Like with any other sport, practice is crucial when it comes to basketball. Basketball drills, especially those done in groups of two or three, are essential for teaching your players how to work as a team in order to score baskets. These free basketball drills will get your players practicing their shooting skills while also working on the set-up of the particular shots.

For the first of the free basketball drills, divide the team into groups of three. Player 1 is the shooter, player 2 is the rebounder and player 3 is the passer. Set up the group of three at a basket, with the shooter on the right wing with one ball, the passer at the free-throw line with another ball, and the rebounder in the center. The shooter begins by taking a shot, then sprinting to the left wing, where he receives a pass from the passer, and shoots again. In the meantime, the rebounder plays each shot as a rebound, then passes the balls back to the passer.

The important things to keep in mind for this drill are for the shooter to make sure he is stationary when taking the shots. Also, this drill is great for helping your players develop sharp passing skills. For variety, you can always adjust where the shooter is standing to have him develop his shooting skills from different spots on the court. Try getting your shooter to stand on the right baseline then move to the left, or have him move from corner to corner.

Run the drill for one minute then have the players change positions. Give the drill a more competitive edge by keeping score, with the one in each group of three with the highest score facing up to the other high scorers after the first round is complete.

The next of the free basketball drills that specifically focus on improving your players’ shooting skills are two person drills. Practice each basketball drill separately first before interchanging them.

The first free basketball drill is a simple shooting drill. Have player 1 stand just below the net with player 2 standing in the corner. Player 1 passes to player 2 who takes the shot from the corner. The second drill involves the same set up, but instead of taking the shot after receiving the pass player 2 does either ball fake or a jab step to move around player 1, who has now taken on the role of defender. Emphasize keeping the number of dribbles as low as possible before having player 1 take the jump shot. For the third free basketball drill the set up remains the same. However, this time player 1 performs a shot fake, enabling him to drive to the basket by rubbing off the defender’s shoulder.

Practice each drill for 2 minutes then have the players switch roles. After everyone is sufficiently confident with each drill then anything goes. This will teach your players to think on their feet and prepare them for the court.