Basketball players are taught at a young age to practice shooting with their non-dominant hand, as it adds a different dimension to your offensive game and makes you a more complete player. While most players should have figured out which shooting hand they're comfortable with by the time they make the NBA, some make the change only when they turn pro. Here are a few examples of when that has happened in recent memory.
1. Tristan Thompson
The former Texas Longhorn was always known for his energy and rebounding, but not much for his offense. In Tristan Thompson's first two seasons in the NBA, his shooting numbers weren't that impressive as a lefty, as he shot 47.1 percent from the field and 58.6 percent from the free throw line. Like most players entering their third year in the league, Thompson felt it was time his game took a leap.
Instead of practicing free throws and mid-range jumpers with his left hand, Thompson decided to switch shooting hands entirely. The numbers slightly improved the first season when Thompson shot the ball exclusively with his right. His field goal percentage jumped to 47.7 percent while his free throw percentage was at 69.3 percent. Over his career, Thompson's field goal percentage is at 52 percent while his free throw shooting is at 60.3 percent. It's not impressive, but at least Thompson became a slightly better shooter over his career due to this change.
2. Mason Plumlee
Mason Plumlee is another player known more for his defense and rebounding than his offense. While he was also never a good shooter from the free throw line over his NBA career (56.6 percent), Plumlee actually never had plans to switch shooting hands. But when he injured his right index finger late in the 2021-2022 season, he had no choice but to practice with his left hand. Surprisingly, he found that he shot better with it, especially from the free throw line.
The shooting form still has a long way to go, but in the first season Plumlee shot with his left hand, he shot 63.6 percent from the line.
Bonus: Kyrie Irving
Since Kyrie Irving's story didn't happen when he made the NBA, we'll add it to the bonus tab since the story is too good not to share. When Irving made an appearance on LeBron James' talk show The Shop, he revealed he started as a southpaw shooter.
The only reason he switched shooting hands was because the Catholic school he attended didn't want him to stay left-handed. In the episode (around the 12:40 mark), Irving said his hands would get slapped whenever he tried writing with his left hand. No wonder Irving is near impossible to stop when he goes downhill.
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