More targeting drills
I’m always happy to pass on good advice. Here are some great drills to improve your shootibg accuracy. Collin from ShotMechanics puts together some great programs and great instructional videos that I will post regularly here.
These are some excellent shooting drills to practice getting eyes up on the hoop (targeting) before going into shooting motion. The idea is that your brain needs as much information as possible to accurately judge how much power (primarily from your legs) to put into your shot. If you don’t target the rim before you go up, then your brain doesn’t know how much power or energy is needed to get the ball to the basket.
All these calculations are going on automatically when you are shooting so getting your eyes on the basket gives your brain the visual input it needs to make the shot. Practice these drills, demonstrated in the video above, to improve your targeting:
BTL Backpedal Shooting - take 3 dribbles backing up, and on the last dribble get your eyes up on the rim before going into your shot motion
Cone Lock Shooting - keep your eyes locked on a cone (or a spot on the floor like the nail at the free throw line), spin the ball to yourself, and as you catch, get your eyes on the rim before shooting
Colin calls this early targeting “looking through your eyebrows.” In each of these drills, focus on getting your eyes up on the rim before you lift your head. Great advice, especially for young players whose defenders are guarding the body, not looking at the eyes.
