The Two-Hand Set Shot is dedicated to recapturing the spirit and documenting the annals of basketball’s pioneering days. To this worthy end, the community and its various organs endeavor to disseminate insightful articles, profiles, commentary, and ruminations about Dr. James Naismith’s wondrous game. Via the lens of this historical perspective, we also occasionally delve into what the young “whipper-snappers” of the modern era are up to.
What, pray tell, is a two-hand set shot?
With the jumper still in its infancy until well into the mid-1950s, most players relied on a stationary shot with both feet planted on the ground that was typically released from below the shoulders with both hands on the ball. The vast majority of these attempts were launched from over 30 feet from the rim, even though there were no three-pointers until 1961 (an innovation of the short-lived American Basketball League).
During the first year of the NBA (then known as the Basketball Association of America), there were a couple of jump shooters, most prominently Joe Fulks of the champion Philadelphia Warriors. However, the vast majority of the teams were coached by old-school guys who looked askance at that ‘alien heave.’
While layups were naturally commonplace, slam dunks were few and far in between. Moreover, the hook shot was a major part of the low-post arsenal. Bob Cousy even introduced the sweeping on-the-run hook, which was usually deployed in transition.
Verticality was naturally a major impetus behind the game’s meteoric rise from the 1950s onward, but fans should, at the very least, be cognizant of the set-shot era.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Edgar (aka Felipe) Rivera of Hebrew Union College for his patience, enthusiasm, and invaluable technical support.