Sometimes the most unique and unconventional methods are the best way to get things done.
And, if you ask Tennessee redshirt freshman DJ Jefferson about that very thing, he might just agree.
Getting ready for his second season with the Tennessee basketball team, the Dallas, TX native has been waiting patiently for his time to come after watching the Vols achieve a spot in the Sweet 16 last season. Now, with a full redshirt season of watching, listening, and practicing under his belt, Jefferson is ready to make an impact on the team.
Before he can do that, though, Jefferson had to fix his jump shot. Jefferson’s original jump shot had more of a sweeping motion to it, as he said on Tuesday afternoon during a media availability.
“One day we had practice and coach [Barnes] noticed that my shot, like I said, was slumping back,” Jefferson recalled in a story told to the media. “So after practice, he had me do form shooting with a heavy ball. And I think I had to do, maybe, 340, almost 400 makes with the heavy ball. Just straight form shooting right after practice.”
Jefferson then demonstrated the one-handed drill that Barnes had him do. The Tennessee newcomer would have to shoot the heavy ball with his dominant arm only in order to teach a straight up-and-down, vertical motion.
“I had to do that for almost a month,” Jefferson continued on to say.
Jefferson does note that while he didn’t quite understand it at first, the reward from the drill eventually began to show up.
“At first I was kind of thinking like, what is he doing, but as time went forward I’ve noticed that my shot, at first it was kind of like this (demonstrates how his shot was slumped over to the left). But then I noticed that my shot started to be a little bit more straight. I think that drill itself just helped me all the way through that whole year. Just keeping the ball in front of me and keeping the ball in front of my brow instead of slinging it back.”
More from RTI: How DJ Jefferson Became Tennessee’s Dunking Star
While Jefferson hasn’t been on the team as long as some of the other veteran players on the roster, the development has been massive.
“Day and night,” head coach Rick Barnes said about Jefferson now compared to where he was when first joining Tennessee’s program. “He’s always been a guy that wanted to work hard and try to figure it out but I give a great deal of credit to he and his family because they knew where he was and where they want to see him… But he really started figuring it out towards the end of last year. Had a really good spring, getting better every day now. We’re excited about him because we know that he hasn’t even scratched the surface to what he can be.”
“Imma tell y’all this story…”
DJ Jefferson recalls a unique post-practice drill from Rick Barnes that has significantly helped his shot straighten out over time pic.twitter.com/UnBXz5sjB4
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) July 25, 2023
