This is a follow up article to one I wrote an article on Developing Better Shooters. Both articles have been published by BasketballForCoaches.com. In the first article, I broke down reasons why shooting may not be taught enough, and then followed up with 6 areas for coaches to focus on to help begin developing better shooters. The six areas discussed were base and balance, foot width, dropping your hips, hand placement and alignment, chin and eyes on the rim, and following through.

The Spin Out Series

If I had to pick one shooting drill to best cover all six of these areas that can be done with any level of basketball player, it would be the Spin Out Series. This shooting drill starts on the baseline, and includes 4-5 shooting spots, depending on how much area the player can cover. It should be done closer to the hoop rather than further away. It can be adjusted based off the age and strength of the player but think somewhere in the 10-12 foot range away from the hoop.

Footwork, Base and Balance

The athlete will begin with both feet on the baseline facing forward. The player will proceed to spin the ball out in the front of them a few feet, followed by a 1-2 step to attack the ball and get the catch. I tell my players to explode towards the ball and dig their feet into the court to create a strong base. The player will be working their footwork as they sprint into the catch and get their feet squared up to the rim ready to shoot. The shooter must also maintain a strong posture, holding balance after the catch is made and feet are lined up to shoot. I tell my players to hold for 2 seconds to ensure they are on balance.

This may take a few reps for the player to get a feel for how they need to approach the ball and get squared up to the hoop. Coaches need to watch the outside foot on the plant, as players momentum may have them leaning towards the direction they were sprinting. Once your player has mastered the approach to the ball, squaring up their footwork and maintaining balance, it’s time to shoot it.

Drop Your Hips

Another area I focus my attention to is the players hips. This is a portion of the balance segment, but also helps the player shoot the ball deep enough to make the shot. Having the ability to drop your hips and sit down in a shooter’s stance creates a base strong enough to shoot the ball high enough and deep enough. We often hear “use your legs” as a shooting cue, but if you can drop your hips, your knees will naturally bend. As your hips go down, you can now move the ball down simultaneously with your body. This is what creates the dip, which allows for more range on your shot. It’s important to work with your shooters on the ball moving with the body, maintaining the same distance of the ball from your body throughout the shot motion. This creates synergy of motion and rhythm. Ultimately, this is what you can do with players to build their three point range!

Hand Placement

The placement of the hand on the basketball is another area you can analyze in the Spin Out Series, as players are going through movements at a slower pace. This is a delicate aspect of the shooter’s technique and something that has been widely debated. For youth teams, this may create a strength limitation. If you can shoot with a smaller basketball or on a lower hoop, I recommend doing so. You’ll want to help the player find a comfortable spot on the ball. The wrist should be loaded to a 90-degree angle with a slight wrinkle in the skin. This creates the last bit of force and rotation on the shot. The fingers should be spread to help release some of the tension on the ball. The shooter must be able to feel the ball and maintain control. The perfect hand placement will vary player by player, depending on hand size and overall feel. Ensure the fingers aren’t too wide, and the ball isn’t sitting on the palm. This will hurt the arc of the shot. Make sure your player is shooting the middle of the basketball.

Eyes and Chin to the Rim

Another important aspect of becoming a better shooter that can be developed in the Spin Out Series is doubling down on getting the players eyes and chin to the rim. As you’re breaking down all these different areas during the process, the player may become fixated on feet, hips, or other things that have been discussed. The likelihood of the shot going in without having your eyes and chin on the rim is extremely low. I tend to remind my players eyes and chin during the slight pause they take before releasing the ball.

Follow Through

Finishing up the shot, the shooting arm is extended through the rim. The snap of the wrist finishes the motion and provides the last bit of force to send the ball through the net. The wrist and fingers are pointing through the middle of the rim. This gives backspin and the proper arc. Hold the follow through the finish the shot. Look for 5 strong fingers pointing directing down in the net.

Work Both Sides

After the shot is made, the ball is passed back to the player, who will then spin it out to the next spot and repeat the motions. One the player has reached the baseline on the opposite side of the court, have them repeat the Spin Out Series coming back the other direction so they can work both angles and sides of their footwork.