Shooting Drills

We want our shooters to become just as good as Jaycee Carroll of Real Madrid, one of the best shooters in the ACB, and before that in the NCAA. I was inspired to create the following drills after my internship with Olimpia Milano, where shooting fundamentals are taught to kids in their Mini Basket program and youth teams U13 to U18, on a daily base.

Almost all of the drills below can be done autonomously, meaning that a shooting partner or a coach is not needed in most of the drills, and shooters can workout independently as long as they have an available basket to themselves.

Drill – Shooting – Form

Players begin the drill on the perimeter with the ball ready, comparable to Jaycee Carroll when he catches the ball with his hands ready, before he shoots.

  • Player jumps forward with the ball high
  • Player jumps forward with the ball low, but not below his hips
  • Player jumps forward lifting the ball high, and shoots the ball

Emphasize on details such as both heels on the ground, instead of just the toes, to be able to use the calf muscles for a better up-force. Also work on the catch. Players must catch while have their wrist ready in a backward position.

Drill – Shooting – Catch and Front Pivot and Shoot

Players begin the drill in the corner and spin-pass the ball to themselves towards the wing. They catch the ball with proper footwork and shoot.

  • Spin-pass
  • Sprint
  • Pivot
  • Shoot

Emphasize on proper footwork when catching the ball. Inside foot, then outside foot, before the jumpshot. The pivot is made forward.

Variation: Start on the wing, spin-pass to the corner.

Drill – Shooting – Catch and Reverse Pivot and Shoot

Players begin the drill on the baseline and spin-pass the ball to themselves towards the slot. They catch the ball with proper footwork and shoot.

  • Spin-pass
  • Sprint
  • Pivot
  • Shoot

Emphasize on proper footwork when catching the ball. Outside foot, then inside foot, before the jumpshot. The pivot is made backwards.

Variation: Spin-pass to the corner.

Drill – Shooting – Catch, Reverse Pivot, Rip and Go and Shoot

Players begin the drill on the baseline and spin-pass the ball to themselves towards the slot. They catch the ball with proper footwork, then rip the ball for a cross-step dribble start and shoot after one dribble.

  • Spin-pass
  • Sprint
  • Pivot
  • Rip and go
  • Shoot

Emphasize on proper footwork when catching the ball. Outside foot, then outside foot, before the rip. The pivot is made backwards. The dribble should be towards the basket. The pull-up should be a quick step-step on the spot.

Variation: Spin-pass to the corner.

Drill – Shooting – Sprint, Flare, Catch and Shoot

Players begin the drill on the baseline and pass the ball to the coach on top of the perimeter. Players sprint towards the ball and then flare to the side, catching the pass in rhythm and going up for the shot.

  • Pass
  • Sprint
  • Flare
  • Catch and shoot

Emphasize on proper footwork when catching the ball. The shot should be a rhythm shot, so counting from the pass being “1”, the catch should be “2” and the shot should be “3”. In other words, pass, down and up.

Variation: Cut away, meet the pass, pivot and shoot.