If you’ve watched a weekend of youth hoops, you’ve seen it: great effort… and lots of missed layups and open shots. At younger ages, teams routinely miss more than half their field goal attempts — not because kids don’t care, but because they’re still building the mechanics, footwork, and decisions that make shots go in.

The good news? With the right simple, repeatable basketball drills, players can lock in good form, shoot in rhythm, and learn when to shoot vs. drive. 

Below are five game-ready drills (from Coach Jim Huber) you can run in any gym — perfect for coaches and parents working with beginners.

These shooting drills are from The Complete Youth Coaching System (Ages 9-14) and Coaching Beginner Basketball (Ages 5-9).

• Drill #1: Wall Shooting - Focus On Shooting Form Without Worrying about Makes

• Drill #2: Ladder Shooting – Helps Players Maintain Form While Extending Range

• Drill #3 - Ball Toss - Improves Shooting Footwork

• Drill #4 - 3 Player, 2 Ball Shooting – A More Game-Like, Random Shooting Drill

• Drill #5 - Read Drill – Teaches Players To Read Closeouts & Decide Pass Or Drive

Drill #1: Wall Shooting - Focus On Shooting Form Without Worrying about Makes

Purpose

Remove the pressure of makes/misses and groove consistent form. As soon as you put a hoop in front of players, they judge their shot solely by whether it goes in. This can be deceiving and lead to bad habits.

Wall shooting removes the hoop so players can be process focused. Rather than obsessing over makes and misses, they can hone in on the technical aspects of shooting that build good habits!

Setup

• One ball per player; stand a few feet from a wall

  

Instructions

• Square up on balance: feet set, hips down, eyes on a spot. Shoot the ball against the wall, focusing on proper form.

• High elbow, follow-through: when you release the ball, make sure your elbow is above your eye. Snap your wrist and hold your follow through

• Aim to hit the same spot repeatedly (wall) or the same square on the glass.

• Add a self-pass: toss to yourself, step-in (1–2 or hop), shoot. This enables you to work on shooting off the catch.

Coaching Points

• “Lift” on the shot (don’t push). Think of shooting up, not out.

• Guide hand light on the ball - don’t allow the guide hand to direct the ball. Play special attention to the thumb.

• Keep reps short and focused (6–10 at a time), then reset. If you go too long, players will lose focus.

Why it works

Kids stop obsessing over makes and focus on mind–body connection and repeatable mechanics. Process > results early on.

Drill #2: Ladder Shooting – Helps Players Maintain Form While Extending Range

Purpose

Players are often able to shoot with proper technique close to the rim. However, many revert back to bad habits when they move further away.

This drill helps teach players to maintain good form while extending their range. Over time, players should see their range increase as their shooting improves.

Setup

• One ball per player; start close to the rim.

• Multiple players can go on 1 hoop

Instructions

• Begin at the rim, take one big step back to your starting spot.

• Shoot. If you make it, take 1 step back. On a miss, move 1 step closer.

• 5 steps back = 1 ladder.  If a player completes a ladder, they move to a new spot and start again

• Continue for 3-5 minutes or until you “find” your sustainable range. Track ladders achieved.

Coaching Points

• Stay on balance as you move back; no heaving from distance. Signs of this are dipping the shooting shoulder, twisting when shooting, and a 2 handed release.

• Emphasize consistent footwork and follow-through at every spot. Players should hold their follow through until the ball hits the rim.

• Each step back should be small. Increases in range should be done incrementally.

Variations

• Partner race: who climbs the farthest in 90 seconds? This is a fun way to make the drill competitive.

• “Make 2 to move back” for beginners who need more success. You can remove the step forward for misses and simply have players move back when they make 1 or 2 shots from each distance. This gives everyone a chance to earn a ladder.

Drill #3 - Ball Toss - Improves Shooting Footwork

Purpose

Most form shooting drills focus on the upper body. However, without good footwork, you won’t get consistent results. 

This drills blends footwork, catching, stopping, pivoting, and rhythm shooting, making the drill more game-like and inclusive of all aspects of shooting.

Setup

• One ball per player; spread across baskets to maximize reps.

Instructions

• Speed dribble out to space (right/left), perform a quick stop, then pivot to face the rim. Every time dribble out to a new spot..

  

• Self-pass (air or bounce), step in using a 1-2 step, and catch & shoot.

  

• Rebound your own shot and put it back in if you miss. Then flow into the next rep.

Coaching Points

• Use this verbal cue: “Ball in air, feet in air.” This helps players catch shot ready. It also helps them shoot on balance with good knee bend.

• Prepare early: hands shown, feet ready before the catch. Tell players, “we don’t shoot quickly, we PREPARE to shoot quickly.”

• Build to game speed — go “fast enough to make mistakes,” then clean it up.

• Tell players they can’t perform the same pivot 2x in a row. This forces them to work on different pivots.

• Perform the 1-2 footwork leading with both feet to get comfortable with different types of footwork.

Progressions

• Have players dribble out with their weak-hand.

• Add a change-of-direction before the stop/pivot. This challenges players dribbling skills and works on their ball pickup.

• Finish the last rep with a hard attack to the rim.

Drill #4 - 3 Player, 2 Ball Shooting – A More Game-Like, Random Shooting Drill

Purpose

This drill is a game-like shooting drill. While the video shows players performing it from set spots, you can also have players shoot from a new spot every time.

It incorporates passing on target/on time, conditioning, and high shot volume.

Setup

• Three players, two balls, 10–15 feet from the hoop to start.

Instructions 

• Passer → Shooter → Rebounder rotate as follow:

  Player 1 & 2 have basketballs. Player 1 shoots & rebounds their own shot. They pass to 3 & then sprint to a new spot to get ready for their next shot.

  Player 2 shoots, rebounds, and passes to 1. Player 3 shoots, rebounds, and passes to 2.

  The pattern continues throughout the drill. Done correctly, the players pass to the same person the entire drill.

  
  
  

Coaching Points

• Have players throw chest passes only (they travel faster, allowing for more reps). Stress that shooters show a target.

• “Ball in air, feet in air.” Step into your catch.

• Keep it moving — talk, point, and communicate. This is a good conditioning drill as well.

• Shoot from appropriate range for age & strength, then extend gradually.

• Focus on passing as well. Players should take pride in throwing passes to their teammate’s chest. Use the verbal cue: “throw strikes.”

Variations

• Make it competitive. You can compete in groups (first team to make 10, etc.) or individually (first player at each hoop to make 5).

• Add layers for older players. Some options would be: pump fake, 1 dribble pullups, or 3 pointers. 

Drill #5 - Read Drill – Teaches Players To Read Closeouts & Decide Pass Or Drive

Purpose

This drill helps teach immediate shot/drive decisions vs. a closeout. Knowing HOW to shoot is only half the battle. The other factor is knowing WHEN to shoot. 

This drill teaches players to scan to their defender before catching the ball. They then decide whether to shoot (if the defender is farther than an arms length away) or drive (if the defender is closer than an arms length). 

Being able to make shots with a defender contesting is a separating factor for elite shooters.

Setup

• 2 players on the wing as the first shooters.

• All other players in lines on each block. The first player in each line on the block has a basketball.

Instructions

• Shooters start in range (younger kids ~8-10 feet; older can step out closer to the 3 point line).

• Passer throws a good, on-time pass and make a closeout giving 1 of 2 reads:

  1 - Hard closeout: 1-dribble pull-up into space. See players 2 & 4 below. A hard closeout is defined as closer than an arm’s length away.

  2 - Short closeout: catch & shoot immediately. See players 1 & 3 below. A short closeout is defined as further than an arm’s length away.

  

• After the shot, players rotate roles (passer becomes shooter). Shooter goes to the end of the block line.

Coaching Points

• Think “SHOT” on every catch — then read the defender. If you think drive first, it’s very hard to transition to shooting. Always think shot!

• Clean footwork: If it’s a hard closeout, players should catch on a split step and immediately attack for the pullup. On the pullup, be sure to pound the last dribble to create momentum up into the shot. If it’s a soft closeout, players should catch on a hop or 1-2 step and be ready to shoot immediately.

• Players should finish with their “Elbow above their eye.” Their feet should land in the same spot they jumped from.

• Stay focused on the rim and not the defender’s hand when shooting. This is a great way to practice contested shooting.

Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day - Neither Are Great Shooters

We all want immediate results. Unfortunately, shooting doesn’t usually work that way. That’s why so few players become great at it - they lack the persistence and discipline to stick with it.

As a reminder:

• Keep drills short, simple, and active — no long lines.

• Match shooting distance to a player’s current strength; let form dictate range. As soon as form deteriorates, you know you’ve gone too far.

• Layer complexity slowly: start with mechanics, then add speed, reads, and contests.

• Track small wins (makes in a row, range climbed, decisions made) to build confidence.

With patience and repetition, these drills will give young players habits that will serve them well for years!

Shooting is the most important — and hardest — skill. Build it the right way and kids won’t just shoot more… they’ll make more.

To learn more great shooting drills & everything else youth basketball, check out The Complete Youth Coaching System (Ages 9-14)and Coaching Beginner Basketball (Ages 5-9).

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