In basketball, many people are playing the game. We have the left-handed basketball players and the right-handed basketball players. Now, most people ask who is the best. However, we are going to tackle later on who is the best.
But, is it true that left-handed basketball players are better than right-handed basketball players?
There are more right-handed basketball players in all basketball leagues around the world. There are no proven studies yet that tell whether left-handed players are better than right-handed players. People believe that all basketball players can be a better players whether they are left or right-handed, as long as they work hard and practice the fundamental skills of basketball.
But, are there any advantages of being left or right-handed? Is it true that left-handed players are more proficient in shooting than right-handed players? If yes, should I change my dominant hand to the left? All of these questions will be answered, so keep reading!
Right-Hand Players Vs. Left-Hand Basketball Players: Introduction
The population of the world is made up of 20% left-handed people. In the NBA, there are lesser left-handed basketball players than right-handed players. There are only 9% of NBA players who shoot using their left-hand.
If we take a look at the history of the NBA, most hall of Famers is right-handed. Michael Jordan is right-handed, Kobe Bryant is right-handed, and Lebron James is right-handed. However, that doesn’t mean that left-handed basketball players are not good. This is just to show you the facts.
Do you know Bill Russell? He is an NBA Hall of Famer and has a total of 11 championship rings. Yes, Bill Russell is a lefty. Bill Russell plays for the Boston Celtics and helps the Celtics to win many championship titles. Russell is proof that left-handed basketball players are also good.
However, if we take a look at the top ten NBA scorers of all time, most players are right-handed. So is it true that right-handed players are more proficient in shooting than left-handed basketball players? The answer is no!
Artis Gilmore is the first left-handed basketball player who belongs in the all-time NBA scorers. He started playing in the NBA in 1971 and averages 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. Gilmore sits at number 27 all-time in scoring with 24,941. However, that might change sooner becuase many good players are entering the league every year.
James Harden is the second left-handed NBA player to belong on the all-time scoring. He sits at 41 all-time scorings with 21,124 points. James Harden is still in his prime, so it means that he can still break through 30,000 points soon, as long as he stays healthy.
There are only eight left-handed players who are in the NBA’s top 100 career leaders in points. The left-handed basketball player who won the NBA MVP award before Harden in 2017 was David Robinson in 1995. It takes years before another lefty won an NBA MVP because, after David Robinson, all the next players who won the NBA MVP were right-handed before Harden in 2017.
Again, so does it mean that right-handed basketball players are much better than left-handed players? Still, the answer is no.
Yes, most NBA players and most basketball players in the world are right-handed. However, this doesn’t mean that left-handed basketball players suck. Also, I want to clarify that it is not true what most people say that left-handed basketball players are more proficient in scoring than right-handed players. There is no enough evidence to prove that this myth is right.
People said that left-handed basketball players are more proficient in scoring than right-handed players because of James Harden. Yes, James Harden is a good shooter. But this doesn’t mean that we should dive into conclusions that lefty players are much better than righty players. As the facts show, most NBA Hall of Famers is right-handed.
Whether you are right or left-handed, you can be a better basketball player. It depends on how much work you put in your everyday lives not on what your dominant hand is. So, go to work and start improving your basketball skills.
Do not listen to dumb peoples that say that lefty players are much better than right players and vice versa because this myth has no enough evidence to prove that it is true. So keep working!
Is Being Left-Handed An Advantage In Basketball? Yes Or No?
Some studies said that left-handed basketball players have better hand-eye coordination. However, this doesn’t mean that you should change from right to left. You should love your dominant hand.
Lefties use the right side of their brain while right-handed people use the left side of their brain more often. The right brain of a left-handed person is responsible for music, art, and creativity. Maybe this is the reason why left-handed basketball players have a great shooting form.
In my experience, all left-handed basketball players learn the right shot mechanics faster than right-handed basketball players. I think this gives left-handed basketball players an advantage. They can learn fast, and they are creative when executing different basketball moves.
But there are disadvantages of being left-handed basketball players. The first advantage is being guarded. In my experience, it is much easier to guard a left-handed player. Why? Because the only thing you need to do is to position yourself on their left. They won’t be able to drive or shoot a three because you are guarding them at the side where they are more dominant.
The other disadvantage of being left-handed is having an awkward handshake after a game. Using the right hand for handshaking after the game may feel awkward for left-handed basketball players at first.
Have you tried to shake hands with people using your left? Sounds weird right? That is why even left-handed basketball players will use their right hand to shake the hands of their opponents after a game.
Is It Better To Be Left Or Right Handed In Basketball?
Now that you have already known that being left-handed can be an advantage in basketball, you ask yourself if it is better to be left or right-handed in basketball. However, I don’t want to choose which side is better at basketball. Both left and right-handed basketball players can be a good basketball players if they work hard and be consistent.
Most people asked if it is better to be left-handed or right-handed in basketball. My answer is either or. You can be a bad player even though you are left-handed or right-handed, especially if you are not consistent with your work.
Of course, being left or right-handed may have an advantage. But keep this in mind that no matter what dominant hand you have, your consistency and hard work will still be the one to define how good a basketball player you will be.
So what should you do? Practice more and be consistent in your routine. This applies to all basketball players out there, left or right-handed, tall or short. Every successful basketball player worked hard, James Harden worked hard, and Lebron James worked hard. Both have different dominant hands but there is one thing similar to them, and that is hard work.
Should I Change My Dominant Hand To Left?
Like I have said, being left-handed can have an advantage. However, does it mean that you should change your dominant hand to the left? Absolutely no! Never change your dominant hand if you are right-handed just because there are little advantages of being a left-handed person.
You can still be a good basketball player even if you are right-handed. The only thing that will drag you down into becoming an astounding basketball player is if you don’t work hard. Working hard is the number one rule to become a better basketball player, and the second rule is consistency.
Be consistent in everything that you do. Doesn’t matter if you are right or left-handed. If you are not consistent enough to practice and improve your basketball skills, then you will become a bad basketball player.
To be clear, I don’t promote changing your dominant hand to the left. I promote consistency and working hard. Don’t be jealous of the shooting form of left-handed basketball players. You can also have a pretty shooting form like lefty players have, so focus on improving it!
Why Do All Left-Handed Basketball Players Shoot The Same?
When you observe different left-handed basketball players, it looks like they shoot the same. The form of the lefties looks the same, right? Left-handed basketball players have a 45-degree angle in their elbows while keeping their shooting arm in line with their bodies. Yes, some left-handed basketball players don’t shoot perfectly, but they will all still look the same in terms of shooting form.
Left-handed basketball players have inevitably pretty shooting form, and I don’t know why. Sometimes I want to change my dominant hand to the left when I see James Harden playing or another lefty basketball player.
Their shooting form is an art. I am a jealous of their form, and because of their pretty shooting form, it always looks like every shot they take will fall in the rim. I really like to be left-handed ever since! However, we still need to be content with what we have and improve the things that we already have.
Who Is Better? Left Or Right Handed Basketball Players? Final Answer
If I am going to make a survey of 300 people and ask them if they prefer to shoot left-handed or right-handed, I will bet my dimes that 70 percent of the respondents would say left-handed. Even me, I would say left-hand. However, players that don’t recognize how pretty the shooting form of a left-handed player is will probably answer right-handed.
In basketball games, many players love to drive right, even left-handed players. So it is another advantage for lefty players. Why? Because they can drive on both left and right sides. Most people think that left-handed players can’t drive on the right. They can drive on both sides.
Many people think that defending a left-handed person is difficult. In reality, defending a lefty player doesn’t change the way you should play defense. The only thing that you need to do to guard a lefty player is to position yourself where his/her dominant hand is placed.
Whether the player is left or right-handed, you need to play good defense. You must know what side that left or right-handed player loves to drive the most.
So, which is better? Right or left? My final answer is this: Whatever dominant hand you have, it’s the basketball player that practices consistently and works hard every day has the advantage. Whether you are a left-handed or right-handed player, your hard work will determine how good a basketball player you are.
Final Words
It doesn’t matter if you are a left-handed player or a right-handed player. The most important thing is your consistency in practice and how often you work hard to improve your basketball skills.
Even though left-handed players have some advantages, they can still be outplayed by right-handed players if they don’t work hard. So, don’t be jealous of the left-handed basketball players. Improve what you can improve, and accept what you can’t change.
Do you prefer to be a left-handed basketball player or a right-handed basketball player? Comment your answers below!
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