How to Build Your First Shot Chart from NBA Tracking Data (Python + matplotlib)
From a raw shot-location pull to a publishable hex shot chart on a drawn court. Real, runnable code, explained line by line.
9 min read
Hands-on guides for pulling, cleaning, and visualizing basketball data yourself — from your first nba_api call to a finished shot chart.
From a raw shot-location pull to a publishable hex shot chart on a drawn court. Real, runnable code, explained line by line.
No code required. Pull one table of team ratings, add a couple of columns, and build a defensible power ranking in a spreadsheet.
nba_api, Basketball-Reference, pbpstats, and more — ranked by coverage, reliability, and how much pain they'll cause you. A field guide.
Install one package, run a few lines of Python, and you've got real NBA stats in a DataFrame. A complete, copy-pasteable starter guide.