If you want to kick your basketball game up a notch, you need to start practicing like the pros. Basketball shooting drills are a great way to improve your shooting accuracy and consistency for competitive gameplay.
There are a variety of drills that you can do to work on different aspects of your shooting. Over time, you’ll significantly improve your scoring rate if you consistently work on these drills.
Below, we’ll break down 11 shooting drills that work. By following these drills, you can start sinking buckets easily.
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Shooting drills for all positions
Whether you’re a guard, center or forward, shooting drills (especially ones that focus on shooting form, footwork and transition shooting) can help you build a more consistent and confident shot.
Shooting drills for guards
Elbow pull-up drill
The elbow pull-up drill is excellent for guards who want to work on their shooting form.
What you need
- A basketball and a hoop or target on a wall to shoot at.
Set up and position
- Start by standing about 10 feet away from the hoop or target with a basketball.
- Take your primary shooting arm and extend it up while holding the ball so your elbow is level with your shoulder.
- Next, take your other hand and grab your shooting arm just below the elbow to “lock in” the position.
- Your index finger should be in the middle of the ball, and your feet should be slightly staggered based on your shooting arm.
Motion
- Push your shooting forearm up into a shooting motion from this position and release the ball.
- Be sure to follow through with your shot by flicking your wrist, and don’t let your elbow drop.
Reps & distance
- Repeat this drill 10 times from both short- to mid-range distances inside the three-point line.
Why this drill
- The point of the elbow pull-up shooting drill is to focus on quality over quantity.
- It can help you improve your focus and ability to adjust to different distances and basket angles while using the proper form.
Short- to long-range shooting drill
The short- to long-range shooting drill enables guards to work on their shooting skills while also getting some competitive game-like experience.
What you need
- A basketball, one other player, and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- Start by having your opponent stand at the free-throw line while you stand at the top of the key.
- Your opponent will pass you the ball.
Short-to mid-range reps (inside the three-point line)
- You will attempt to shoot the ball from short- to mid-range distances inside the three-point line as your opponent guards you.
- After each shot attempt, return to the top of the key with the ball and repeat until you’ve made 10 successful shots.
Long-distance reps (three-point line)
- Once you’ve completed your short- to mid-range shots, return to your original position at the top of the key and have your opponent stand at the free-throw line.
- Now, focus on making long-distance shots from the three-point line with your opponent guarding you.
- Once you’ve made 10 successful long-distance shots, swap positions with your opponent and start over.
Why this drill
- This drill is great for working on your individual shooting from short- to long-range distances, as well as your ability to score against live defense.
Plus/minus shooting
The plus/minus shooting drill is perfect for guards who want to work on form, consistency, and shooting from different hoop angles.
What you need
- A basketball and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
How it works
- Start at half-court and run toward the top of the key for a three-point shot.
- Make it: +1 point
- Miss it: -3 points
- Duration: Repeat for two minutes.
- Goal: If you get to 10 points, you win the drill.
Tips & variations
- Switch up your hoop angles in between three-point shots to make things more challenging.
- You can also use the plus/minus drill to shoot two-point shots anywhere on the court.
Shooting drills for forwards
Finishing drill
Finishing drills help forwards master driving to the basket and finishing with a layup.
What you need
- A basketball, one other player, and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- Start by having your opponent stand under the basket with the ball.
- You will then stand at the free-throw line.
How it works
- Your opponent will pass you the ball.
- You will attempt to drive to the hoop and score a layup while your opponent provides live defense as if you were in a real game.
- Repeat this drill until you make 10 layups but alternate your approach and angle to the basket with each attempt.
Why this helps
- By practicing finishing drills with a defender, you can work on your dribbling skills and ability to power through to the basket to make a layup.
Post feed, fade-away drill
This drill is excellent for forwards who want to work on their ability to score in the post and improve their fade-aways.
What you need
- A basketball, one other player, and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- Start by standing near the low post with your back facing the hoop.
- Your partner should position themselves near the top of the key. They will then pass you the ball.
How it works
- After you catch it, take a few quick dribbles.
- Pivot to face the goal, and quickly shoot a fade-away.
- Repeat until you’ve made 10 successful fade-away shots, alternating your positions in the post to get experience shooting from different hoop angles.
Why this drill
This drill is great for working on your shooting mechanics and footwork. It’s also a good way to practice your fade-away shot, which can be difficult to master.
Shooting drills for centers
Rebound shooting
Practicing the rebound shot is an important basketball shooting drill because it helps offensive centers learn how to rebound and shoot or lay up the ball quickly in the post.
What you need
- A basketball, a shooting guard, an offensive center (you), a defensive center, and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- A shooting guard will take a shot and purposefully miss.
- You’ll compete against the defensive center to secure the rebound.
How it works
- Crash the boards to win the rebound.
- Finish quickly with a layup or a short-range shot.
- Repeat this process until you’ve made 10 successful baskets from different hoop angles and short-range distances.
Mikan drill
The Mikan drill is named after basketball legend George Mikan. It’s a simple and effective shooting drill that centers can work through alone or with a partner.
What you need
- A basketball and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- Start by standing on one side of the basket.
How it works
- Power the ball up for a layup while using the backboard.
- As soon as you land, jump again and rebound the ball as high as you can out of the net.
- Keep the ball over your head.
- Your rebounding jump should get you to the other side of the hoop, where you will repeat the process.
Reps & hand switches
- After completing a circuit of 10 Mikan drills laying up the ball with one hand, switch to your other hand for 10 more.
Why this drill
The Mikan drill is excellent for developing proper layup form and technique and increasing your touch around the basket. It will force you to keep your eyes up and find the basket quickly after rebounding.
Reverse Mikan drill
The reverse Mikan drill is a great basketball shooting drill because it helps you work on your ability to finish in the post with your back facing the hoop. This drill will help you improve your shooting form, footwork, and sinking baskets from a difficult position.
What you need
- A basketball and a half-court or full court with a hoop.
Setup
- Start under the hoop with your back facing the baseline and your chest facing the free-throw line.
- Jump off your left foot and lay up the basketball off the backboard with your right hand.
- On landing, jump back up to rebound the ball as high as you can out of the net with the intention of landing on the other side of the hoop.
- From there, repeat the process, but jump off your right foot and lay up with your left hand.
Reps
- Aim for 20 layups for each hand.
When the game is on the line, will you be ready?
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Read the articleFAQs
What exercises help with shooting a basketball?
To improve your shot, build strength and flexibility with weight-free work like lunges, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and dumbbell presses; boost speed and agility through plyometric training to sharpen coordination and reaction for rebounding and shooting; and prioritize recovery, regular stretching and occasional massage, to keep muscles fresh and performing their best.
How do you get a good shooting form?
Use the elbow pull-up drill and repeat it consistently.
- Raise your shooting arm to shoulder height; bend at 90° with the elbow tucked in.
- Place your non-shooting hand under the shooting elbow to keep it from drifting.
- Set your feet shoulder-width and slightly staggered toward your shooting side.
- On the shot, extend the forearm straight forward without moving the elbow.
- Flick your wrist to finish the follow-through.
This drill builds a repeatable motion and helps fine-tune hand placement, footwork, and release angle for better accuracy.
What is the best basketball shooting drill?
Working on your shooting form is the most important. Form drills focus on the fundamentals of shooting a basketball and train your body for positioning. It’s important to master form skills before anything else to ensure you’re taking shots with the best posture, strength, stance, and power every time.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many basketball shooting drills you can use to improve your game. Remember, practice makes perfect. So, make sure to put in the time and effort if you want to see results.
Ready to make basketball practice a priority and improve your skills even more? Check out NCSA’s list of men’s basketball camps and women’s basketball camps today to find a basketball camp near you.