3 Shooting Drills to Help You Work on Your Mechanics and Get Better

If you’re a basketball player looking to get better at your shot, there are some great shooting drills you can use to improve your mechanics and your accuracy.

Whether you’re an individual looking to get recruited or an established player trying to hone your skills, these basketball shooting drills are the best way to improve all aspects of your game, from dribbling and passing to shooting and scoring.

Here are the three best basketball shooting drills players should incorporate into their practice sessions.

The 1-Hand Form Shooting Drill

In this drill, the player with the ball starts by holding it out in front with one hand. The player then locks and loads into the shooting position, putting the ball into the shooting pocket. The off-hand stays off the ball.

The player then shoots it incredibly high, going through the shooting action and shooting a high, soft shot while allowing the ball to go out in front of them. The player then maintains the follow-through motion until the ball lands on the court.

When there are more than one player on the court, the next player gets the ball and repeats the preceding stages until they are fully prepared. First, they take their ball when everyone understands the drill and how it works. Then, they position themselves a few feet away from the rim and shoot one-handed form shots.

When any player makes 5 consecutive shots, they take a step back and repeat until the player reaches the free throw line.

In this drill, the player’s wrists must be very relaxed and point their fingers at where they shot the ball. They should be able to see their fingers at the top of the backboard. It is vital to hold this position until the ball hits the target.

The Set To Go Shooting Drill

The Set to Go drill focuses on the top half of the shooting motion. In this drill, shooters extend their legs as soon as the ball reaches the shoulder position. However, the ball often starts coming up for skilled shooters before extending their legs.

However, if those learning this technique attempt to do it intentionally, it might disrupt their rhythm and coordination. As a result, this drill aims to help players gain the coordination of extending their legs to shoot as the ball goes up through the shoulder position.

The shooter often begins a few feet away from the basket. The player’s arm angle is roughly perpendicular to the basket at the set position, and the ball is positione near the shoulder. When the shooter is ready, they lift their legs and fire in one seamless motion. Because there is little to no jump with this movement, the shot is like a free throw.

For this drill, it is advisable to take around 5 to 10 shots, then take a step back. They usually do this until the players reach a step before the free throw line.

Also, players should take their time and do it correctly at every repetition. If they do it wrong, it can build a bad habit of sloppiness, which will take them over ten times as long to fix. So players must be smart and get into the proper position before every shot.

The drill starts from the shoulder on each shot. The players extend their legs and shoot simultaneously while keeping the ball close to their shoulder in one fluid motion without pauses or hitches.

Last, players should ensure they release the ball before they reach the top of their jump. Their legs generate significant upforce, so that force should be use. In addition, players should always land in the same spot they left.

The Tuck To Set Shooting Drill

In this drill, the player spins the ball to themselves, jogs or runs a few steps, gathers it, and comes to a quick or 1-2 stop. Besides the spin, they can also run and take one or two dribbles, gather the ball, and come to a quick stop.

When the player gathers the ball, they immediately tuck the ball and transition the ball to their set position. This is a quick, fluid motion. At the same time, they drop their hips, load their legs, and get ready to jump. That is the ending position for the drill.

If the player extends their legs or jumps before reaching the set position, it can create an awkward rhythm and timing with the shooting motion, which results in less accurate shooting. This also reduces their shooting range.

This drill helps develop timing, rhythm, fluidity, arc, and a higher release point.

The player’s arm angle is about 90 degrees, with the arms parallel to the ground from their waist to shoulder level when doing the tuck. The player quickly cushions the ball in this position when collecting a pass or picking up the ball off the dribble.

The elbow will also be tuck back near the side comfortably. This teaches the athlete to begin the upward motion of the ball before extending their legs to jump.

Players can start slow and move up to a faster speed as they develop the proper rhythm and coordination. Usually, this is done for 10 to 20 reps before moving. They can also adjust for more or fewer reps depending on the situation.

Conclusion:

If you’re tired of missing your shots, it’s time to switch up your shooting routine with some basketball shooting drills. These are the three best basketball shooting drills to improve your mechanics and accuracy, guaranteed to have you sinking jumpers from all over the court in no time.