Basketball Shooting Drills for Kids

The Free Throw Drill

• When you are fouled, you are usually given one or two free throw shots. Each shot is worth one point. Free throws can make a big difference between winning and losing, particularly when it is late in a close game and more players are sent to the free-throw line.

  For this drill, have each player shoot 10 free throws. For each shot missed, have the team run the length of the court and back. Then have the player shoot the number of free throws he missed. If more shots are missed, repeat these steps until the player reaches zero missed shots. This should provide plenty of incentive to players to concentrate harder on making their free throws.

Three Point Shot Drill

• Three point shots are those taken behind an arc, called the three point line, that extends from one sideline to the next. The arc arches out away from the basket and toward the half-court line. These shots are taken much further away from the basket than most shots, which is why they carry a higher point value. It takes a lot of practice to become good at three-point shots.

  In this drill, place two players on each side of the courts. Have player A stand behind the three point line and have player B near the basket to rebound the ball. Each time player A shoots a three point shot, player B rebounds the ball and throws the ball back to player A.

  Player A should constantly change position along the three point line so he has many different looks at the basket.

Bank Shot Drill

• This drill is great for improving shot form and strengthening the arms. Bank shots are those where the ball bounces off the backboard and, hopefully, into the basket. Most layups are examples of bank shots. They count for two points if they are within the three point line.

  Have a player stand near the basket and take anywhere from 50 to 100 bank shots from various positions of the court.