Two Drills to Improve Shooting at the Start of the Basketball Season

• By Grant Young

Shooting drills are essential for basketball teams, especially at the beginning of a season, to help shake off rust and refine their performance. Here are several reasons why these drills are particularly important: 

1. Reinforcing Fundamentals: Shooting drills emphasize the fundamental mechanics of shooting, such as foot placement, hand positioning, and follow-through. By practicing these basics, players can correct any bad habits that may have developed during the off-season or from a lack of consistent practice. 

2. Building Muscle Memory: Repetition is key in basketball. Engaging in shooting drills helps players develop muscle memory, allowing them to shoot instinctively and confidently during games. This is especially critical at the start of the season when players might struggle with consistency and feel uncomfortable in game situations. 

3. Increasing Confidence: As players hit shots during drills, their confidence grows. This is crucial after a lengthy break. Confidence can be a significant factor in shooting performance; when players believe in their abilities, they’re more likely to take and make shots in high-pressure situations. 

4. Enhancing Team Chemistry: Many shooting drills involve passing and shooting in a team setting, which fosters better communication and chemistry among players. Developing this connection early in the season can result in smoother offensive plays and better shot selection during games. 

5. Game Situation Preparation: Shooting drills can be tailored to mimic game scenarios, such as shooting after a dribble, coming off screens, or catch-and-shoot situations. By replicating these circumstances, players can better prepare for the actual game experience, making the transition from practice to competition smoother. 

All of this is to say that shooting drills are a crucial part of succeeding early in a basketball season. But since there are endless shooting drills to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which ones to prioritize for your team. This is why we’ve pulled two tried and true shooting drills from two high-level coaches that you can install into your team’s next practice for immediate results.

Brian Wardle - 5 Man Shooting Drill

Having reestablished Bradley men’s basketball as a championship-level program, Brian Wardle is entering his 10th year as head coach of the Braves. In his first nine seasons on the BU sideline, Wardle has built Bradley into a perennial Missouri Valley Conference contender, capped by winning back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020. In the 2022-23 season, Wardle led the Braves to their first MVC regular season title since 1996 (27 years) with Wardle being named the 2022-23 MVC Coach of the Year. 

Under Brian Wardle, Bradley has recorded...

- Three MVC Championships (two tournament titles, one regular season)

- 47 All-Conference selections (1st Team, 2nd Team, 3rd Team, Defensive Team, Freshman Team, Improved Team, etc)

- 98-40 home record since 2015 (71%) and a 48-12 (80%) home record in the last four seasons.

Coach Wardle has earned a reputation for developing high-level shooters during his time coaching Bradley. And one drill that he swears by is when he calls the 5 Man Shooting drill, which he details in his ‘5 Great Practice Drills To Have In Your Pocket’ course. 

The drill begins with the offensive unit running one of your team’s regular set plays, which will ideally end in a jump shot. Once the ball is shot, two players will crash the offensive board while two others (preferably guards) will get back on transition defense. From there, the guys who are crashing the offensive rebounds will then do a “Curry cut” (which is a hard cut along the baseline, named after Steph Curry) and flash to the corner, where they will receive a pass from an assistant coach and shoot a corner three. 

The two players who are getting back on transition defense at the other end of the court will then turn around and receive passes from another assistant coach and pull up for a three-point shot at the wing.

The key in this drill is that it emphasizes multiple crucial components to success in basketball in addition to shooting, like offensive rebounding, transition defense, communication, and running the floor (conditioning). And because every player on offense will get a shot up, it means that everybody will remain engaged. 

Sharman White - Transition Shots

Sharman White (Pace Academy) was named the head coach of the 2024 USA Basketball Men's U17 National Team on Feb. 2, 2024.

White has an abundance of USA Basketball experience and recently led the 2024 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team to a 98-75 win over the World Select Team. 

Sharman White, one of the most decorated high school coaches in the country, joined Georgia State and the college ranks in April 2016 as an assistant coach. 

In his ‘Practice Drills That Translate To Success In Games’ course, White detailed his Transition Shots drill, which he has used to great effect on every team he has coached. 

The drill starts with four lines, two are along the sideline at about three-point line extended on one end while the other two are at free-throw line extended on the other end. One of the first two lines starts with the ball. The player makes a pass to the first player in the other line on the same side while running down the court. The player then catches the ball and pitches it back to the initial passer, who then shoots a three. 

The player who pitched the ball back then grabs the offensive rebound and makes an outlet pass to the other side of the line, and follows their pass to get in that line. 

Coach White makes it so his players must make 22 shots in a minute, or else they have to run suicides.