The 16 SHOOTING COMMANDMENTS
1) Proper shooting starts with proper technique. You can do drills for 8 hours each day, but you will not get a whole lot better unless you have proper technique.
2) The Release is responsible for 75% of the shot's overall effectiveness.
3) The index finger is the true key to a shot's success.
4) A good shot is one that's straight. A bad shot is one that misses to the side.
5) Follow your shot BUT do not run after it. The worst shooters run after their shot.
6) A player should NEVER think about making the shot or the ball going in.
7) Look at the center of the rim for full shooting effectiveness. If you look at the back at the rim, chances are you will hit the back of the rim.
8) When open, hold the ball loose. If you hold it with a loose grip, you will get more touch.
9) A player starts their shot where they catch it at. Because most passes are caught at the chest level, most shooters will start at their chest level including off the dribble as well.
10) Proper use of the guide hand is important for balance and overall effectiveness.
11) A shooter has no balance when shoulder width. The best shooters in the world are narrow shooters.
12) Square your shooting shoulder and hip when shooting. The best shooters in the world align their shooting shoulder because you are straighter this way and it is more comfortable.
13) Do not BEND the knees. Instead, FLEX the knees. Bending leads to stiffness and becoming slower.
14) The Hop shot is much quicker, more rhythmic and more balanced than the 1-2 step shot.
15) The difference between a poor shooter and a good one is THE RELEASE. The difference between a good shooter and a great one is THE SHOULDERS (how relaxed they are).
16) To relax your shoulders fully, sway your feet forward. This will force your shoulders to sway slightly backwards.
2) The Release is responsible for 75% of the shot's overall effectiveness.
3) The index finger is the true key to a shot's success.
4) A good shot is one that's straight. A bad shot is one that misses to the side.
5) Follow your shot BUT do not run after it. The worst shooters run after their shot.
6) A player should NEVER think about making the shot or the ball going in.
7) Look at the center of the rim for full shooting effectiveness. If you look at the back at the rim, chances are you will hit the back of the rim.
8) When open, hold the ball loose. If you hold it with a loose grip, you will get more touch.
9) A player starts their shot where they catch it at. Because most passes are caught at the chest level, most shooters will start at their chest level including off the dribble as well.
10) Proper use of the guide hand is important for balance and overall effectiveness.
11) A shooter has no balance when shoulder width. The best shooters in the world are narrow shooters.
12) Square your shooting shoulder and hip when shooting. The best shooters in the world align their shooting shoulder because you are straighter this way and it is more comfortable.
13) Do not BEND the knees. Instead, FLEX the knees. Bending leads to stiffness and becoming slower.
14) The Hop shot is much quicker, more rhythmic and more balanced than the 1-2 step shot.
15) The difference between a poor shooter and a good one is THE RELEASE. The difference between a good shooter and a great one is THE SHOULDERS (how relaxed they are).
16) To relax your shoulders fully, sway your feet forward. This will force your shoulders to sway slightly backwards.
60 Minute DRIBBLE DRILLS
First Quarter: Stationary Dribbling Drills
30 seconds on/5 seconds off
Single-Ball Stationary Dribbling Drills
· Two Pounds Crossover
· One Pound Crossover
· Continuous Crossover
· Two Pounds Through Legs
· One Pound Through Legs
· Continuous Through Legs
· Two Pounds Behind Back
· One Pound Behind Back
· Continuous Behind Back
· Inside-Out Right
· Inside-Out Left
· Inside-Out Right Crossover
· Inside-Out Left Crossover
2-Ball Stationary Dribbling Drills
· High Pounds - keep the dribble at waist level
· Low Pounds - keep the dribble at ankle level
· One High, One Low - keep one ball at waist level, the other at ankle level
· One High, One low
· Figure 8 Forward
· Figure 8 Backward
Tennis Ball Dribbling Drills
· Left Arm Toss - Toss and catch the tennis ball with your left hand as you dribble the basketball with your right hand.
· Right Arm Toss - Toss and catch the tennis ball with your right hand as you dribble the basketball with your left hand.
· Crossover - Toss the tennis ball from your left hand to your right as you crossover with the basketball.
· Double Crossover - Toss the tennis ball from your left hand to your right as you perform a double crossover.
Notes:
Perform all of these drills stationary. Perform the first drill for 30 seconds, rest for 5 seconds and move to the next drill. A "pound" is a dribble.
Second Quarter: One-Step Dribbling Drills
Four minutes of each followed by 20 seconds of rest.
One-Step Crossover Without a Chair
· Start with your feet side-by-side in a shoulder-width stance.
· Pound the dribble twice with your left hand. On the second pound, lift your left foot off the ground.
· As you drive your left foot down, either directly under you or a few inches in front of you, perform a hard Crossover.
· As soon as your left foot touches the ground, make it follow the ball during the Crossover so you finish in a lunge position with your left leg between the ball and the defender.
· Crossover Left
· Crossover Right
One-Step Crossover With a Chair
Perform the drill exactly as described above, but this time use a chair as a defender.
· Place the chair 12 inches in front of you.
· When you cross over, attack the defender's foot. If you are crossing over from right to left, make your right foot follow the Crossover as quickly as possible and beat the defender's right foot.
· Once the defender is on your hip, you have a clear path to the basket. During extended Crossovers, move the chair an additional 6 inches away so you can cover as much ground as possible during your Crossover.
· Crossover Left
· Crossover Right
· Extended Crossover Left
· Extended Crossover Right
Third Quarter: Moving Dribbling Drills
Thirty seconds per drill with 5 seconds of rest.
Two-Ball Dribbling Drills (repeat twice)
· Together - Both balls should hit the floor at the same time.
· Alternating - As one ball hits the floor, the other should be coming back up to you.
· Through Legs - Dribble at an angle for 5 feet, plant your outside foot as one ball goes through your leg, and explode in the opposite direction. Continue this zig-zag pattern.
· Behind the Back - Dribble at an angle for 5 feet, plant your outside foot as one ball goes behind your back, and explode in the opposite direction. Continue this zig-zag pattern.
Single-Ball Moving Dribbling Drills (repeat twice)
· Continuous Through Legs
· Continuous Behind Back
· Continuous Crossover
Notes:
All of these drills are performed while moving. Start at one end of the court and dribble toward the other end. Each drill should last 30 seconds. Take 5 seconds to transition to the next drill.
Fourth Quarter: Resistance Dribbling Drills
Sixty seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Partner Band Dribbling Drills
· Hesitation Left
· Hesitation Right
· Crossover Left
· Crossover Right
These drills are performed using a strong elastic band. Loop the band around your waist while your partner holds it from behind. Start 6 feet from a wall. Take two pound dribbles and perform the designated move. Try to touch the wall as your partner provides resistance with the band. Stay low and explode.
Partner Pad Dribbling Drills
· Crossover Left
· Crossover Right
· Inside-Out Crossover Left
· Inside-Out Crossover Right
These drills are performed using a large rectangular pad similar to a kickboxing pad. Stand 2-3 feet in front of your partner who is holding the pad. Take two pound dribbles, then perform the designated move. As you perform the moves, drive your inside shoulder into the defender, creating contact, and explode through him.