Starting Young: Building Great Shooters from the Ground Up

Marvin Harvey
Aug 1
3 min read

STARTING YOUNG

In 2004, while serving as Director of Basketball Development, several professional players approached me about teaching their children how to shoot. They challenged me to create a plan for kids as young as seven. At first, I resisted—I believed kids at that age should just develop a love for the shot naturally.

I focused instead on letting them play freely, teaching them how to direct the ball while dribbling, how to pass properly, and how to use their fingers on their shot. At that stage, most kids lacked the strength to shoot from above their heads, often relying too much on the lower body or shoulders.

Eventually, I began teaching shooting from the middle of the body—under the chin and out, using my signature Ready-Rhythm-Release. Knees and ball moved in sync for rhythm, stopping at the chin. The elbow stayed inside the shoulder lines and lifted straight, not up toward the basket. The result? Consistency, backspin, and control—without over-reliance on strength.

That’s when I recognized the distinction in my teachings:Shooting “looking over the ball” vs. shooting “looking under the ball.”My studies led to this conclusion: By age 12, a young athlete should begin learning proper form—no later.

TRANSITIONING FROM ELEMENTARY TO PRO

As I compared form across levels, I noticed something remarkable: Elite shooters—regardless of origin—all used the same form. Whether starting from the side or center, the mechanics were consistent.

That’s when form—not just the shot—became my focus.

Back in 1987, I launched “Harvey’s Basketball Workshop” in Olathe, Kansas. It was the state’s first individual shooting program. It became my lab.

I only trained youth if their parents or coaches were involved. Why? Because form requires long-term support. A child can’t walk this journey alone.

CASE STUDY: BILL ELLIOTT

At twelve years old, Bill Elliott was my first full experiment. We built his shooting form without a ball—on my count, in front of mirrors, everywhere. Then we moved to the court.

Bill had to make 20 out of 25 correctly at five spots before progressing. Once he passed that, we repeated it off passes… then off the dribble.

Years later, in his senior year, he returned with a twist:25 out of 25 from beyond the arc—or he’d run or do pushups.

Eventually, Bill broke the All-Time College Career Three-Point Record.

But today’s players want a quick fix—we’ve lived in a microwave society since 1988. Mastery requires patience, not shortcuts.

CASE STUDY: MELISSA MERCER

Melissa Mercer was twelve when we began. She was a seventh-grader in Kansas City, tall and strong for her age.

Her father supported her training at the local Jewish Community Center, and she followed the same assignment structure as Bill.

By ninth grade, she had:

2 AAU All-American Awards
A State Championship as a freshman
Shot 96% from the line and 76% from the field

She won two more state titles before losing her fourth… to other girls we had trained together.

THE FORM VS. THE RESULT

You have two options:

Learn how to make the ball go in.
Learn the correct form—and let the ball go in.

The brain stores and releases everything you teach it—right or wrong.It takes 3× longer to master the wrong form than the right one.

The way you build it is the way you’ll practice it.The way you practice is the way you’ll play.

A PROFOUND DISCOVERY

After Melissa and Bill, I launched a 10-year experiment to prove my process worked for anyone—not just a few gifted players.

That’s when I coined the phrase:“I would never be so selfish as to teach someone my way.”Instead, I teach the way that works.

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