Coach ,

While shooting drills are essential for basketball teams at all times, they’re especially vital at the beginning of a season, to help shake off any offseason rust and refine performance. 

We’ve pulled two tried and true shooting drills from two high-level coaches that you can install into your team’s next practice for immediate results.

Brian Wardle - 5 Man Shooting Drill

Brian Wardle - 5 Man Shooting Drill

Brian Wardle is the head coach of the Bradley University men’s basketball team. In his first nine seasons on the BU sideline, Bradley has recorded three MVC Championships (two tournament titles, one regular season), 47 All-Conference selections, a 98-40 home record since 2015 (71%), and a 48-12 (80%) home record in the last four seasons.

Coach Wardle’s 5 Man Shooting drill, which he details in his ‘5 Great Practice Drills To Have In Your Pocket’ course, begins with the offensive unit running one of your team’s regular set plays, which will ideally end in a jump shot. 

Once the ball is shot, two players will crash the offensive board while two others (preferably guards) will get back on transition defense. 

From there, the guys who are crashing the offensive rebounds will then do a “Curry cut” (which is a hard cut along the baseline, named after Steph Curry) and flash to the corner, where they will receive a pass from an assistant coach and shoot a corner three. 

The two players who are getting back on transition defense at the other end of the court will then turn around and receive passes from another assistant coach and pull up for a three-point shot at the wing.

The key in this drill is that it emphasizes multiple crucial components to success in basketball. And because every player on offense will get a shot up, it means that everybody will remain engaged. 

Sharman White - Transition Shots

Sharman White - Transition Shots

Sharman White was named the head coach of the 2024 USA Basketball Men's U17 National Team on Feb. 2, 2024. White has an abundance of USA Basketball experience and recently led the 2024 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team to a 98-75 win over the World Select Team. 

In his ‘Practice Drills That Translate To Success In Games’ course, White detailed his Transition Shots drill, which starts with four lines, two are along the sideline at about three-point line extended on one end while the other two are at free-throw line extended on the other end. 

One of the first two lines starts with the ball. The player makes a pass to the first player in the other line on the same side while running down the court. The player then catches the ball and pitches it back to the initial passer, who then shoots a three. 

The player who pitched the ball back then grabs the offensive rebound and makes an outlet pass to the other side of the line, and follows their pass to get in that line. 

Coach White makes it so his players must make 22 shots in a minute, or else they have to run suicides.

Never get out coached,

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