One Minute Shoot-Out Drill
By Hal Wissel
This drill helps you to develop the ability to catch and shoot in one motion with a quick release. In addition, it helps you to develop the ability to shoot under pressure. The difference between good shooters and great shooters is the ability to shoot under pressure (in this drill, the pressure is the clock). Not only is this a good shooting drill, but it is also a good pass and catch drill (passing to the shooter’s target) as well as a good rebounding drill (rebounding the ball with two hands without allowing the ball to hit the floor). Select two players to work with you. One player keeps time. The timer blows a whistle to begin the drill, whistles again after 20 seconds at the first spot, whistles after 20 seconds at the second spot, and whistles at the 1-minute mark. The other player keeps score, rebounds the ball, and passes it back to you as you shoot. You will shoot from three spots—9 feet in front of the basket, with each made shot worth 1 point; 15 feet in front of the basket (behind the free-throw line), with each made shot worth 2 points; and 21feet in front of the basket (or behind the three-point line), with each made shot worth 3 points.
Start in a balanced stance 9 feet in front of the basket with the ball in good shooting position in front of the shooting side shoulder. On the first whistle, begin shooting and continue to shoot from the same spot until the second whistle. At the second whistle, move back until you are 15 feet in front of the basket, and continue to shoot from that spot until the third whistle. On the third whistle, move back until you are behind the three-point line in front of the basket. Continue to shoot from that spot until the final whistle. All shots count after the whistle except at the third spot, where the ball must be released before the final whistle. After shooting for 1 minute, rotate positions with the other players. The shooter becomes the rebounder and passer, the rebounder and passer becomes the timer, and the timer becomes the shooter.
One Minute Shoot-Out Drill