Increasing number of teams using the floater in between the rim and the 3-point arc
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots over Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson (4) and forward JT Toppin (15) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian (0) shoots over Florida forward Alex Condon during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian (0) shoots over Florida forward Alex Condon during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots over Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson (4) and forward JT Toppin (15) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian (0) shoots over Florida forward Alex Condon during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
The 3-point shot has changed basketball, creating a spread out game that in turn opens avenues to the basket.
In between the arc and the rim is a shot that balances the floor and serves as an equalizer for smaller players: the floater.
Advertisement
Also known as the teardrop, the floater has become one of the most effective shots in the game, a high-arcing counter to the long arms of the lane.
'You get into the lane against a shot blocker, it's a quick, deceptive shot — you can't see it coming,' Northern Arizona coach Shane Burcar said while watching Houston's Final Four practice in San Antonio last week.
Monday's national championship game between Florida and Houston will be filled with 3s, dunks, step-backs and the occasional mid-range jumper.
Keep an eye out for the floater.
The smallest players on the court will likely use it the most. For them, getting to the lane often comes with a price, a rejection of ball or body — sometimes both. Even scoring at the rim is no easy task, an effort in shot angles and spin to avoid hands reaching well above the rim.
Advertisement
The floater takes some calculations of its own, a split-second geometry equation of time and space.
The primary: determining whether the rim protector is hanging back or charging out. He hangs back a little, the shot can be a bit flatter. He charges, the teardrop takes its shape, often sailing well above the height of the backboard.
Bank or no bank is another. Most players like the purity of all net, others have no problem banking it in. Sometimes the bank opens organically, a natural product of trying to get the ball over arms stretching 10, 11 feet in the air.
Some players shoot the floater with a flick of the wrist, like a running jump shot. Others do more of a push shot, even from 12 feet out. Get in too close and the push becomes the only option, a way get the shot off while still keeping it out of reach.
Advertisement
Also, running wildly into the lane and throwing up a shot rarely works. The floater requires balance, even for a one-footed, one-handed shot. Keep the body in control and balanced, start the motion with two hands before letting one drop off, and the chances of success will be higher.
And land where you shoot. Nothing ruins a good floater like an offensive foul.
'It's definitely about repetition,' said Tony Darden, who runs Darden Sports Skills Academy in the Phoenix area. 'When I have them in practice, it's about repping the right way, being on balance when you're shooting it, just being controlled, landing where you shoot.'
The float game opens up a myriad of possibilities in the lane.
Advertisement
Undersized big men can use it to get shots off quickly over behemoths in the lane, sometimes in the form of a half hook or push shot.
Threat of the floater also creates a dichotomy for potential shot blockers. Because it's a quick shot with a varying arc, timing it for a block can be like trying to swat a balloon that's losing air.
Venturing too far opens up lobs behind the shot blocker or bounce passes to the dunker spot along the baseline. Kickouts to the wings are a possibility, too, should the wings collapse and try to help in the lane.
'If a good guard can utilize that float game to an alley-oop pass or a bounce pass to a layup, now that's an whole different type of guard,' Burcar said.
Advertisement
Origin of the teardrop is up for debate.
Former San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker was one of the first players to consistently use the shot effectively while winning four NBA championships between 2003 and 2014. He even claims to have invented the shot, perfecting it while trying to score over much bigger players as a kid.
But go back through history and other players had similar shots.
Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bob Cousy had a version of the floater while playing in the 1950s. Even further back, Stanford's Hank Luisetti was known for his running one-handers.
From a pure elegance standpoint, George Gervin's finger roll may have had the silkiest one-hander in basketball history during the 1970s.
Advertisement
Players such as Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul took what Parker nearly perfected and carried it to the next generations of floaters.
Now floaters are floating everywhere.
'Almost every elite guard has like a floater in their package,' said Aden Holloway, Alabama's resident float-game specialist. 'Coach (Nate Oats) doesn't really like us shooting it all the time because there's better shots to get, but depending on the game and the game adjustments, he'll say, yeah, I'm going to need that shot tonight."
Teams in all levels of basketball are finding they need the equalizing floater every night.
Advertisement
___
AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this story.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Forbes
9 minutes ago
- Forbes
Jimmie Johnson Opens The Door For 2026 Nascar Return
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #84 Carvana Toyota reacts after the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at ... More Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by) Seven-time Nascar Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson still has the need for speed. The co-owner of Legacy Motor Club cannot get racing out of his system, and he will likely be returning to the wheel of a Nascar Cup Series car in 2026. When Nascar announced it will be racing in San Diego – near Johnson's hometown -- next year, he told NBC Sports that it peaked his interest. 'I want to keep going,' Johnson said. 'I want to stay in a car. I think it's good for us. 'There's a chance that I run more races next year if we have a third charter on the docket and have a sponsor to bring along, team members to groom, a crew chief to get reps, a driver to get reps. There's a lot of scenarios that are in play. I'm hopeful I can keep going.' Johnson scheduled only two races for the No. 84 team with backing from longtime sponsor Carvana this year. He finished third in the Daytona 500, his best finish since returning to Nascar racing in 2023 after a brief IndyCar Series stint. Johnson, an 83-time Cup Series winner, owns a majority stake in the two-car team, which he originally partnered with Allegiant Airlines CEO Maury Gallagher. Legacy Motor Club is currently in the midst of a complicated lawsuit against Rick Ware Racing over the acquisition of one of RWR's charters. Legacy believes the team agreed to purchase one of Ware's charters ahead of the 2026 season, attempting to expand to three cars. Ware is arguing it is for 2027. However, Ware has an agreement to lease one of its charters to its strategic ally, RFK Racing, in 2026. Ware also reportedly inked a deal to sell his team to former Spire Motorsports co-owner TJ Puchyr, according to the Associated Press. However, Ware was not sourced in the report, leaving questions about the team's future.


New York Times
9 minutes ago
- New York Times
Why Jaguars need Travis Hunter (the cornerback), plus stats to watch & Washington's encore
Inside: Updated power rankings, how Washington's managing new expectations, and why Travis Hunter could — and should — see plenty of snaps at cornerback. We'll start with the latter. This article is from Scoop City, The Athletic's NFL newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox. There's a reality where the same player wins the offensive and defensive rookie of the year awards. We might be in it. As of Thursday morning, Travis Hunter was third in BetMGM's odds for the award on offense and second for the defensive version. That's one of those first-in-a-lifetime lines to type. Jacksonville was the perfect landing spot for a dual threat. He has their offense poised to breakout, but may be more valuable in the league's worst secondary. The Jaguars … The secondary should be improved with the additions of Hunter, former Cowboys standout nickel CB Jourdan Lewis (79.0 PFF coverage grade, 15th of 222 corners) and third-round pick Caleb Ransaw. And if talented but oft-injured CB Tyson Campbell bounces back and CB Jarrian Jones can build on a promising rookie season, this could become a position of strength for the Jaguars quickly. It'll help if Hunter continues making plays like this: Everything has gone well so far in Jacksonville, as Hunter signed his rookie contract at a CBA-mandated bargain of $11.6 million APY without missing any practice time. The biggest competition for Hunter the cornerback might be his receiving snaps; he began OTAs and minicamp as a wide receiver before splitting his days between each position. Advertisement The offense-first trend continued in training camp, with The Athletic's Jeff Howe reporting that Hunter joined the receivers for every offensive period but mixed in with defensive coaches during any special teams periods. But Jeff notes that this might not foreshadow Hunter's in-season workload, since Hunter has more experience on defense and thus the extra offensive coaching is more about growth than future opportunity. It's a sentiment shared by HC Liam Coen: 'That's why we're (starting with) more offense, not necessarily to say that he's going to play more offense this fall,' Coen said. 'It's because that's where he needs the most development right now. There's so much more fundamentals, technique, detail, timing, being at the right spot at the right time, a lot more verbiage.' Jeff's full story on the Jaguars' plans is worth your time. We'll monitor that throughout camp, as well as less glamorous battles in Cleveland (QB), New England (RB) and Indianapolis (QB). There's plenty to improve there, too: Browns: 14.2 points per game (ranked 32nd). Constantly trailing their opponents (Browns ranked 31st in time leading) forced Cleveland to pass at a league-high 68.6 percent rate, which isn't ideal for a team with a quarterback battle that is now between Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Patriots: 49.6 rushes per fumble (32nd). New England lost control of the ball at 10 times the rate of their division-rival Bills, which led to 12 total fumbles (ranking 28th). It's one reason TreVeyon Henderson was their surprise pick in round two, despite having Rhamondre Stevenson under contract. A split role is likely, as Chad Graff details on what to expect from Henderson. Colts: 56.3 percent completion rate (32nd). The 2024 Colts' quarterbacks, Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco, posted the league's worst completion rate. It's the rare situation where Daniel Jones — who has a career completion percentage of 64.1 — will be a welcome change for the Colts' talented pass-catchers. Of course, that's assuming he wins their ongoing training camp competition, as Richardson is back throwing the football. If the Eagles are the NFL's best, who is No. 2? Lamar Jackson's Ravens finally passed Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs for that slot in The Athletic's latest Power Rankings. The 49ers (+7) and Jaguars (+5) rose more than any other team, while losing star LT Tristan Wirfs knocked the Buccaneers (-4) down. Here's the full list: Toughest team to rank? The Commanders, explained author Josh Kendall, who had them at No. 6. I shot him a message to ask why. It comes down to math: 💬 'Only 10 teams in the last 25 years have converted more fourth down attempts than Washington did a year ago (20) and none of those teams came close to the Commanders' 87 percent success rate. Changing that math alone could mean the difference in two to three wins. 'Then throw in a schedule that's one of the league's 10 hardest, a defense that wasn't good last year and the mystery box that is second-year quarterbacks and Washington may not finish anywhere close to the sixth I have them.' More on the Commanders, now: Expectations were low before the 2024 season. Washington's last playoff victory had come in 2005, and their previous five seasons ended like this: A new regime and rookie quarterback offered hope, but surely needed time. Or so we thought. The Commanders finished 12-5, nearly doubling their preseason expected win total of 6.5 and falling one game shy of a Super Bowl appearance. They won more games than any Washington team since Joe Gibbs coached the Super Bowl winners in 1991. How do you follow that? Advertisement These 2025 Commanders are expected to win, but their goals aren't tied to results. Instead, the offseason focus is on maintaining the 'Commander Standard,' while remaining a step ahead of opposing teams, all of whom had the offseason to study Kliff Kingsbury's offense. To help, Washington shipped a plethora of draft picks for veteran additions WR Deebo Samuel and OT Laremy Tunsil, then signed edge Von Miller, who is now 36. They're joined by early-round picks OT Josh Conerly Jr. and CB Trey Amos, who are expected to contribute early. They just need to resolve WR Terry McLaurin's contract situation. The other question in Washington is about their name. I felt like their 2024 success legitimized the name 'Commanders,' but that sentiment is not shared by all. I asked David Aldridge, The Athletic's senior columnist and Washington local, about whether my feelings align with those in D.C. : 💬 'There will always be a segment of the Washington fan base that will never accept the name 'Commanders,' because it was adapted while Dan Snyder owned the team. The antipathy toward the former regime will take more than a year or two to ebb. 'Among that segment, as well, are fans who will simply never accept any name other than 'Redskins,' no matter what evidence they receive that many Native and non-Native American fans of the team believe that nickname to be a racial slur. 'But, to answer your question: a lot of Washington fans have accepted the name 'Commanders,' and accepted it a lot faster after the team won the most games in 30 years last season, with Jayden Daniels as its franchise-level quarterback.' 📓 Are you ready? Inspiring head coaches and uninspiring quarterback competitions are two of the biggest training camp storylines to follow. ✅ Attendance is mandatory. Many players are absent from training camp as their contract demands remain unmet; the list is shorter than I expected, but still includes two Bengals pass rushers, a Browns running back and Lions LB Alex Anzalone. 👀 Eyes on Shedeur Sanders. A strong offseason could have the fifth-round pick starting for the Browns before long. He's one of 32 players in The Athletic's list of players to watch during training camp. 💼 Rashee Rice's suspension feels inevitable after he pled guilty to felony charges associated with his role in a multi-vehicle car crash last offseason. For now, he's a full participant at Chiefs camp. ▶️ Monday's most-clicked: Clemson's Cade Klubnik is No. 1 in The Athletic's ranking of all 136 projected starting college football quarterbacks. 📫 Enjoyed this read? Sign up here to receive The Athletic's free NFL newsletter in your inbox. Also, check out our other newsletters.

Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan recalled fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the white-ball cricket series against West Indies, starting at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida. The three Twenty20 matches in the U.S. — on July 31, Aug. 2 and 3 — will be followed by three ODI games in Trinidad and Tobago. Afridi, who is also in the ODI squad, was surprisingly excluded from Pakistan's last two T20 series against Bangladesh despite leading Lahore Qalandars to its third Pakistan Super League title in the last four years with a rich haul of 19 wickets this year. In Afridi's absence, Pakistan routed Bangladesh 3-0 at home but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh at Dhaka in a series which ended Thursday. Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was forced to miss the series against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury he sustained during Major League Cricket (MLC) in the U.S., has recovered and was named in the T20 squad. Pakistan's pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s and ODIs against West Indies. The selectors dropped pace bowlers Abbas Afridi and Salman Mirza, who both participated in the T20 series in Bangladesh, and retained all-rounders Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz. Middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz is the only uncapped player named in the ODI squad. Nawaz scored Pakistan's fastest-ever T20 century against New Zealand in March this year. Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the T20 side while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was named skipper for the ODI series. ___ Pakistan: Twenty20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem. ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem. ___ AP cricket: