reggie Miller and Kobe, who have strange off-kilter follow-throughs, Durant's shot itself is fairly straightforward and his technique is pure, other than his foot placement. He keeps his elbows in tight, puts his hand in the cookie jar during the follow through, and almost always makes his shot.
5
Keep it simple. Unlike flashier players like LeBron and Kobe, Kevin Durant's game is basically built around his jump shot, which he earns by making his way to space and passing the ball, not by using step-jukes and other methods of shaking the player. Unlike other tall ballers, Durant also hops on almost every shot, however close he is to the ball, using his good arcing from any distance.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Playing Like Durant

1
Take lots of high-probability attempts. Durant shoots the ball. A lot. If you want to start shooting like KD shoots, start taking lots of shots and upping your shooting average. Focus more during practice on pure shooting drills and less on dribbling or other types of exercise. The jump shot is key to Durant's success and his playing style.
- Don't hog the ball, wait for high-probability attempts at a range you're sure you can hit from. Unlike Kobe, who makes plays from scratch, Durant's a team player who waits for the play to come to him.
2
Take the ball inside. Like lots of high-scorers, Kevin Durant is deadly on the inside. His drive and his dribbling skills on the cut aren't necessarily his most famous attributes, but shot-diagrams prove that the majority of his points come from inside. His tremendous height makes his inside play aggressive and high-probability, especially when matched with his outside accuracy.
3
Shoot from your strong side. Shot charts show that the majority of Durant's points come from his right side, both in the paint and outside 3-point range. While he's accurate, or at least at the league average from all over the court, he's most deadly from the right side. Again, one of the Durant trademarks is his smarts, and knowing where the high-probability shots are and when to take them.
- Durant is less accurate from long-range when he's lined up straight on, and takes less attempts from that location on the court. To shoot like Durant, take it on an angle when you're in long-range, or cut into the paint.^{[1]
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4
Practice constantly. If you want to shoot like Durant, there's no quick fix. You've got to start working on a regular shooting routine, practicing until you've got a jump shot you can take in your sleep. Practice on your strong side and your weak side, practice after running sprints when you're exhausted and can barely lift your arms, practice three pointers, turn-around jumpers, and free throws. Practice constantly.

Community Q&A

Question

I have an action like stephen curry but I want to master kevin durants . Should I change my action?

Community Answer

Steph Curry is more of a fast shot. You can include SCS Fast Motion into KD, but Stpeh is Pretty Deadly too.
Question

How do I change my basketball shooting hand?

Community Answer

You don't as that could mess with how your shots work. Plus it would mean you would likely be shooting with your non-dominant hand, which is harder.
Question

How can I learn to do one of Durant's crossover moves?

Community Answer

Go to iheartbasketballtv on YouTube to watch some tutorials.