Here are several team shooting drills that we like. We rotate these drills from practice to practice, trying to avoid boredom from the same old drill.
Shooting Drill 1: "12 Sets"
Have players partner-up and use all of your baskets. Each player will shoot 12 sets of shots. Each set consists of a 3-pointer (yellow), a shot-fake with jump shot (green), a catch and shoot jump shot (blue), and a lay-up (pink).We start in one corner and rotate around each of the 12 spots (seen in black in the diagram). The partner rebounds and passes back to the shooter. We rotate shooters after each set of four, so the shooter becomes the rebounder and vice-versa.
Shooting Drill 2: "3-2-1" Shooting
This is a fun competitive drill. Have players partner-up and use all of your baskets. Each player will shoot nine sets of shots (see diagram). Each set consists of a 3-pointer, a shot-fake with jump shot, and a lay-up. We start in one corner and rotate around each of the nine spots as seen in the diagram.
The partner rebounds and passes back to the shooter. We rotate shooters after each set of "3-2-1", so the shooter becomes the rebounder and vice-versa. The two players compete against each other and keep track of their individual scores. Each made 3-pointer = 3 points, a jump shot = 2 points, and a lay-up = 1 point. The loser does push-ups.
Shooting Drill 3: "45" Shooting
This is another fun, challenging drill. We use both baskets with half of the team at each end. Each player will shoot nine sets of shots. We start in one corner and rotate around each of the nine spots (seen in black in the diagram). Each set consists of a 3-pointer and a mid-range jump shot.A rebounder rebounds the 3-point shot and passes back to the shooter who shot fakes and shoots a mid-range jumper. After the jump shot, the shooter becomes the rebounder for the next shooter. Each player keeps track of his/her own score. Three-pointers = 3 points and mid-range jumpers = 2 points.
A perfect score would be 45 (nine 3's and nine 2's). Each player must try to achieve a score that you set for them (for varsity, we use a score of 28). Any player who does not achieve the target score does push-ups. We intentionally make the target score somewhat difficult to achieve, so a lot of players usually end up doing push-ups!
Shooting Drill 4: "Team Shooting"
We use two lines. The shooting line is at the point. The wing passes to the shooter who takes the 3-point shot, follows his shot, gets the rebound and goes to the passing line. Passers move to the shooting line. Everyone will shoot two "3's".Next, the shooter will receive the pass, shot fake, take one or two dribbles and shoot the jump shot. Everyone shoots two jumpers. Next, our shooter will start at the free-throw line, cut outside and then back-cut to receive the pass for a pull-up jump shot. Everyone does two of these.
Next, the shooter again starts at the free-throw line, cuts outside, back-cuts, receives the pass and dribbles in for the lay-up. After completing this rotation, we will move the passing line to the left wing and repeat all the same shots with the pass coming from the left wing.
Shooting Drill 5: "Rayder Shooting"
This is probably our favorite shooting drill and the kids love this drill. Use all the baskets. Split up into groups of three. Each group must make twelve baskets at each of five shot categories. The first group that finishes wins, and all other do push-ups. Each group must make twelve lay-ups, then twelve shots from the block-elbow areas, then twelve medium range jump shots, then twelve 3-pointers and finally twelve shot-fake, one dribble jump shots.Shooting Drill 6: "3-Man, 2-Ball Shooting Drill"
Setup: Have three players and two balls at a basket. Use the side baskets too. Each group has a shooter, rebounder, and passer. Players should shoot from areas where they usually shoot from in a game.Wing-to-Wing Motion
(Diagram A)-- The shooter starts at the right wing with a ball, the passer at the free-throw line with another ball, and the rebounder in the center of the lane. The shooter shoots then sprints to the opposite wing, spots-up, and shoots again. He/she keeps repeating this, going wing-to-wing without dribbling. The rebounder rebounds each shot, passes to the passer, who passes to the shooter. Run this for 1 minute. Then change roles, with each player taking a turn at each of the three positions.
Baseline to Free Throw Circle Motion
(Diagram B)-- The shooter moves back and forth from the baseline to the free throw circle.Corner-to-Corner Motion
(Diagram C)-- The shooter moves from corner to corner.For a variation, have a defender "fly" at the shooter. The shooter shot-fakes, dribble adjusts and shoots the jumper.
Shooting Drill 7: "Close-out Shooting Drill"
This drill gets your players to practice shooting contested shots, which is more game-like. Use three players at each basket, with one ball. Use all the baskets in the gym if you need to. Have the players shoot from areas on the floor where they will usually be in a game.Start with two players on the right wing (O1 and O2) and one on the left wing O3 (see Diagram A). O1 shoots, follows the shot, gets the rebound and then passes to O3, and defensively "closes-out" on O3 with hand up so as to contest or distract the shooter (Diagram B). Do not actually attempt to block the shot. The shooter can make a shot fake and take one quick dribble sideways to get open. Then O3 shoots, follows the shot, rebounds and passes to O2, and closes-out. Now O2 shoots and follows the same procedure.
This rotation continues for several minutes. Then you can change baskets, or change the location of the shots and use the corners and the point. Make sure the passes are crisp and accurate, the players sprint, the defense makes good close-outs (with baseline foot back), and the shooters are squared up, using good shooting technique.
Shooting Drill 8: "Ball-Screen and Flare Shooting Drill"
See the diagrams below. This drills uses a ball-screen, followed by a pass to the screener, who makes a flare cut to the perimeter. Diagram A shows two lines, one at the top and one on the wing. The ball is on the wing and O1 sets a ball-screen for O2. After O2 clears the screen, O1 flares (spots up) on the 3-point arc.
O2 dribbles around the screen, and we'll assume he/she is stopped by the defense. O2 reverse pivots (his back to defender) and makes a good, accurate pass to O1, who shoots the 3-pointer. O2 then receives a pass from the coach or assistant and also gets a shot (diagram B). Both shooters get their own rebound and move to opposite lines. After each player has had several reps, move to the left side (wing) and repeat the drill.
Stress good ball-screen technique and make sure the player with the ball uses the screen correctly, and waits for the screen. O2 needs to create space for a clear passing lane by "getting into" (engaging) the defender, and then making the reverse pivot and pass. Optionally, instead of the reverse pivot, a step-back move could be used to create a clear passing lane to the wing shooter.
Shooting Drill 9: "Cutter Shooting Drill"
See the diagrams below. Balls and players are on the wings. O1 (left wing) cuts into the key and gets the pass from O2 (right wing) and shoots the jump-shot at the free-throw line/elbow area. The shooter O1 gets his/her own rebound and passes to the opposite line and follows the pass to that line. Meanwhile, after passing, O2 then cuts into the key and gets the pass from O3 on the left wing. O2 shoots,rebounds and moves to the left line. And so the sequence goes until everyone has gotten a few shots.
Then we have the cutter cut to the top 3-point arc for the pass (Diagram C), catching facing the basket in triple-threat position. Here we may have our shooter make a good shot fake, followed by a one-dribble jump-shot. After everyone has had a few reps, we will have the shooter catch and shoot the 3-point shot.
From this position, we will finish the drill by allowing players to free-lance, choosing to (1) shoot the 3-pointer, or (2) shot-fake and one-dribble jump-shot, or (3) shot-fake and dribble-drive to the hoop.
Stress that this is not only a shooting drill, but a passing drill. Demand good, crisp accurate passes. The pass must not be made too early (across court). The cutter should receive the pass near the middle of the key, while moving toward the ball. Make sure players are at game-speed making good hard cuts.
Shooting Drill 10: "Endline Cutter Shooting Drill"
See the diagrams below. This drill stresses shooting, passing and catching, and footwork. Players are on the endline in two lines (at the lane lines). We start the drill with shots close to the basket, and then after each player has had a few shots, move out a little to the elbows (diagram D), and then eventually out to the 3-point arc (diagram F).Diagram A shows O1 cutting across the lane for the pass from O2 and the pull-up jump-shot. After passing, O2 cuts around, outside the shooter O1, cuts to the left side for the pass from O3 (diagram B). O3 then cuts around to the right side for the pass from O4 (diagram C)... and so it goes. Shooters get their own rebound and go to the end of the opposite line.
Stress good, crisp accurate passing. Cuts and passes should be at game speed. Cutters should call for the ball "Ball!" and have both hands up giving the passer a good target. Shooters should catch the ball squared up to the basket ready to shoot with a good quick release. There is no dribbling in this drill... just cutting, passing and catching, and shooting. This could also be a good pre-game warm-up drill.
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