Shootaround FAQ
Questions people ask about Shootaround, the basketball shot tracker for Android. Something we didn't answer? Email shootaroundshottracking@gmail.com.
The app
What is Shootaround?
Shootaround is a basketball shot tracker for Android phones. Set your phone down facing the hoop and shoot: it calls every make and miss as you go, charts where each shot came from, and cuts the session into a reel of just your shots so you can share on social media. It can also measure your shooting form.
How do I get Shootaround?
Shootaround is in closed beta on Google Play. Sign up with the form on the home page and we'll email you the steps to install it. You need an Android phone running Android 11 or newer.
Is it free?
Yes. Shootaround is free during the beta.
Does it work on iPhone?
No. Shootaround is Android only, on phones running Android 11 or newer.
Setting up
What do I need?
An Android phone and something to hold it still: a tripod, a ledge, even a water bottle. No sensors, no wearables and no smart ball.
Where should I put my phone?
25 to 45 feet from the hoop (about 35 is best), at roughly a 45 degree angle to the basket. Chest height is ideal: from there the phone can see the court lines, which is how it knows where each shot came from, and a tripod makes that easy. After you start a session, keep your hands off the phone for about 15 seconds while it locks onto the hoop.
Does it work on any court?
Park courts, driveways and gyms, indoors or outdoors. It works best on a hoop with an undamaged nylon net. Chain nets and torn or missing nets still get scored, but less accurately for now.
Does it need an internet connection?
Not to track your shots. Tracking runs entirely on your phone.
Tracking
How does it tell a make from a miss?
It watches the ball and the hoop through your phone's camera and calls each shot as it happens, from the ball's path through the rim and the way the net moves. That's why an undamaged nylon net helps.
How accurate is it?
In our testing with a good setup and an undamaged nylon net, it calls about 95% of shots correctly, and it rarely counts a miss as a make. A bad angle, a bumped phone, or a chain or torn net makes it less accurate.
Does it track where I shoot from?
Yes. After each session you get a shot chart with your makes and attempts by zone (rim, paint, baseline, elbows, top of the key) and your percentage in each, plus your twos, threes and free-throw-line shooting. The phone needs to see the court lines for this, so set it up at about chest height.
Can I use it with friends or in a pickup game?
Yes. The automatic reel makes pickup games easy to film: it cuts the whole game down to every shot, ready to share. It counts every shot at the hoop it's watching and doesn't tell players apart, though, so your shooting stats are only yours when you shoot alone.
Can it check my shooting form?
Yes. Put the phone off to the side and it measures your release time, launch angle, release height, elbow and knee bend, and follow-through, then shows you the frames behind each number. It checks a few shots from each session by itself, and you can have it check the rest. A side view measures the most.
Does it make highlight videos?
Yes. When you end a session it cuts the recording down to just your shots, with the call and the running count on screen and your shot chart at the end, and saves the reel to your phone. You can re-cut it to makes only, threes only, or a shorter version. Reels and form checks need recording turned on.
Does it have shooting drills?
Yes. Guided shooting drills give your practice structure, with spoken cues so you don't have to look at the phone. Bluetooth headphones help.
Privacy
Do I need an account?
No. Every tracking feature works without one. An optional account (email and password, or your Google account) backs up your session stats.
Does Shootaround upload my videos?
Shot tracking happens on your phone. During the beta, the app also sends each session's shot data and diagnostics, and the session video while you're on wifi, to the developer to help improve tracking. It asks before anything is sent, and you can turn it off in Settings. Uploads are switched off in the European Economic Area and the UK. The privacy policy has the details.
Ready to shoot?
Set your phone down, shoot, and let it keep score.