Indiana Basketball: Romeo Langford, ping pong paddle, and improvements on his shot
Final Thoughts
As for the ping pong paddle technique, I have to say I disagree with the Celtics’ methods.
The goal of this exercise is to limit Langford’s off-hand thumb from flicking the ball forward on his release, theoretically throwing the ball off line and making it inaccurate. While there is nothing wrong with fine-tuning this eventually, I think the order of operations should be different. A thumb flick is a minor aspect of a shot, and great shooters such as Kyrie Irving have no trouble shooting with one.
To me, coaching Langford on his preparation before the shot and teaching a dipping motion should be more of a focal point than fixing his thumb flick- an aspect of his shot which I think has little effect on his accuracy and is more for aesthetic purposes.
Next. 5 Players To Sign If The Big Ten Had Free Agency. dark
That being said, the Celtics are a trustworthy organization with a track record of improving young guards. This is a match made in heaven for Langford, and the Celtics will be able to squeeze more potential out of him than any other team in the league could. They are already hitting the ground running with improving his jumpshot. Don’t be surprised to see Langford become a reliable three point shooter in the NBA in 2-3 years.