One of the biggest things to focus on is learning the correct way to shoot and then practicing it the same way every time. This will help you develop that muscle memory that will translate into game shooting and help you become a better shooter.

Drill Name: Form Progression Basketball Shooting Drill

Similar Drills: Touch Shots Curl Shooting Drill, 3 Level Form Shooting Drill, How to Shoot a Basketball

Drill Goal: Develop your shooting fundamentals.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and a partner.

Tips: Keep your shot smooth and fluid and raise up slightly on your toes as you shoot the ball. Hold your follow through and stay in your shot until you make or miss. As you get farther out you may have to slightly jump.

Directions: Player is going to start with a basketball right in front of the rim. They are going to take the ball in their shooting hand and shoot the ball with one hand. Once the player makes 5 shots from that one spot they are going to take a big step backwards and make 5 more shots. They will continue this all the way out to their comfort zone (once the player starts to struggle shooting the ball with the proper form) and then come back in to the first spot they started. Now they are going to repeat the drill but this time they are going to use their guide hand and once they get to about the free throw line they are going to start jumping on their shot. Once again the player is going to go out until they start to struggle shooting with the proper form. The drill is over after this.  

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A great example of this would be coming off a ball screen where the post defender is hard hedging or trapping. You don’t want to dribble right into the post defender you want to use the screen and then push dribble out so they have to extend farther out or you can get the angle on them and drive past them.

Drill Name: Push Between The Legs Basketball Dribble Drill

Similar Drills: Bust Out & Retreat Basketball Dribbling Drill, Ball Screen Retreat Dribble Attack, Push Crossover Dribble Drill

Drill Goal: Develop your handles and work on the push dribble move.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and a partner.

Tips: Keep your eyes up the whole time and stay in an athletic dribble stance. Be balanced and able to quickly change direction without having to hesitate. Get as much space as you can on the push dribble.

Directions: The player will start standing sideways on the baseline with a basketball in their hand that is facing up the floor. When the drill starts the player will begin dribbling the basketball up the floor with a push dribble and sliding laterally as they do. At any time the partner can give the command to change direction and when they do the player must dribble the basketball behind their back and then begin push dribbling the opposite direction. The partner will continue to call out change but will let the player gradually reach the other baseline and when they do the drill is over with.      

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The key is to be strong with the ball, face the pressure, and then make the defender pay for being over aggressive. Once this happens a couple of times the defender is going to back off and you will be able to run offense.

Drill Name: Face The Fire Triple Threat Basketball Drill

Similar Drills: Box Drill Sweeps Finish, Slow Square Shot Fake Attack Face Up Series Drill, 5 Chair 2 Ball Rhythm Reverse Pivot Drill

Drill Goal: Learn to face the pressure out of the triple threat and then rip through strong to the basket for a finish.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and a partner with boxing gloves (optional).

Tips: Clear your space and keep the basketball in positions where you are strong. Don’t expose the ball to the defender. Make sure that you see the floor so that if their is an open teammate in a game you won’t miss them. Be explosive on the rip through and go in a straight line to the basket.

Directions: Player is going to start with their back to the basket just inside the 3 point line on the wing. They are going to spin the ball to themselves just outside the 3 point line, reverse pivot, and square up to the basket in triple threat position. As they are doing this the partner is going to be fouling them with the boxing gloves. The player must keep the ball strong and not turn it over. When the coach/partner says go the player must rip through (you can decide on what type of rip through to work on; low, medium, or high) and finish at the basket with 1 dribble (younger players may need 2 dribbles). As soon as they finish the player is going to get their own rebound and then spin the ball out to themselves at the top of the key and repeat, and then finally they are going to finish on the opposite wing with the same move for a total of 3 different spots.  

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Mike Young is the head men’s basketball coach at Wofford university and has been a part of the program for the last 25 years. Being in one place this long shows not only dedication but that he is a great basketball coach. Coach Young has some pretty impressive coaching numbers as well like; 26 wins in a single season, taking Wofford to their first ever NCAA tournament, and going to the post season 3 consecutive seasons in a row.

He has also been able to coach some really good players in his time coaching which means that he is able to help players develop their skills as well. Anytime you can get to hear a coach speak who has been a part of the game as long as Mike Young you better pay attention and listen. Here is the video from when he spoke at the BasketballHQ.com clinic in 2012 where he talked about attacking the 2-3 zone. If you don’t have a specific game plan for playing against a zone your team is just going to pass the ball around the perimeter and then eventually jack up a low percentage shot. Make sure that you know how to prepare for a 2-3 zone and that you know some of the tricks to beating it.

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This article was written by Trevor Quinn who is an assistant men’s basketball coach at Jacksonville University (12-13). Trevor has been with the Dolphins for the last 5 years and some of his responsibilities include player skill development and scouting. He is a student of the game that has continued to grow as a coach over the years and has a bright future in college basketball.

So you Think you are a Gym Rat?

This term gym rat is circulating as descriptive verbiage for every young basketball player being recruited today. It may be a corny or ‘old school’ expression recently replaced by “grinding” but at one time it was the ultimate compliment. As college coaches, we recruit basketball players with basketball talent.

A player has to have talent first but a basketball player separates himself from the talent like he doesn’t have it at all. If we call a High School coach, AAU coach, local workout guy, or parent more times than not a potential recruit is referred to as a “gym rat.” It is an easy thing to say and of course the person has a vested interest in his/her pupil – but is the player really a gym rat?

To put it simply: the lights come on and there’s the rat…Lights go off, and there’s the rat. It is looking for whatever it can to eat or survive. The gym rat is hungry and no one is feeding it — more often than not it is trying to be exterminated. In the case of a gym rat, it is attempting to find any little piece of basketball knowledge or competitive advantage that can increase their survival rate.

These little guys are starving and they don’t need someone to set out some food for them. For instance, they don’t need a coach to get them a gym (Go find a game?), give them some drills (Figure it out?), or get the perfect equipment (just go hoop!). That’s what the best players do! They understand that action takes precedence over plan…While you’re waiting for the perfect setting to work on your game they are already out there doing what you’re planning to do!

The species of gym rat is on the brink of extermination these days no matter what reports we get to the contrary. A recruit may  have all the necessary responsibilities such as school, church, homework, the SAT anything even chores but guess what every 1st team all-NBA player probably encountered these same obligations while they were trying to make it. They most likely attacked them with the notion that these would be the building blocks to their future success.

These are not excuses, they are necessities. Then there are biggest hindrances to living your life as a gym rat.  These are the unnecessary evils attempting to exterminate the population. A gym rat can encounter people setting traps or constantly trying to feed them poison. Traps decimating the gym rat population can be anything from girls to twitter; they will keep you from where you need to be…IN THE GYM!!! It’s up to you if that’s what you want to be. My guess is if you have the respect of the local basketball community, I bet you, all that stuff will come along with it.

Poison can be anything that alters the mindset. It could be a simple as a peer telling you “you’re not any good you should quit.” That is poison to a budding gym rat but you don’t have to be duped into swallowing that. There’s a lot of other crap that can derail any athlete from striving for greatness. You can find stories for days about college/pro athletes who get caught up by the police doing something but I’ve never heard of any of them getting caught while in a gym.

In my coaching career I feel like I have been around just two guys who without a doubt during our time together could be considered gym rats. One was Al Thornton who at Florida State went from unheralded recruit (Ranked #217) to NBA lottery pick. This was my interaction with Al Thornton. I knew he was working out every day 10:00 AM but then some days Coach Hamilton may ask me to go find Al? He was typically at one of 3 places in the city of Tallahassee and sometimes all three in a day.

After he worked out, he would either go from playing pick up at FAMU, to playing pick up at TCC, or just going straight back to our basketball training center. This was a typical day for Al he would be in the gym for 8 hours a day trying to see what he could add/try to do in a game that day. He didn’t know anything else!!! All I know is that was normal for him and that is what helped him go from redshirt freshmen to 1st team All-ACC and a Lottery pick (Just look at the improvement of his season stats over 4 years).

The other was Ben Smith, a four-year starting Point Guard at Jacksonville University. Ben Was 5’10” – if that – and only had one Division I offer coming out of high school. He became a 1st team All-Atlantic Sun player for three straight seasons, won two conference titles, and his name is all over the school record book.

Every night usually around 10:00 PM he got shots up. After lifting weights, class, individuals, pick up and study hall he got shots up. I’m not talking about shoot then talk for 20 seconds…I’m saying this man GOT SHOTS UP! He shot 28% from the three point line his freshmen year. In his mind, he wouldn’t ever let that happen again so for the next 3 years he shot over 35%. One league opponent would make it easily apparent that their belief was he couldn’t go left.

So the following off-season his sole purpose in life was to become equally adept with both hands. He would go in the gym a lot of days and refuse to use his right hand (HE HAD PURPOSE). Ben just came back from averaging more than 25 ppg overseas and because of his dedication to his craft his name is mentioned next to Artis Gilmore, Dee Brown, Rex Morgan, and Otis Smith as one of the best players to play at Jacksonville University.

These gym rats are a rare and dying breed. The term is thrown around so loosely that it is losing its grit. If I call a player and he picks up on the first ring or tweets every hour on the hour he probably isn’t going to be in the gym the amount of hours necessary to make it to the next level (Varsity, college, Pro).  If enrolled in a weight training class…LIFT THE WEIGHT more times than you look in the mirror.

If you’re going to the gym then go with a purpose (To make _______ # of shots or work on ______). You know you may encounter a gym rat when your phone rings at 10:00 PM and a recruit says… “Coach sorry I missed your call. I went and lifted after school, then our high school team had workouts, and then we had AAU practice. I just finished my homework and went for a jog. I wanted to call you back before I ate dinner.”

If you’re returning a call at 10:00 PM because this is your first free moment then maybe a college coach, who really knows what it means, will be proud to justify anointing you as a Gym rat.

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It is also important that you learn to use both hands equally as well because you don’t know which hand you are going to be able to use to tip the ball in. Along with working on a game specific skill this drill works on jumping quickly off the ground and also developing soft and coordinated hands.

Drill Name: Kevin Mchale Tips Basketball Rebounding Drill

Similar Drills: Backboard Tips Rebounding Drill, Out of Area Catch Minute Finish Rebounding Drill, Tip Dunk Rebounding Drill

Drill Goal: Work on developing soft hands around the basket and tipping the basketball in with one hand. Also develop quick jumping ability.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball.

Tips: Get up as high as you can on each jump. Try to keep your arm straight and don’t let the ball come down around your shoulders. Don’t land and stand but jump back up as quickly as you can. Really do your best to control the ball on each tip.

Directions: The player will start with a basketball on either side of the basket facing the backboard. They are going to toss the ball up off the backboard and then jump up and tip the ball off the backboard with their outside hand. At the same time though they are going to use their inside hand and try to touch as high as they can up on the net or rim if they can. Player will do 6-8 tips and then rebound/chin the ball and then finish with a power layup. Now switch sides and repeat the same thing.      

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Along with learning to finish better this drill will help the player develop their footwork. So whether it is a younger player that has trouble lining up their feet or a big man that needs to develop better footwork around the basket this is a great drill to use.

Drill Name: Progression Basketball Mikan Drill

Similar Drills: Mikan Drill, 2 Ball Mikan Drill, Keep the Ball High Minute Finish Rebounding Drill

Drill Goal: Learn to finish around the basket with four different moves and also work on your footwork.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball.

Tips: Stay light on your feet and really develop good footwork when finishing. Find the right place on the backboard for each kind of layup and trust yourself. Push yourself and start to pick up the pace as you start to get into a good rhythm.

Steps: Player is going to start with a basketball facing the backboard on the left side of the hoop. He/she is going to step 1-2 with their feet and jump off their left foot for a right hand layup off the backboard (For the layup to count for this finish it must go off the backboard and through the basket without touching any rim). The player will immediately grab the ball out of the net and then repeat the move but off the left side of the backboard and jumping off their right foot and laying it up with their left hand. They are going to make 6 layups (without touching rim) and then they are going to move onto doing the drill jumping off two feet. It will be the same drill but they must jump off two feet and finish 6 times (it can touch the rim). Third set of layups is going to be like the first set off one foot but this time they are going to face away from the basket and do reverse layups, make 6. The last set of layups is going to be reverse layups jumping off two feet. Once the player makes 6 the drill is over.  

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It is also a good drill that puts pressure on the shooter because on the miss they have to do more running than if they make the shot. The key is focusing on the next shot and having a short memory.

Drill Name: Reggie Miller 3 Point Shooting Drill

Similar Drills: 3 Tier Basketball Shooting Drill, 33 Shooting Drill, Trail 3′s Shooting Drill

Drill Goal: Practice shooting 3 pointers off the run (transition), work on conditioning, and mental toughness.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and a partner.

Tips: Stay in your shot until you miss or make it, hold your follow through. Come into your shot the same way every time and be balanced on your shot. Passer needs to make sure that they pass the ball early enough so that the shooter can catch it stepping into their shot and that they don’t have to wait.

Steps: Player is going to start at the top of the key at the 3 point line ready to shoot the basketball and rebounder is going to be in the paint with the ball. They will pass the ball out the the shooter and the player will shoot the ball. If they make it than they only have to run to half court and back for their next shot, but if they miss than they must touch the opposite baseline before shooting their next shot. The drill will go for a minute and the goal is for the player to make as many shots as possible.

*This drill can be done from anywhere on the 3 point line.  

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Also you may not always be able to simply push dribble and you might have to change the ball to your other hand before push dribbling out of the pressure. That is why you need to practice doing the push dribble with a crossover or similar type of move.

Drill Name: Push Crossover Dribble Drill

Similar Drills: Bust Out & Retreat Basketball Dribbling Drill, Ball Screen Retreat Dribble Attack, 

Drill Goal: Develop your handles and work on the push dribble move.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and a partner.

Tips: Stay low in a dribbling stance, be ready to change direction quickly, keep your eyes up, and cover as much ground as you can on the push dribble.

Directions: Player will start on the baseline standing sideways with basketball in their hand that is facing up the court. When the coach says go the player will push dribble out sideways up the floor and keep going until the coach yells the command to change. At that point the player must crossover and immediately start to push dribble the opposite direction. The coach will continue to yell change back and forth but let the player gradually proceed all the way up the court to the opposite baseline. When they reach the opposite baseline the drill is over.    

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Drill Name: Combo Penetrate & Relocate Shot Fake Side Step Shooting Drill

Similar Drills: Combo Move Penetrate & Relocate Shooting Drill, Kill the Grass Between the Legs Scoring Drill, Kill the Grass Behind the Back Scoring Drill

Drill Goal: Work on beating your defender off the dribble, kicking out to an open teammate, and then relocating for a shot fake side step 3 point shot.

Equipment Needed: 1 basketball, chair/cone, and 2 partners.

Tips: Make sure that you are under control on the drive and come to a jump stop on the kick out so that you do not get a charge foul called on you in a game. Sell your shot fake and then pound dribble the basketball before shooting so that it comes up into your shooting pocket.

Steps: Place a chair/cone just outside the 3 point line along the lane line. One partner will be on the wing and the other in the paint as a rebounder. The player will start 5-6 feet above the chair with the basketball. They will dribble at the chair, make a combo move, drive past their defender to the outside, and then kick the ball out to the partner on the wing. The partner is going to immediately re-drive the ball to the paint and as they are the player must relocate out to the wing  for a kick out. The player is going to catch the ball, shot fake, take a side dribble, and then shoot a 3 pointer. This completes one repetition. The drill can go for a certain number of shots, makes, or time and should be done on both sides of the floor.    

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