When it comes to basketball skills, the earlier you teach the shooting fundamentals, the better. Shooting 1,000 shots with the wrong technique does not make young players better. They need to get their mechanics right—placing their feet shoulder-width apart; lining up the elbow with the knee; starting low and finishing high, and using the wrist to get proper rotation on the basketball.

Use the following drills to instill correct shooting form in your young players.

Step-Back Shooting

Purpose: Improve shooting touch.

• Stand directly in front of the rim.
• Start low and finish high.
• Don’t dribble. Make your shot.
• Hold your form until the ball goes through the net.
• Do five reps, then take one step back. Make five shots from that spot.
• Repeat until you reach the last spot at the free-throw line.

Team Line Elbow Shooting

Purpose: Improve patience and shot mechanics

• Arrange players in two lines facing each other.
• Players in the line to the right place their right foot on the elbow.
• Players in the line to the left pass low to players on the right, who rotate their left foot toward the basket and shoot, holding their form.
• After 10 reps, switch passing and shooting lines. On the left side, the player’s left foot is on the elbow.

Spot Form Shooting

Purpose: Develop concentration. Good for a daily warm-up at any level.

Begin at either block.

• Bounce the ball back to yourself, catch it low and come up shooting.
• Make 10 shots from that spot and move to the middle of the lane.
• Complete 10 shots and move to the other block. Make 10 shots.

Read more:

• 3 Great Drills for Coaching Youth Basketball
• 4 Youth Basketball Drills That Teach the Fundamentals
• Technique-Based Youth Basketball Shooting Drills