In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Mike Dunn — elite basketball shooting coach, founder of the Keep Shooting Academy, and one of the most respected voices in the art of shooting the basketball — to talk about what it really takes to become a great shooter, why multi-sport athletes have a hidden edge, and how the fundamentals of shooting are more universal than most people think.

After working 1-on-1 with thousands of athletes — from complete beginners all the way to NBA players — Mike has developed a perspective on shooting that goes far deeper than mechanics:

Shooting is the transfer of energy. Full stop.

It's not about hand placement, elbow alignment, or following the latest drill on social media. At its core, a great shot is the efficient movement of energy from the ground through the body and out through the fingertips. Once you understand that, everything else starts to make sense — and a lot of what clutters the modern game starts to fall away.

Mike explains that his philosophy of "less is more" isn't a shortcut — it's a commitment to stripping down unnecessary motion and finding the cleanest, most natural expression of an athlete's shot. The goal isn't to build a textbook shooter. It's to optimize what's already there.

From there, the conversation opens up into one of Mike's most compelling beliefs as a coach:

Multi-sport athletes make better basketball players.

Kids who grow up playing baseball, soccer, football, volleyball — sports that demand different movement patterns, spatial awareness, and body coordination — often arrive at basketball with physical tools that single-sport players have never had to develop. The transfer of athletic skill is real, and Mike sees it constantly in the shooters he works with. The footwork of a soccer player, the kinetic chain of a baseball pitcher, the timing of a volleyball hitter — it all shows up on the court.

The conversation also takes a fun turn when Mike weighs in on Mitchell Robinson's well-documented shooting struggles — and makes the case that the right coaching framework might be exactly what Robinson needs to finally get it going from the line.

Throughout the episode, Mike shares the core principles that define his approach to shooting and player development:

- Understanding shooting as energy transfer from the ground up

- The "less is more" approach to shot mechanics and improvement

- Why multi-sport backgrounds create more complete, fluid shooters

- How to identify and remove unnecessary motion from a player's shot

- The mental side of shooting — confidence, consistency, and trusting your mechanics

- Why great shooting is a learnable skill for athletes at every level

One of the biggest takeaways is that becoming a great shooter isn't about doing more — it's about doing the right things with clarity, confidence, and intention.

Mike's approach has earned the respect of coaches at every level, from youth programs to the NBA sideline, because it works — and because it's rooted in understanding the body, not overcomplicating it.

This episode is a must-listen for basketball players looking to improve their shot, coaches searching for a cleaner framework to teach shooting, and anyone who believes the fundamentals of the game are more connected to athleticism and feel than any drill or YouTube breakdown.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by Athletes Untapped — the nation's leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect athletes and families with elite coaches who help players build strong fundamentals, confidence, leadership, and lifelong habits through sports.

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