Basketball Tip

3 Basketball Drills to Improve your Shooting Accuracy

Working on ways to increase the buckets you make will always be valuable to you and your team. Coaches want players who take meaningful shots and that they can depend on in the final minutes of a game. At Nike Basketball Camps, our coaches work with our athletes to make sure they are in the best spot to take and make shots when it comes down to it. Here are three tips for beginner to advanced players that will help improve your shooting accuracy and make you a dependable player when it matters.

1. Practice "Nothing but the Net" Shots

The whole point of all net shots is to make your target smaller and to learn where you need to focus your eye line to make you a more successful shooter. Do you need to focus on the backboard, the back of the rim, the front of the rim, etc, all athletes are different. By taking these shots, you are increasing the amount you need to focus to be a successful shooter. You will soon learn that all net shots are harder to make than regular shots, making game day shots easier for you.

Every shot you take, the ball can only touch the net. Touching the rim or backboard does not count. Start off by taking stationary shots at four different spots and making five net shots in each. Track your progress each time to see how much you improve.

2. Focus on Reps Close to the Basket

While at practice, start out with easier shots closer to the basket. Don't start practice taking 3-pointers, instead work up to this over the course of practice. Start out focusing on your shot technique so you can eventually build out your range and become a more consistent shooter as you grow. Practice is the time to focus on what you are doing right and what you may be doing wrong. After every missed shot, focus on what went wrong and what you can do to fix this for the future. By immediately recognizing your mistakes, you will be able to not only avoid them in the future but build strong habits that will help improve your shooting accuracy.

If your shots are too long or too short, it may just be something you need to work out by taking more reps and getting a better feel for the ball. Often times if you overshot to the left or right it has to do with your core mechanics. Try to make it your goal that over the course of practice you are making 100 perfect shots.

3. One-Armed Shots

A third way to help you improve your accuracy is to take one-armed shots. This will force you to focus on your follow-through and make sure you are flexing your wrist every time.

Start just under the basket and make five shots. To make it more challenging, take a step back and make five more shots and so on. As you take these shots the power should be coming from your legs and you should be following through on every shot, making sure not to drop your arm after the shot.

Finding ways to locate your target faster will give you a leg up when it comes to shooting accuracy. By staying focused in practice and using that time to develop tricks, you will become more confident on the court and in your shooting abilities. Practice these three drills a few times a week and you will see results over time. Check out more basketball shooting tips and learn even more this summer at a Nike Basketball Camp near you.