Your Game is as good as your practice

SDP Blog

The Skill Development Playbook blog has all the information you need to improve as a player or coach.  This blog will give you tips, workouts, and drills to help enhance any players skill set.

Free Shooting Workout

This is a great workout to go through if you need to improve on shooting off the dribble or if you just need to keep your skills sharp. It can be done by yourself or with a partner/rebounder. If you have rebounder you will be able to get through the workout faster. Here are some tips on shooting off the dribble before you go through the workout:

Use a pound dribble – This gets the ball back in your hands quickly which allows for a quicker shot.

Sell the drive – When shooting off the dribble you want the defense to believe you are trying to get all the way to the basket. Go hard off the bounce and then stop on a dime and shoot the jumper.

Be on balance – Basketball is played on the balls of your feet. You must have strong feet when you pull up and shoot. What I mean by this is you have to be able to stop without leaning forward or falling backward on the shot.

Straight up straight down – I know we see pro basketball players shoot fade away jump shots all the time, but those shots are not fundamental. If you want to master shooting off the dribble then you must be able to stop, pull up, and not fade or lean one way or the other.

Head up – I know this workout is working on shooting off the dribble but you must be able to have your head up to see the floor and be able to find the open man.

Directions: If doing this workout by yourself then you should spin and catch the ball behind the 3 pt line. If the drill calls for multiple change of direction moves or multiple dribbles then you should spin and catch the ball about 3-5 feet outside the three point line unless the drill specifies differently. Get into a good triple threat position and make moves quickly toward the basket.

1 dribble pull up going to the right                                (25 shots)

2 dribble pull up going to the right                                (25 shots)

1 dribble pull up going to the left                                  (25 shots)

2 dribble pull up going to the left                                  (25 shots)

3 dribble change of direction moves: Stagger three cones on both wings and top of key. Dribble toward first cone and change direction at each cone before shooting 1 dribble pull up (Crossover, between legs, behind back, in and out - 10 shots for each move).     

Double/Combo moves: Place a cone on both wings and top of key. Dribble toward the  cone and execute a double dribble move into a pull up jump shot (double crossover, in and out/crossover, between legs/behind back - 10 shots for each move).

Transition Pull Ups:  During this drill you will work on shooting the pull up jump shot in transition off the dribble. 

  • Pull up: Dribble from half court to the wing and shoot the pull up jump shot. Shoot a total of 10 shots from the wing before moving on to the middle of the floor and the opposite wing.
  • Chang of direction pull up: Same as the drill above except now execute a change of direction move before shooting the pull up. Shoot a total of 10 shots on the wing before moving on to the middle of the floor and the opposite wing.