Steph Curry's Look-Away Shot: The Ultimate Power Move

Steph Curry doesn’t just shoot the basketball.

He makes it look effortless.

Case in point: the look-away three.

You’ve probably seen it many times.

Curry launches a deep shot, turns around before the ball even drops, strutting back on defence while the crowd erupts.

He knows it’s going in. His teammates know it’s going in. The defender? Helpless.

The Origins of the Look-Away Shot: Pistol Pete Maravich

What most people don’t know is that before Steph Curry turned the look-away shot into a modern-day flex, there was Pistol Pete Maravich.

He was a basketball magician from the 1970s and early 1980s.

If you don’t know him, here’s the inside scoop: Maravich was an offensive genius, a showman, and one of the most creative players in NBA history.

But his most legendary move? Looking away before his shot landed.

Maravich wasn’t doing it to show off.

He was obsessed with the process over the outcome.

When he practiced, he didn’t just aim to make shots, he drilled his form so relentlessly that he knew the ball would go in.

Once the shot left his hand, his job was done.

Looking away was his way of reinforcing that belief.

Coaches were baffled by the move, but Pistol Pete had a simple explanation: 

The Psychology of the Look-Away Shot

Curry and Maravich’s look-away threes aren’t just for show.

There are three core benefits:

1. Repetition Breeds Certainty: Curry takes 500+ shots a day in training. His mechanics are locked in. By the time he’s in a game, shooting is second nature. When he turns away, it’s because he’s seen that ball go in thousands of times before.

2. It Destroys Opponent Morale: Imagine defending a guy who doesn’t even need to see the result of his shot. It’s not just scoring, it’s psychological warfare. It breaks teams before the fourth quarter even starts.

3. It Electrifies His Team: That shot isn’t just a flex. It fires up his teammates, shifts momentum, and signals this game is ours.

Pistol Pete Maravich invented the look-away shot.

Steph Curry perfected it.

But the principle remains the same: master your process, execute with confidence, and trust the result.

What You Can Learn from Pistol Pete & Steph Curry

If you want to dominate in business the way they did on the court, add the following to your game:

1. Train So Hard That Success is Inevitable

Maravich and Curry don’t hope their shots go in.

They know because they’ve put in the reps.

If you’re leading a company, are you putting in the reps? Have you mastered your craft so completely that execution is second nature? The best CEOs don’t guess.

They prepare so well that success is the only outcome.

2. Confidence Isn’t Fake, It’s Earned

Maravich didn’t look away to be flashy. He did it because he trusted his technique.

Curry does the same.

In business, confidence without preparation is arrogance.

But confidence backed by relentless execution? That’s power.

Want your team to follow you? Prove you know what you’re doing.

Win so much they start believing you can’t lose.

3. Dominate the Mental Game

Business, like sports, is as much a mind game as it is a skill game.

Your competitors are watching your every move.

When you make bold decisions with conviction, without hesitation, you’re sending a message: 

We know what we’re doing, and we’re winning.

Uncertainty kills companies. Certainty, delivered with confidence, fuels momentum.

4. Lead in a Way That Energises Your Team

The look-away three doesn’t just hype the crowd, it ignites the whole team.

Your job as a leader isn’t just to win, but to make winning contagious. 

Build a culture where people believe in the mission so much, they feel unstoppable.

That last point is so important. You will have seen the impact Steph had in the closing minutes of the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics.

I’ve never seen a crowd or team lift the roof like they did.

3. ONE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION

You can’t control every outcome, but you can control how well you prepare.

Just like Pistol Pete and Curry, confidence comes from repetition and trust in your craft.

If your team sees you locked into the process, they’ll follow suit, creating a culture of precision and confidence.

Great leaders, like great shooters, don’t hope for success, they train for it.

Ask yourself this question often, and then put in the work to make sure your next shot is unquestionable.

MY TOP FINDS OF THE WEEK 🏆

For Your Performance

• I dare you to watch this without tearing up and then ask yourself what your “why” is to keep going in the hard moments (Video)

For Your Team

• A hardcore leadership approach in the dressing room post match from Serbian basketball head coach after their loss to Team USA at the Paris Olympics (Video)

For Your Health

• Use this greyscale hack on your iPhone to reduce your screentime each day (Video)

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