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Sure if you’ve never played. But after a while I would think that you level off. You’ll have up and down periods. Think about it. Look at nba players who shoot the same free throw percentage year after year. They have played their whole lives. You think they’re gonna get better just by practicing? This is a real debate. You are what you are. If you don’t practice you get rusty but once you gain your rhythm back that’s who you are. It’s like speed. You can only improve so much.
I'm a very casual player. When I used to play pick up games at school, I sometimes came to the gym random nights from 11pm-12am (our gym closed at 11pm and most full court games stopped around 8 and half-court games were very hard to come by after probably 10). Used to make it a goal to drain 50 jumpers before the gym closed. Was a great workout. Became a better shooter, and eventually developed a reputation for being a "shooter."
Could never improve my dribble somehow, I got really tiny hands and never been able to handle the rock all the way up in full court games despite being guard size. Became a better passer by running drills with my friend who loved playing 2v2 late at night. I was often his "dummy" for 1v1 when he wanted to try new moves while he helped me with my handles. I never really beat him 1v1 but he def. helped fine tune my handles to be at least respectable.
Started lifting very heavy post college, played a few pick up games. Was able to finally get enough explosion non my hop step floaters.
Been rusty ever since but I think it helps if you practice alone and with friends who want to improve.
It made me a LOT better.
Tried the no practice strategy for 6 years. My IQ got better over time but not much else. You need to repeat certain movements 1,000's of times before your body can do what your brain wants it to do with precision and dexterity and a level of such efficiency you just don't even think about it - and in a sport like basketball doing things so quickly that you don't think about it is key. All the thinking gets done during practice if you practice deliberately the moves and scenarios you know happen on a court than it will just start happening during games. It's just the way it is there really is no substitute for practice in my opinion and I learned that after not practicing for so long and then suddenly deciding I was going to give practicing a shot because I felt I wasn't getting any better with what I was doing (nothing).
Talent is aptitude - some people have way more talent than others and you can never change your talent. But skill is practiced. And everyone can gain more skill with practice. Both things are very important in basketball but since you can't change your talent you might as well work on your skill - through practice.
Maybe
[QUOTE=Walk on Water;13486830]Sure if you’ve never played. But after a while I would think that you level off. You’ll have up and down periods. Think about it. Look at nba players who shoot the same free throw percentage year after year. They have played their whole lives. You think they’re gonna get better just by practicing? This is a real debate. You are what you are. If you don’t practice you get rusty but once you gain your rhythm back that’s who you are. It’s like speed. You can only improve so much.[/QUOTE]
I do not know about that some NBA just don't really put the work in on their weakness. If you work hard enough you can improve, sometimes fourms need to be change or stances when it comes to free throws. if you practice bad habits they will always be bad and never turn good.