Basketball Driveway Drills: 5-Spot Shooting

Working on your shooting skills in your driveway can lack the atmosphere of a real game. Making baskets is one thing. Being able to sink shots while moving at game speed is another.

That’s what makes the 5-Spot Shooting Drill so effective in practice. The benefits of this drill are that it allows you to practice moving without the ball and shooting at game speed. And all you need to perform this advanced basketball workout at home is a partner, a ball, a hoop and space in your driveway.

Before starting, it can be beneficial to measure out the free-throw line and the three-point arc. Check out this guide to make sure you have the correct measurements for your driveway basketball court.

5-SPOT SHOOTING DRILL

This drill requires you to make several shots at various spots on the court. You can either take these shots from three-point range or as midrange jumpers, depending on the size of your driveway.

“The key to this drill is to make four out of five shots to move on,” DICK’S Sporting Goods Associate and former Division I assistant coach Derek Liebert says. “But really challenge yourself to hit all five.”

You will need a partner to act as a rebounder under the rim. As the rebounder, make sure to deliver a crisp pass to the shooting pocket. Don’t wait until the shooter stops. Lead the shooter by passing the ball to where they’ll be.

The 5-Spot Shooting Drill challenges you to make shots from five different spots:

• Take a spot-up jump shot from the wing or free-throw line extended to start.
• Sprint to the baseline and take a catch-and-shoot jump shot as if you’re coming off a fade screen. Make sure you’re square to the rim by the time you catch the ball.
• Attempt a jump shot at the top of the key as if you’re coming off a curl screen. As the pass is being delivered, begin to turn your hips toward the rim. Again, you want to be square to the rim as you catch the ball.
• Sprint out 15 to 20 feet past the three-point line, come back to the arc and take a catch-and-shoot jump shot as if you’re in transition. As the pass is being delivered, try to take shorter, choppy steps to slow down. Control your momentum and make sure you jump straight up and down.
• Finally, take a spot-up jump shot from midrange or the three-point line, depending on what you’re working on.

Bonus Pro Tip: Do not fade away on any of these shots. Always make sure you are square to the rim.

“The focus of this will be moving without the ball and shooting at game speed,” Liebert says. By working on making shots at game speed, you can be ready to make those shots all season long.

Looking for more driveway drills? Try the Beat the Pro Drill. This exercise challenges you to make consecutive shots at two spots on the court. The Star Drill can also help you improve shooting form, catching and shooting, and finishing at the rim.