Final answer:
Professional basketball players enhance their shooting accuracy mainly through practice and muscle memory, with the physical principles of the game underpinning their intuitive skills. Athletic ability and the drive for socio-economic mobility further motivate them to sharpen their craft to professional levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Professional basketball players improve their shooting accuracy through a variety of methods, including extensive practice, being athletic, and having excellent hand-eye coordination. Given the small margin for error in getting a basketball through an 18-inch hoop with a ball nearly 10 inches in diameter, players must be exceptionally precise. To enhance their shooting skills, they engage in repetitive drills to develop muscle memory, so that they can shoot consistently well without having to consciously calculate the trajectory of the ball every time. Furthermore, players often come from areas where becoming a professional athlete is seen as an opportunity for economic advancement, driving them to refine their skills to levels required for professional play.
Beyond practice, understanding the physics behind the game can also contribute to a player's skill set. A basketball player does not need to make explicit physics calculations when passing the ball; the accuracy comes from the intuitive knowledge honed by experience. However, the underlying principles of physics still apply, whether players are aware of them or not. This suggests that there is a strong interplay between physical practice and the science of physics that impacts players' abilities on the court.