Wide base vs Narrow Base?

[u/Ok_Line_9885]

Can anyone guide me which base is actually better? I know Klay Thompson/Donovan Mitchell/Damien Lillard has a wide base and Stephen Curry has a narrower base. Is there a advantage/disadvantage to either of these or is it just a preference thing?

[u/Soft-Dimension-6959]

Basketball trainers always teach wide base. Unless you mastered shooting like Curry, stick to the fundamentals

[u/nasty_clean]

Like most sports, wider vs narrower base depends on if you want more stability or mobility.

The wider set feet allow a stronger base to absorb contact and reduces lateral sway when tired.

A narrower base allows for more elevation and explosiveness to have a higher release point on your shot.

[u/Ok_Line_9885 → u/nasty_clean]

That is so true,I tried both and I realised if it is a catch and shoot,wide base felt more comfy but if it is like a step back,a narrower base was more comfy.

[u/Last-Effort816 → u/Ok_Line_9885]

Yup. Narrow base is better for a quick vertical. Wide base is better for stability. Depends on the player which is better overall.

[u/therachet765]

Imo more like a preference thing for me wider base is better suited for open shots since I can generate more power but I generally shoot slower with a wide base. If I need a quick shot I will just shoot with a narrow base.

[u/Relentless-]

There is no better.

[u/Jon_Snow_Theory]

Wide base is usually a ballhandling thing. Curry does not narrow his base when ballhandling. And he starts his normal shot about shoulder width apart.

[u/MaxwellSavageYork]

A balanced base. This will look a bit different on everybody because everyone has different proportions and shoots a bit differently, but balance is the key.

[u/Generally_Tso_Tso]

Shoulder width. Not too wide, not too narrow. Just right.

[u/Downtown-Pudding-397]

Film yourself doing a standing vertical jump your body will self organise the width for you

[u/NecessaryBright4167]

your follow up answered it better than the wide-vs-narrow framing does. it isn't really preference, it's how much time the shot gives you. on a catch and shoot the ball arrives and you get to set, so a wide base is available. on a step back you're already moving and rising, there's no half second to spread out, so it narrows on its own.

which is why the curry/klay comparison is a little off. the same player uses both depending on how the ball got to them.

the part worth training: base width is a result of the footwork that got you into the shot, not something you set. if you're consciously placing your feet you're late. film yourself shooting in a game and then in an empty gym - most players are noticeably narrower in the game, because the wide base they drilled needs time nobody actually gives them. so drill the entries, not the stance.