Individual Basketball Shooting Drills for Coaches

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Individual shooting drills work when each player has a clear job, a score to beat and a coach who tracks the results. This guide gives you eight drills, how to set them up, how to score them and how to build them into a weekly plan. Every drill runs with one player and one ball. Add a rebounder if you have one.

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TL;DR

  • Start close, then add distance, movement and pressure. Accuracy drops as distance grows, so build the base first.
  • Track makes and attempts every session. No score, no progress.
  • Shoot at game speed, with game footwork and game spots.
  • Fatigue hurts long-range shots most. Train tired on purpose, but in small doses.
  • Let players keep their own release. Fix balance, footwork and consistency first.

Table of Contents

How to use individual shooting drills

A good individual session has three parts:

  1. Form and rhythm. Close range, low volume, full focus.
  2. Footwork and movement. Catch, hop, pivot, pull-up.
  3. Game shots under pressure. Spots, time limits and scores.

Keep each session short. Twenty to thirty focused minutes beats an hour of random shots. Count makes and attempts. Write them down.

Three rules we use:

  • Every shot has a purpose. No shot is a warm-up shot once the drill starts.
  • Every drill has a score. Players compete with their own last result.
  • Every drill ends with a made shot or a clear count. No drifting off.

Set the baseline first

Before you assign drills, test each player. It takes ten minutes.

  • Five spots: both corners, both wings, top of the key.
  • Ten shots per spot, catch and shoot.
  • Record makes per spot.

Now you know where each player is weak. A player who shoots 7 of 10 from the right wing and 3 of 10 from the left corner needs left-side work. The baseline also gives you a number to compare against in four weeks.

Retest on the same spots, with the same rules, at the same point in the week. Change nothing else.

Eight individual shooting drills

Each drill lists the setup, the reps and the score. Adjust the numbers for age and level.

1. Form shooting, close range

Goal: a repeatable, balanced release.

  • Start one step from the rim, shooting hand only, then both hands.
  • Make 10 in a row. Step back one step. Repeat.
  • Stop at the free-throw line or when you reach 5 spots.

Score: total attempts needed to make 10 in a row at each spot. Lower is better.

Coach cue: eyes on the target, balanced feet, follow through. For a full teaching sequence, read our guide on how to teach shooting form to players of all levels.

2. Balance and footwork series

Goal: land the feet the same way every time.

  • Catch the ball, hop into a one-two stop, shoot.
  • Do 10 shots with a hop. Do 10 with a step-in.
  • Use the same spot for both. Compare makes.

Score: makes out of 20.

Balance is the base of everything else. We cover more on this in Basketball Shooting Drills: Balance and Footwork. The full session version is Basketball Shooting Workout #1: Balance.

3. Five-spot shooting

Goal: game-spot accuracy.

  • Shoot from five spots, 5 shots at each.
  • Move to the next spot after 5 attempts, make or miss.
  • Rebound your own shot and get to the next spot fast.

Score: makes out of 25. Repeat for 3 rounds. Record each round.

Progression: add a time limit of 2 minutes per round.

4. Make-10 around the arc

Goal: consistency from the three-point line.

  • Pick a spot. Shoot until you make 3.
  • Move to the next spot.
  • Finish after 5 spots.

Score: total shots taken. A lower total means better shooting.

This drill is honest. A player cannot hide a cold spot. It also builds the habit of finishing a spot before moving on.

5. Catch-and-shoot off movement

Goal: shoot off the pass, ready to go.

  • Start at the baseline. Toss the ball out, or have a partner pass.
  • Cut to the wing. Catch with the feet ready. Shoot.
  • Do 10 from each wing.

Score: makes out of 20.

With no partner, use a wall rebound or toss the ball ahead and run to it. Shoot only when you are balanced.

6. Pull-up from the dribble

Goal: stop and shoot under control.

  • Start at half court. Dribble to the elbow with two or three hard dribbles.
  • Stop on two feet or with a jump stop. Shoot.
  • Do 8 from each side, using both hands.

Score: makes out of 16. Track left and right separately.

Variation: add one dribble move before the pull-up: crossover, hesitation or in-and-out.

Guards can build a full session around this. See Basketball Shooting Workout for Guards.

Basketball Shooting Workout For Guards

7. Free-throw routine under fatigue

Goal: make free throws when tired.

  • Sprint baseline to baseline, twice.
  • Step to the line. Use the same routine every time.
  • Shoot 2 free throws. Repeat for 10 rounds.

Score: makes out of 20.

Use a routine: same breath, same dribbles, same spot on the rim. We cover this in how to build shooting routines for consistent results. More ideas are in free throw improvement tips for every skill level.

8. Beat-the-clock game shots

Goal: shoot with pressure.

  • Set a timer for 60 seconds.
  • Shoot from five spots in order, make or miss.
  • Beat your last score each round.

Score: makes in 60 seconds. Play 5 rounds.

Add a consequence for the last round, like a sprint for each miss below a target. Keep it light. Pressure should sharpen focus, not scare players.

Quick reference table

Drill Focus Reps Score
Form shooting Release 10 in a row per spot Attempts to make 10
Balance and footwork Landing 20 Makes of 20
Five-spot Game spots 25 x 3 rounds Makes of 25
Make-10 around the arc Three-point shooting 5 spots Shots taken
Catch-and-shoot Movement 20 Makes of 20
Pull-up Dribble to shot 16 Makes of 16
Free throws, tired Routine 20 Makes of 20
Beat the clock Pressure 5 x 60 seconds Makes per round

Why distance changes the drill

A longer shot is a different shot. In a study of ten expert players, accuracy was 59% at 2.8 meters and 37% at 6.4 meters. To keep accuracy at longer range, players changed how they released the ball: faster release velocity, lower release height and lower release angle.

What this means for your drills:

  • Do not judge a player on three-point percentage using close-range form.
  • Build range in steps. Add one step only after the player is consistent.
  • Track each distance on its own.
  • Expect lower numbers from deep. That is normal.

Let players keep their own release

Not every player shoots the same way. Research on shooting variability in a study of task expertise and distance describes how skilled shooters offset small errors at one joint with adjustments at another, such as the shoulder offset by the wrist. The paper argues that shooting is not one rigid pattern copied each time.

So what should a coach do?

  • With beginners, focus on a consistent movement pattern.
  • With advanced players, do not strip out a release that works.
  • Fix what is clearly broken: balance, base, direction and follow through.
  • Judge by results over many shots, not by one miss.

A useful checklist is in our 7-step basketball shooting checklist for coaches.

Train tired, but not all the time

Games end with tired legs. Practice should sometimes look the same.

A 2025 study of repeated sprints found that mid-range shooting held up under fatigue. Long-range jump shot success dropped. Shooting time got longer, and force transfer between the legs and upper body got worse.

Use that in practice:

  • Put the three-point drills after conditioning, not only before.
  • Keep fatigued sets short: 10 to 20 shots.
  • Record the fatigued score separately from the fresh score.
  • Teach a reset: one breath, set the feet, look at the target.

There is also a mental side. A 2026 systematic review looked at attentional focus under fatigue. It covered five studies and 89 male players, and no study included female athletes, so treat the findings with care. Its takeaway for coaches is to teach players to look at the target or the ball flight rather than think about body parts when tired.

Simple cue for tired shooters: “Eyes on the rim, follow through.” One cue, not three.

Add pressure without breaking confidence

Pressure drills help. Too much pressure hurts. An older experiment on anxiety and performance in eight experienced players tested a model in which high cognitive anxiety under high arousal can cause a sudden drop in shooting performance.

Practical steps:

  • Start with low stakes: beat your own score.
  • Raise stakes slowly: a teammate watching, then a small prize.
  • Keep a short routine before each shot.
  • Never punish a miss in front of the group.
  • End every session on a made shot.

Recovery and sleep matter for shooters

Shooting is a fine motor skill. Tired players shoot worse. Sleep is part of the plan. A study of collegiate players tested sleep extension and reported athletic performance gains, including shooting measures.

What you can do:

If a player has pain, dizziness or an injury, send them to a doctor or athletic trainer. Do not drill through it.

Build a weekly plan

A simple plan for a player working alone, three days a week:

Day 1: Form and balance (25 minutes)

  • Form shooting: 5 minutes
  • Balance and footwork series: 8 minutes
  • Five-spot shooting: 10 minutes
  • Record scores: 2 minutes

Day 2: Movement (25 minutes)

  • Form shooting: 3 minutes
  • Catch-and-shoot off movement: 10 minutes
  • Pull-up from the dribble: 10 minutes
  • Record scores: 2 minutes

Day 3: Game shots (25 minutes)

  • Make-10 around the arc: 10 minutes
  • Free-throw routine under fatigue: 7 minutes
  • Beat-the-clock game shots: 6 minutes
  • Record scores: 2 minutes

Keep this for four weeks. Retest on the baseline. Then change one thing: more distance, more speed or less rest.

For team practice, our post on types of shooting drills for coaches shows how to sort drills by purpose. For more general sessions, see practice drills to boost basketball skills and performance.

Tracking: what to write down

A simple log is enough. Use one line per drill:

  • Date
  • Drill name
  • Makes and attempts
  • Fresh or tired
  • One note, like “left foot late” or “short on right wing”

Review it weekly. Look for three things:

  1. Which spot is lowest?
  2. Which drill has not improved in two weeks?
  3. Does the tired score fall far below the fresh score?

If the last answer is yes, add fatigue sets. If the first answer repeats, add two extra spot drills each session.

Editable sheets save time here. Our basketball templates help you organize this for a full roster.

Our perspective

We write and refine our resources from real coaching practice. Here is what we see most often.

Coaches give players too many drills and too little feedback. Three drills with a score beat ten drills without one. A player who knows last week’s number knows what to beat this week.

Coaches also correct too much. A player who makes shots with an odd release does not need a new release. Fix the base, the balance and the finish. Leave the rest alone unless the results say otherwise.

Our perspective — overview diagram

Last, we see volume without structure. Shooting 500 shots at random is not a plan. A short session with spots, reps and scores is.

Start with the baseline. Pick three drills. Track every session. Change one thing at a time.

— Dejan

Ready-to-use shooting workouts

Want the sessions written out? We have downloadable shooting workouts and drills ready to use.

Resources are digital downloads. Explore the collections and check current prices on each page.

Basketball Shooting Workout For Guards

Common mistakes in individual shooting work

  • Shooting too fast to learn. Speed is for the later drills. Early on, slow down and own the footwork.
  • No miss review. Note whether misses are short, long, left or right. Short misses often point to legs and fatigue. Side misses often point to alignment.
  • Skipping the left side. Many players have a strong side. Split your spots evenly.
  • Too many cues. One cue per drill is enough.
  • Ignoring free throws. They are the one shot with no defender. Give them a fixed place in each week.
  • Never shooting tired. Games are not played fresh.

FAQ

How many shots should a player take in an individual workout?

It depends on age and level. A focused session of 100 to 200 quality attempts across several drills is a common range. Count makes, not just time. Younger players should do fewer and rest more, and anyone with pain should stop and see a doctor or athletic trainer.

How often should players do individual shooting drills?

Three focused sessions a week is a solid base for most players. Add a light form session on other days if energy is good. Watch fatigue and sleep, and cut volume if scores fall.

Should I change a player’s shooting form?

Only when something is clearly wrong, like poor balance or inconsistent direction. Research on compensatory variability suggests skilled players often use their own adjustments to stay accurate. Fix the base first and judge results over many shots.

What is the best drill for a player working alone?

Five-spot shooting. It needs one ball and a hoop, it gives a clear score and it covers game spots. Pair it with form shooting before and a free-throw routine after.

How do I know if a player is improving?

Use the baseline test. Run the same five spots, with the same rules, every four weeks. Compare makes per spot and the fresh versus tired scores.

Sources