Focus On Foundation Shots

This drill gives every player plenty of repetitions in the types of high-percentage shots you want them taking in games.

Why use it

The best shooting drills get lots of shots for all your players … and those shots are game-like. This drill runs through the gamut of high-percentage shots you want from 15 feet and closer.

Set up

Start with two lines and four basketballs. The four basketballs start in the ball line (on the left). The passing line is on the right.

How to play

The first phase of the drill works on attacking the rim. 1 passes to 6, then cuts toward the top of the key. 6 passes back to 1, who faces up to the basket, then stops with the right foot and attacks the rim with just one dribble. 6 rebounds the shot and dribbles to the opposite corner. 6 passes to 5. 1 clears to the back of the passing line [diagram 1].

The second phase of the drill has the shooter (2) passing to the passer (7). 7 passes back to 2, who squares to the basket and takes a big step with the right foot, then shoots from the elbow [diagram 2].

The final phase works on catch-and-shoot situations. 3 passes to 8, 8 returns the pass to 3 on the move, and 3 catches and shoots [diagram 3].

Technique

Each phase (minus the final one in which no direction is specified) can rotate back and forth between going right and going left. When going left, the shooter needs to use a cross step to shift momentum in that direction still using just one dribble.

1. Only allow one dribble to get to the hoop — this needs to be a strong, hard dribble to attack the rim

2. The passer rebounds, then dribbles in the opposite direction as the shooter clears to the passing line

3. The passer dribbles out of the way, then passes to the last player in the shooting line

4. After taking the elbow shot, the shooter sprints to the back of the passing line — you don’t want extra players hanging around as the drill needs to continue quickly

5. Catch and shoot in the final phase of the drill, so there is no dribble used to establish balance