For most of his life, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson has always shot left-handed. He plays golf, throws a football and even eats left-handed. But for the first time as a basketball player, Thompson is trying to shoot right-handed.
The Toronto native has been taking the time to experiment with shooting with his right hand since the end of last season. Last Thursday, the switch led to a Team Canada victory against Jamaica.
Thompson scored 16 points during his right-handed debut. He also made every single one of his free-throw attempts. His right-handed shooting motion is more fluid and natural, and he has the benefit of starting fresh when shooting with his right.
Thompson got the Cavalier's blessing, and they even agreed to help him learn to shoot right-handed last season. His previous coach, Byron Scott, even joked that Thompson was suddenly a more accurate shooter. Despite the Cavs' encouragement, Thompson still used his left hand for the remainder of that season.
The last time Thompson was asked which was his dominant hand, he reportedly answered, “both.”
It'll be interesting to see how Thompson's game develops after this shift - it's incredibly rare for athletes to change their dominant shooting hand after they reach the professional level. Thompson is a player with impressive potential, and it's highly possible that he'll benefit from the switch long-term.
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