Best Basketball Shooting Drills You Can Do Alone

You Don't Need a Partner to Become a Better Shooter

Some of the best basketball shooting drills you can do alone require nothing more than a ball, a hoop, and a plan. Solo shooting sessions are where real improvement happens — no waiting in line, no distractions, just you and your shot. The key is structure. Aimless shooting around is not the same as deliberate practice.

If you want to build a consistent, reliable shot, these drills will get you there.

Form Shooting Close to the Basket

Every solo session should start with form shooting. Stand about one to two metres from the basket and shoot with your shooting hand only. No guide hand, no jump — just a clean one-handed release focusing on your wrist snap and follow-through.

How to do it:

• Hold the ball on your shooting hand with your elbow under the ball.
• Flick your wrist and release, aiming for the centre of the rim.
• Shoot 20 to 30 repetitions before adding your guide hand.
• Once you add the guide hand, shoot another 20 to 30, making sure the guide hand stays passive.

This drill builds the foundation. If your close-range form is not clean, nothing further out will be consistent. Think of it as tuning an instrument before you play.

Spot-Up Shooting Sequences

Once your form feels right, move to spot-up shooting from set positions around the court. This is where you build your shooting range and learn to be accurate from the spots you will actually shoot from in games.

Five-spot drill:

Pick five spots — two on the wings, two on the elbows, and one at the top of the key. Shoot five shots from each spot before rotating. Track your makes out of 25 total. The goal is to hit a personal benchmark and try to beat it next session.

Around the world:

Start at the right baseline and work your way around the three-point line (or closer for younger players) to the left baseline. You must make a shot before moving to the next spot. Time yourself and try to beat your time while maintaining accuracy.

These drills teach you to shoot from different angles and distances, which directly translates to game situations.

Free Throw Challenges

Free throws win and lose games, and they are the easiest shot to practise alone. The trick is to simulate pressure rather than just casually shooting.

Pressure free throw drill:

• Shoot 10 free throws in a row. Count your makes.
• After each set of 10, do a short burst of exercise — five push-ups, ten high knees, or a sprint to half court and back.
• Then shoot another 10. The fatigue simulates late-game pressure when your legs are tired.
• Track your percentage across sets. Most players drop off when fatigued — that is the gap you are training to close.

The 50 challenge:

Shoot 50 free throws and record your percentage. Do this at the end of every solo session. Over weeks, you will see a clear trend line showing your improvement.

Movement Drills

Game shots rarely come from a standstill. Once your stationary shooting is solid, add movement to your drills.

Catch and shoot simulation:

Place the ball on the ground at the elbow. Sprint from the three-point line to the ball, pick it up, square your feet, and shoot. Rotate through different spots. This trains your footwork and the transition from movement to a set shot.

Dribble pull-up:

Start at half court. Dribble toward the basket at game speed, pull up at the free throw line or elbow, and shoot. Alternate between pulling up off a right-hand dribble and a left-hand dribble. This is one of the hardest shots in basketball and it takes hundreds of reps to get comfortable.

Relocate and shoot:

Stand on one wing, slide or sprint to the opposite wing, and immediately catch (or pick up) the ball and shoot. This simulates relocating in a game when the defence shifts.

Track Everything

Here is the difference between players who improve and players who plateau: tracking. If you do not measure your shooting, you are guessing at your progress. Logging your makes and attempts for each drill type gives you real data on where you are improving and where you need more work.

> "What gets measured gets improved." This applies to shooting more than almost any other skill in basketball.

Set a target for each drill and write down your results. Over time, the numbers do not lie — you will see which drills need more attention and where your strengths are developing.

Start Building Your Shot

Solo shooting sessions are the fastest path to becoming a better scorer. But only if you practise with purpose and track your results.

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