Transition Shooting

One of the biggest concerns I have every practice is how can we get more shooting in?  Players need as many shots as they can possibly get.  With a 2-hour time frame for most practices, there is only so much time that can be given to shooting without taking away from other aspects of basketball.  How do I get more shots up in practice?

I do this transition shooting drill everyday in practice.  I will put 4 minutes up on the clock and we will compete every day to try to make more shots than the day before.  I will also keep track of the most makes on the drill for the season to give us a mark to constantly try and beat.  This adds in a competition aspect into the drill giving the players a reason to focus for the 4-minutes.

Transition Shooting is a fast-paced drill so all players can be involved without having players standing around and waiting.  Players are running and shooting in the drill with a lot of passing occurring as well.  This drill is covering all the fundamentals of a good offense.  

I like to run the drill at the beginning of practice to get the players running up and down the floor.  I will also use the drill in practice after a time where I know players will be standing around a lot.  I will use it after installing a new offense or play.  The players are going to be standing and learning the play before running it.  Even after running it, the players will be moving slow through the play as they learn it.  Once install is complete, then transition shooting drill can be used to get the players back running up and down the floor.

There are 5 basketballs being used in the drill.  3 shots are being taken on every trip.  There will be 1 layup and 2 jumpshots.  The jumpshots can be either 10–15-foot midrange shots or 3-point shots.  Post players can move in to the mid-range to shoot while guards can be taking 3-pointers.  

The drill starts with 3 lines on both sides of the court along the baseline.  A1, A2, and A3 are going 1^st.  A2 has a basketball.  The two outside players behind A1 and A3 will have basketballs as well in preparation for the return trip.

On the other end B1, B2, B3 are in the front with D1, D2 and D3 in line behind them.  B1 and B3 both have basketballs.

The drill starts with a basic 3-man weave.  The players will run behind the player they pass the ball to.  This will end with a layup.  I have the diagram using only two passes but this can be as many passes as needed to get down the court.  

A1 and A3 start running down the court.  A2 passes the ball to A1 who then passes the ball to A3.  A3 catches and shoots the 1^st layup.  

A2 runs behind A1 to the 3-point line.  B1 passes the ball to A2 as they reach the 3-point line.  A1 runs behind A3.  A1 receives a pass from B3 for a 3-point shot.   B2 is rebounding the layup shot from A3.

After B1 and B3 make their passes to A2 and A1, they start sprinting down the court.  B2 gets the rebound and passes up to B3.  B3 catches and passes to B1 for a layup.  

A2 and A1 shoot their shots and get their own rebounds.  They will give the ball to D1 and D3 and get back into line.  

B1 shoots the layup.  C2 will rebound the layup to start the next trip with C1 and C3.  B2 runs behind B3.  C3 passes B2 the ball for a jumpshot.  B3 runs behind B1 and catches a pass from C1.  B3 will take their shot off of this pass.  

As C2 gets the rebound, the drill has reset itself.  C-line will continue as A-line did.  D-line will come back down the floor as B-line did.  Each line will continue in the same way with the players of each line changing their position in the 3 depending on how the 3-man weave finishes on each trip.

Conclusion

This is a great drill to get a lot of shots up in a short amount of time.  Depending on the speed of the players and drill, the players may be able to get 2 trips in every 10-12 seconds.  That comes out to about 30-36 shots a minute.  In a 4-minute drill, that is 120 to 144 shots roughly.  There are not many other drills I have found or seen that can match that amount of shots.  When you add in the running and passing being used as well, not many drills are covering as much basketball skills as this one.  

I like Transition Shooting for the volume of shots the players get in a brief 4-5 minute practice block.  It does not take a lot of time so more time to be given to other areas of concern.  

It is also beneficial for transition teams.  Players will start to learn how to shoot coming off of a sprint.  This will make fast break and transition teams that much better because the opponent now has to worry about the layup and the kick out 3-point shot.  Transition 3-pointers are hard to defend and even harder to beat.  

This is a great drill that has many benefits.  It is a conditioning drill.  It is a passing drill.  It is a shooting drill above all else.  If this is not in your practice drills then add to your list and use it.  It will help any team get better.