NBA 2K22 Shooting guide: How to master the jumpshot

Nick Farrell
nba 2k22 shooting

Pulling up from deep or close to the rim in NBA 2K22 is how most of you will get a majority of your points, but using the right badges and getting a hand of certain controls is going to pay off in the long run.

NBA 2K22’s season is in full swing and there’s a ton of content for players to dive into right away, whether it’s the new changes in franchise mode, to battling within The City, you’re bound to duke it out on the court one way or another.

But, one aspect that received a fresh coat of pain this year is the shot meter, and with a new bar for players to scale their shots off of, it can be a bit tricky to master right away.

This new meter has caused an ample amount of problems since the game was released, and we’re going to run over how you can master NBA 2K22 shooting for your MyPlayer.


Contents


luka doncic shooting
NBA 2K22’s new shooting meter is an adjustment period for many players.

Differences between Button and Pro Stick shooting in NBA 2K22

While 2K Games have changed the shooting meter within NBA 2K22, they haven’t tweaked the ways that players will be able to shoot within the game. There are currently two methods to shoot the ball: via the Pro Stick (right joystick) or via a singular button.

If you’re playing on PlayStation you’ll be using the Square button to shoot, while Xbox users will be pressing the X button, and both consoles are also going to use the Right Joystick, or better dubbed the Pro Stick.

The main difference between the two shooting mechanics is how accurate each one is. The Pro Stick is going to offer more room for error compared to Button shooting but it’s also going to allow players to be more precise when it comes to getting those perfect perfects.

If you’re a new player, we recommend trying out Button shooting for the first little while, as it’ll offer you a larger margin of success compared to Pro Stick shooting, but veteran players of the 2K series should use the Pro Stick method instead.

NBA 2K22 Shot Meter explained

nba 2k steph curry
Steph Curry is nearly automatic from deep in this game.

The new shot meter within NBA 2K22 has been added to measure the quality of your shots during a match. Meaning, you won’t have a large meter to get a perfect perfect if you have two defenders on you past the three-point line, as opposed to a wide-open mid-range shot.

2K is enticing you to be smarter when pulling up for a shot, rather than relying on your juiced shooting attributes to carry you to the finish line. So while the shot meter is going to look relatively the same as compared to previous years, the gauge is going to directly change based on the aforementioned shot quality.

Best shooting badges in NBA 2K22

Badges are basically the perks your player has equipped while playing NBA 2K22, and the way you construct your MyPlayer build is going to dictate how many shooting badges you’ll be able to use.

There’s a wide array of choices in this department, and some are going to greatly benefit shooting in NBA 2K22, and we’re going to run over some of the best ones down below:

  • Chef
  • Limitless Spotup
  • Catch and Shoot
  • Deadeye
  • Blinders
  • Corner Specialist

All of these will increase the shooting gauge in certain regards and will allow you to have increased shooting metrics from certain parts of the court.

How to master shooting in NBA 2K22

nba 2k222 shooting
Players such as Kevin Durant have exceptional shooting abilities within NBA 2K22.

When it all comes down to shooting, the main point you’re going to want to master is timing. This will be key as if you’re able to get used to your player’s shot meter and where their sweet spot is, you should be able to let go of the button/pro stick just in time.

As with any sports game, certain mechanics take time to master, and shooting is definitely one within NBA 2K that takes a while to get used to. But, using certain MyPlayer builds and badges is going to provide dividends in the long haul.


If you’re looking for other dominant builds for NBA 2K22 on current-gen, be sure to check out our overall build guide, as well as all the other 2K content.

Related Topics

About The Author

Nick is a former Dexerto Games Writer based in Newfoundland, Canada, who covered a wide array of games and esports. Nick has published bylines at multiple outlets such as G FUEL, NME, Gfinity.