Basketball Drills: 5-Spot Shooting

Former University of Pittsburgh point guard and current DICK’S Sporting Goods Associate Nick Rivers demonstrates a helpful drill that can help you become a more consistent shooter on the court.

When you first step onto the basketball court to shoot, you always want to start in close so you can calibrate your skills. Stay low and shoot with your dominant hand while keeping your dominant foot just a little farther from your other. Keep your elbows tight, elevate up and follow through. If you miss, try to shoot lower or higher. That’s called calibrating your shot. Once you’ve got five in a row, move back and do the same thing. When you start to feel warm, then you can move on to the 5-Spot Shooting Drill.

5-SPOT SHOOTING

The first spot you’ll be shooting from is the short corner. In this exercise, you’re going to toss the ball toward the midpoint between the basket and sideline and receive the ball like you would receive a pass during a live game. Next, you’re going to get balanced in the shooting position you were in earlier when you were calibrating so you can elevate up and take a good shot. Remember to go at game speed, especially when snagging rebounds.

After you make five shots from the short corner, go to the second spot, which is the wing (around 15 feet diagonal from the basket). Remember to stay balanced while keeping your body straight on the way up and on the way down. Sometimes when you’re coming off at full speed, you’ll have a tendency to fade, which will have a negative effect on your shot. This is why you need to go straight up and down or slightly straight forward.

The next spot to shoot from is the top of the key, followed by the opposing wing and then the short corner.

After you make five baskets from each spot, you’re going to then shoot 10. You’ll want to record how many you make from each spot and record them in your shooting journal. This drill is crucial for improving shooting consistency and building up endurance.