The proper hand entry and exit help you move toward a more proper arm sequence in backstroke.  

Entering the water with your pinky helps to slice the hand through the surface with less resistance, which can get you to the catch position more directly.  With the pinky coming into the water, the palm is facing out and will more easily fall into a product pull pattern.

When you’re finishing the stroke at the hips, think about lifting the hand out of the water with the THUMB leading the way.  This will also help you finish the pull in the most productive way.

By having the beginning or the end in mind prior to starting the pull, the helps to shape the path of the stroke.  This can simplify the learning of the movement when you only think of thumb out at the end of the stroke, and pinky in at the beginning of the stroke.

If you keep the beginning and end in mind, when the stroke finishes with the thumb out, and your goal of hand entry is pinky in, the hand will make the switch on it’s own about halfway through the recovery.

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Thumb out pinky in