My 11-year old does traditional layup pretty well. He has been practicing v-layups (from left and right elbows).
But in the game, he plays wings and keeps missing layups when the ball is passed to him. His jump-shots are not consistent yet.

what kind of drills do you have for driving to basket from the wing (close to baseline)? Any training videos you guys are aware?

I'm thinking of having him practice dribble to the low block and then do a jump stop, then jump of both foot to do layup (power layup). Is this a good idea?

I'd appreciate of any suggestions and drills.

A lot of coaches are going to the jump stop lay up, nothing wrong with utilizing that move.

I think that Jeff & Joe just put up a drill for the types of lay ups you are talking about, or at least something similar. Maybe they can find it for you.

Hi Coach Sar,
thanks for the reply.
I have a follow-up question. I took my son to practice some drills last night including driving from the side (imaginary line extended from low block and parallel to baseline). He plays forwards or small forwards most of the time.
One of the drills is to catch to ball on the side. It's not close to baseline. It's like where the straight line extended from the low block but parallel to baseline. what I observed is that he (as a forward or small forward) was that he receives pass a lot from that position during game. so I had him catch my pass and then drive to the basket to score layup. or he receives the pass and do one dribble push to the low block and then jump stop and then shoot to the basket. or he receives a pass and do a jump shot. He can do that very high percentage. In real games, lots of the teams are not that good and don't even defend the low block.

After the practice, he shocked me by saying that he is not supposed to shoot or layup from the side because that's not the best position. He said his coach told him that. Then I asked him why he even get to that position all the time during the game and receive the ball. He said he would pass it back. to me this doesn't make sense.

Then I went to search youtube for the NBA forwards, I see those guys shooting from the side quite frequently.
I don't know if he heard it incorrectly from his coach or something?

can you clarify that if a player can do jump shot or layups from the side (imagined line extended from low block and parallel to baseline)?

thanks

Michael -



I'm not sure why he doesn' want him taking that shot, especially since he is making them. I will admit that the baseline shot is a tough shot, but success breeds success. And IF he is getting to a posituin to shoot a lay up, why not?

I don't want to question his coach and his philosophy because your son HAS to play for him... but one thing I learned was that if it isn't broken, don't fix it. IF he is having success on a regular basis... I would allow him to do that.

You might try this approach with the coach.... like asking him a question and wanting to help your son. Coach, what can I do to help my son get better? I notice that he gets the ball near the baseline a lot and has had a pretty good % making those shots. Is this something you don't want him doing? AND, what do you want him to do when he gets the ball there? I can help him work on this when we work out.

This way you are putting it on him to give you an answer - maybe your son did hear it wrong...