Another example of a player who improved his jump shot as the result of an injury is LaMarcus Aldridge, who injured his left hip 16 
games into his freshman year at the University of Texas, forcing him to redshirt the remainder of the 2004-05 season.
“Growing up, I couldn’t shoot,” said Aldridge. “He’s like ‘What?!'” the first year All-Star then exclaimed, reacting to the surprise on my face, during media availability at All-Star Weekend in Houston, TX in February. “I got hurt my freshman year at the University of Texas and I sat out, redshirted the whole year and I sat in a stool and I did form shooting, shot 1-handed, for the whole season. I worked on my mechanics for like a whole season. It was like night and day. Before that I could shoot, but not consistently. After that my mechanics improved and I’ve been good ever since.”
At the time, Nerlens Noel had just gone down with that gruesome left knee ACL injury. If Aldridge had Noel’s ear, he’d tell him to work on his craft similar to the way he’d done nearly a decade earlier.
“He should take advantage of that time and work on his skills,” said Aldridge.
***
The date was February 2nd.
As I sat down and prepared to observe Derrick Rose during player workouts about two hours before the game was slated to tip off, Jimmy Butler sat down next to me.
“That boy’s floater is something serious,” said Butler while putting on his sneakers.
My attention shifted from Butler’s mouth back to the court.
There was Rose, locked in, working on his crossover / floater combination move, lofting floaters from the left elbow.
Crossover, hop-step, wind-up, launch.
The ball sailed nearly 20-feet in the air and dropped straight down through the net.
“See?” said Butler.
Indeed.
The wait’s been long, but whenever Rose decides he’s healthy enough to take the court, expect his ever-expanding repertoire of difficult shots to multiply, causing opponents and fans jaws alike to drop in a capacity similar to the fashion that was so routine before his unfortunate – but fortunate – injury.
Jeremy Bauman is an aspiring shooting coach and scout who writes columns and blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.
I’ve never even thought about it like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So true yo! I would argue you ALSO have to be a young and HUNGRY player as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gr8 article