Basketball shooting drills are designed to improve a player's basketball shooting form and the consistency of their shot. Shooting drills from the elbow area teach players to work on their mid-range jump shot, a skill that professional basketball scout Ryan Blake calls a lost art.
About the Elbow
There are four elbows on each basketball court, two on each end. The elbows are where the paint or lane meets the free-throw line. Each corner is considered an elbow or the elbow area. The elbow, like the foul line, is 15 feet away from the front of the rim, making elbow shots considered to be mid-range shots. The elbow area jump shot is often open, especially after fakes or against a zone defense.
Cross Elbow Drill
The cross elbow shooting drill is a good drill to simulate a motion offense on a curl or cross screen. In addition, the motion simulates a wing or perimeter player flashing to the elbow and high post area against a zone. The drill requires two lines, a passing line and a shooter's line. Have the passing line stand on one wing behind the three point line and the shooting line start in the same spot on the other wing. The shooting line should make a hard cut to the opposite side elbow, catch a pass and shoot a jump shot from the elbow. Be sure to have players rotate lines and sides of the court.
Down Elbow Drill
The down elbow drill is a good drill to use to mimic a flex offense cut off of a down screen or to simulate a post player flashing to the high post or elbow area. Again you will have a passing line standing at one wing beyond the three-point line and a shooting line that will start on one of the two low blocks. The shooting line will then make a hard cut to flash to the opposite side elbow, catch the pass and shoot a jump-shot. Make sure that players shoot from both elbows during the drill.
Ball Fake Pull-Up
The ball fake pull-up can be incorporated into most shooting drills or done individually if you have only one player. Have the shooter either catch a pass at the head of the key behind three-point line or start there if they are performing the drill alone. The player will then perform a shot fake, take one dribble, pull-up at the elbow and shoot a jumper. Make sure that players shoot at least four to five shots from each elbow.
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