Creating a legendary player in NBA 2K23 MyCAREER is pretty challenging. What has made it even more difficult is the unsteady mechanics of the jump shot, according to some users. For this reason, it is ideal to make your own jump shot.
Of course, going with a default jump shot animation is always available. But that option is not always advantageous because it can limit your shooting efficiency.
Another alternative is to equip another player’s jump shot style in the Animation Store. For instance, there was a time when I used the animation of Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter of all time.
However, that animation is only available if your player is below 6’5″. In NBA 2K23, some jump shot animations are gated depending on how tall your character is.
Your best bet then would be to customize your own jump shot animation – one that fits your player’s height. Here, we will show you some of the best jump shots in NBA 2K23.
Jumpshot Mechanics
NBA 2K23 brings another dimension to customizing a jump shot. Gone are the days when you have to guess how effective a jump shot really is. This time around, the Jump Shot Creator will tell you the shot attributes grades of the combination you made.
Animation Components
Before we discuss the shot attribute grades, let’s first define the different jump shot animations you can play around with.
Take note that many animations are locked in the beginning. The way to unlock them is to increase your mid-range shot or three-point shot attribute to a specific level. Mastering the fastest way to earn VC in NBA 2K23 can help you upgrade your player’s shooting attributes.
Lower/Base
The lower/base determines the body angle of your character at the beginning of your jump shot attempt. What you select here affects the shot timing, pre-jump motion, and what direction the player hops to.
There are plenty of choices, with some of them using quick and small leaps, and some giving your character some delay before rising up for a shot.
Upper Releases
The upper release is the part of the jump shot animation from after the jump to when the ball is released from the hand and the follow-through. For many years, NBA 2K has given users the flexibility to adjust the release by allowing the blending of two release animations.
To combine two different animations, you can select different shot release animations and then adjust the mix in the Blending & Release Speed tab.
Blending & Release Speed
The release speed is kind of self-explanatory. It determines how fast a player lets go of the ball. This feature will determine the rate at which the shot meter turns green when you attempt a field goal.
As for the blending option, it controls how much percentage of each upper-release animation is incorporated into the jump shot. If you prefer to use just one upper-release animation, select the same options for upper-release 1 and upper-release 2.
Shot Attribute Grades
Depending on the combination of jump shot animation components you make, the creator will provide a grade for four different factors, namely release height, defense immunity, release speed, and timing impact. The grade ranges from A+ to F. And, as much as possible, you should maximize the grades of all factors while prioritizing defense immunity and timing impact.
- Release Height – Determines the height at which the ball is released from the hand
- Release Speed – Determines the rate or speed at which you must hit the shot meter to get a green shot
- Defense Immunity – Determines how effective the jump shot will be despite being contested by opposing players
- Timing Impact – Determines how much your shot is penalized for poor timing
Another thing you must take note of when creating the best jump shots in NBA 2K23 is that not all animations are applicable for every player build. The availability of the animations will depend on your character’s height.
The Best Jumpshots
For Elite Shooters Below 6’5”
If you set your player to a height of 6’4” or below, the combination of animations below will provide you with excellent grades for all shot attributes. Bear in mind that the first jump shot I will present is only available if your mid-range shot or three-point shot is at least 92.
- Lower/Base – Stephen Curry
- Upper Release 1 – Oscar Robertson
- Upper Release 2 – Oscar Robertson
- Release Speed – 0%
- Animation Blending – any
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – A-
- Release Speed – A+
- Defense Immunity – A+
- Timing Impact – A
There’s really no surprise here, is there? Of course, one of the best jump shots in NBA 2K23 uses the animation of the NBA’s all-time leader in career 3-pointers. However, using Chef Curry’s for every component of the jump shot animation will not result in excellent grades for all shot attributes.
To address that, you can look for Stephen Curry for the lower/base component and use Oscar Robertson for the upper release. You don’t have to look for another release animation because the Big O’s will suffice.
As for the release speed, I recommend moving the scale to 0% to maximize the shot attribute grades. If you prefer a slower release, you can adjust the shot timing release time in the controller settings to late or very late.
For Average Shooters Below 6’5”
Of course, while the combination above is the best jump shot animation for players below 6’5”, not all builds have at least a 92 mid-range shot or three-point shot attribute. For example, some point guards are built to be playmakers, and some shooting guards are made to be high-flying acts.
If this is the case, we suggest a different customized jump shot – one that requires just at least 77 mid-range shots or three-point shots.
- Lower/Base – Aaron Holiday
- Upper Release 1 – Dwyane Wade
- Upper Release 2 – Nate Robinson
- Release Speed – 25%
- Animation Blending – 63% Wade, 37% Robinson
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – D
- Release Speed – C
- Defense Immunity – A
- Timing Impact – A+
You can opt to use just Dwayne Wade’s release animation for higher grades. But that will result in a higher shooting attribute requirement.
The release height and release speed grades might also not be your cup of tea. But something’s got to give because you can’t have a jump shot with near-perfect grades if your shooting attributes are not good enough.
It is better to focus on improving the defense immunity and timing impact grades because the benefits they provide in games are evident, especially when your defenders are a little near at the moment you’re shooting or when you mistime the release.
The advantage of having a high release height is that it can prevent your shot from getting blocked. But it’s better to avoid attempting a perimeter shot altogether if a defender is right on you. For this reason, you don’t have to prioritize this component.
As for the release speed, you change the shot timing release time in the controller settings, as I previously mentioned.
For Elite Shooters Between 6’5” and 6’10”
There are various advantages to making a build with a height within the range of 6’5” to 6’10”, even if you are not creating a wing player.
For instance, creating a taller guard can allow you to be more formidable in the defense and rebounding departments. And a power forward or center who is below 6’10” makes for an agile player that can move quickly on both ends of the court.
If your build’s height is within this range and has a mid-range shot or three-point shot attribute of at least 90, the following animations will give you the best jump shot for players between 6’5” and 6’10”.
- Lower/Base – Kobe Bryant
- Upper Release 1 – Oscar Robertson
- Upper Release 2 – Oscar Robertson
- Release Speed – 50%
- Animation Blending – any
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – A-
- Release Speed – A+
- Defense Immunity – A+
- Timing Impact – A
For lower/base, Kobe Bryant is one of the best animations because it is easy to master using and provides high grades for the shot attributes. As for the release, we will again go with Oscar Robertson because, for some reason, the game developers made it available for two categories.
For Average Shooters Between 6’5” and 6’10”
In this category, we will use the same approach as we did with the best jump shot for average shooters below 6’5”. The goal is to maximize defense immunity and timing impact despite having a mid-range shot attribute or three-point shot attribute of at least 79.
- Lower/Base – Kevin Love
- Upper Release 1 – Paul George
- Upper Release 2 – Julius Randle
- Release Speed – 0%
- Animation Blending – 91% George, 9% Randle
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – D+
- Release Speed – C
- Defense Immunity – A
- Timing Impact – A+
As with the previous NBA 2K iterations, Love is a solid choice for a jump shot animation. I’ve used it before, and it was the first lower/base animation I looked for in this category. Although it has a very low grade for release height, it provides relatively high grades for defense immunity and timing impact.
To improve the jump shot further, look for the upper-release animation of Paul George and Julius Randle. Modifying the blend to 91% George will lift the defense immunity and timing impact grades to at least A each.
As for the release speed, if you’re not comfortable with the rate, you can adjust the shot timing release time, as we discussed previously.
For Elite Shooters Above 6’10”
Do you know any elite offensive big men in the league who couldn’t shoot from the perimeter? A majority of them have the ability to stretch the floor, which is a skill that has made them even deadlier on the court.
If you’ve decided to create a player above 6’10” meant to light it up from the perimeter, then you would need an effective jump shot. Below is the combination of animations for a big man with a mid-range shot or three-point shot attribute of at least 90.
- Lower/Base – Kevin Durant
- Upper Release 1 – Dirk Nowitzki
- Upper Release 2 – Dirk Nowitzki
- Release Speed – 100%
- Animation Blending – any
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – A-
- Release Speed – A
- Defense Immunity – A+
- Timing Impact – A
When creating a jump shot for a tall player, it makes sense to use the animations of two of the best shooting big men ever: Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant. Remember that even though Durant’s primary plays the small forward position, his actual height is between 6’10” and 7’.
For Average Shooters Above 6’10”
Building a power forward or center that can make it rain from the perimeter can be challenging. Going this route will lead to fewer attribute points for the other departments, such as finishing and defense/rebounding.
If your build does not let your shooting attributes reach 90, then use this jump shot animation, which is great for a tall player that has a mid-range shot or three-point shot attribute of at least 79.
- Lower/Base – Karl-Anthony Towns
- Upper Release 1 – Chris Bosh
- Upper Release 2 – Chris Bosh
- Release Speed – 100%
- Animation Blending – any
The combination above will give you the following grades:
- Release Height – D+
- Release Speed – C
- Defense Immunity – A+
- Timing Impact – A
Similar to the previous categories, we will have to sacrifice release height and release speed for defense immunity and timing impact. Using the animations of Karl-Anthony Towns and Chris Bosh, two of the most efficient shooting big men of all time, can provide decent grades across the board.
Jump Shot Tips
Remember that customizing a jump shot will not automatically result in your player converting a substantial percentage of its outside field goal attempts.
It still boils down to mastering the timing of your shot’s release and avoiding contested shots during games. If you want to become efficient from the perimeter, here are some tips for you.
First, strive to unlock and equip the best badges that can boost the chances of your jump shots going in. Some of the badges I recommend are Amped, which lowers fatigue’s impact on your ability to hit shots, Catch & Shoot, Deadeye, and Limitless Range.
Another way to increase your field goal percentage is to understand how hot zones work. To put it simply, hot zones are the parts of the court where your player has found success at shooting, which means taking a shot from these areas increases the likelihood of your attempt going through the hoop.
Also, make sure to avoid attempting outside shots with an opponent close by unless the situation calls for it.
For more opportunities of uncontested shots, you can call for a screen and hope that the primary defender goes under and gives you space to let it fly. Alternatively, you can set the screen yourself on the ball handler, then pop to an open space and call for a pass. Uncontested shots and good selections are effective ways to increase teammate grade.
Lastly, I recommend checking out the Gameplay Effects, which is the tab on the right of Jump Shot Creator when you edit your player’s animations. You can change the Graphic Type of the Jump Shot Meter to an option that will let you see the shot meter more comfortably.
What to Do Next?
The next thing you would want to do next is to get your player rating up to 99. A good jump shot isn’t enough if your skill isn’t up to par.
