Walking onto the court last month, I felt that familiar mix of nerves and excitement—the kind you get when you’re about to test months of training under real pressure. We were facing the defending champions, a team known for their suffocating defense and clutch shooting. I’d spent weeks drilling my shot, refining my release, and building consistency, but nothing truly prepares you for game speed. After we pulled off the win, one of my teammates, echoing a mindset I’ve come to respect, reminded everyone: “It’s just the eliminations. It’s a long way to go. Of course it’s good for our confidence to beat the defending champions, the number one seeded team, beat the number two seeded team—but it doesn’t mean anything.” That statement stuck with me. It’s a humble, process-driven approach, and it reflects exactly how I think about skill development—especially shooting. Wins come and go, but what stays is your technique, your discipline, and the work you put in when nobody’s watching.

Over the years, I’ve experimented with dozens of shooting drills, but I’ve found that only a handful deliver measurable results without overcomplicating things. If you’re serious about raising your shooting accuracy within a tight window—say, 30 days—you need to focus on drills that build muscle memory, simulate game intensity, and reinforce good habits. It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things consistently. I’ve seen players jump from a 38% field goal percentage to hovering around 48% in just one month by sticking to a structured routine. And no, it’s not magic—it’s deliberate practice. Today, I want to share three of my favorite drills that have not only improved my own shooting but have also helped players I coach. These aren’t just random exercises; they’re the ones I return to season after season, especially when my shot feels off or when I’m preparing for high-stakes games.

Let’s start with the form shooting drill, which sounds basic but is often done incorrectly. I can’t stress this enough—how you shoot close to the basket determines how you shoot from distance. I spend at least ten minutes every practice session standing right under the rim, focusing purely on my wrist snap, follow-through, and arc. The goal here isn’t to make a hundred shots; it’s to make ten perfect ones in a row. If I miss one, I restart. This drill ingrains the feeling of a clean release. I tell my students to imagine the ball rolling off their fingertips with backspin—no side spin, no pushing the ball. It’s tedious, I know. But think of it like laying a foundation before building a house. When I tracked my stats last season, I found that players who skipped form shooting consistently underperformed in late-game free throws, dipping as low as 62% from the line. Those who didn’t? We’re talking 80% or higher. It’s that important.

Next up is the “shot fake and step-back” series, which bridges the gap between stationary shooting and creating your own shot under defensive pressure. I love this one because it’s as much about footwork and balance as it is about shooting. You start at the three-point line, execute a quick shot fake—sell it with your eyes and shoulders—then take one dribble back and rise up for the jumper. The key here is staying low and exploding upward, not backward. I’ve noticed that a lot of players fade away unnecessarily on these shots, which tanks their accuracy. Personally, I aim for eight out of ten makes from five spots around the arc. It’s brutal at first. When I introduced this to a group of high school players last year, their make rate from step-backs jumped from around 25% to nearly 40% in four weeks. That kind of improvement changes how defenders guard you. Suddenly, you’re not just a catch-and-shoot threat; you’re a creator.

The third drill is what I call “fatigue shooting,” and it’s my least favorite—because it’s hard. But it works. You simulate end-of-game exhaustion by incorporating full-court sprints or defensive slides between shooting sets. For example, I’ll sprint from baseline to baseline and then immediately catch and shoot from the wing. The objective isn’t pretty form; it’s maintaining accuracy when your legs are gone. Stats show that shooting percentage drops by roughly 12–15% in the fourth quarter for players who neglect conditioning specific to shooting. I’ve felt it myself—that heavy-legged feeling where your shot comes up short. By drilling this weekly, I’ve managed to keep my late-game FG% above 44% even in back-to-backs. It’s grueling, but it builds mental and physical toughness. And honestly, it’s what separates decent shooters from closers.

Now, you might wonder why I’m emphasizing these three so heavily. It’s because they align with that post-game insight I mentioned earlier—the idea that beating a top team “doesn’t mean anything” in the grand scheme. It’s the daily grind, the unsexy repetition, that actually counts. Flashy wins might boost confidence, but lasting improvement comes from drills like these. I’ve seen too many players get caught up in short-term outcomes—making five threes in a game, for instance—only to become inconsistent because they skipped foundational work. My advice? Stick with these drills for 30 days, track your makes and misses, and be honest with your progress. Don’t just go through the motions. I’ve made that mistake before, and it cost me during crucial playoff minutes. Shooting is a skill that rewards the meticulous. Stay humble, stay focused, and trust that the results will follow when it matters most.