Summer stands out as one of most integral points for any basketball program from year to year. This stretch of time allows for both individual and team-wide development, depending upon your set up. No matter if you’re participating in summer basketball team camps or simply conducting workouts, giving your players specific summer basketball development drills will make all the difference come next season.
However, like teams, not all developmental drills are created equal. Coaches need to scale the drills to optimize the success for their players. Provide your team with different phases to progress through as the summer moves on, and this will allow your basketball players to maximize these developmental drills.
Summer Basketball Individual Development Drills: The Basics
The first phase of your summer basketball development drills should address the basic skills your players need to master. This set of exercises remains particularly useful for youth basketball teams, especially those with younger players just getting into the sport. The drills here help players with the familiarization of necessary skills for competitive play. (Court length is 94 feet from baseline to baseline.)
- Full Court, Right-handed Dribble
- You should go down go down and back the court without losing control once before switching to the next drill. If you lose control, start over. Practice maintaining control, balance and stability in dribbling.
- Full Court, Left-handed Dribble
- You should go down go down and back the court without losing control once before switching to the next drill. If you lose control, start over. Practice maintaining control, balance and stability in dribbling.
- One-handed layups, right side
- You should make at least 70 percent before finishing. Don’t run for these layups, stand under the basket and use the backboard. This is a variation of the Mikan Drill.
- One-handed layups, left side
- You should make at least 60 percent. Don’t run for these layups, stand under the basket and use the backboard.
- One-handed form shooting
- Start within 2-3 feet of the basket standing in the paint. Practice same form every shot. Once you’ve made three in a row, take one step back, and do the same process. Must make three in a row to move back. Continue until you reach the free throw line.
- Free Throws
- Complete the same pre-shooting routine every time. Take a deep breath before you shoot and don’t move over the line. Start with 20 free throws and keep track of how many you make.
Summer Basketball Individual Development Drills: Intermediate Work
The next phase of your summer basketball development drills should up the skill-level necessary to complete each exercise. This intermediate work stands to sharpen each player’s skill if completed correctly and consistently.
- Full Court, Crossover Dribble
- You should go down go down and back, using a crossover dribble to switch hands every two dribbles, without losing control once before moving on to the next drill. If you lose control, start over. Practice maintaining control, balance and stability in dribbling.
- Wing Layups
- Start from the three-point line and complete slow, half, and full speed layups where you finish under the basket. From the right side, make at least 70 percent of your shots. From the left, at least 60 percent. Use the backboard with each layup attempt.
- Elbow Shooting
- Start on the right side, free throw line extended. Similar to the form shooting drill from the basics phase, practice same form every shot. Once you’ve made three in a row, shift to the left side and do the same process. Add a set number for completion.
- Spot Shooting
- Find a spot on the court within the three-point arc. Start 8-10 feet away from that spot, dribble quickly to it, pull up and shoot. Focus on stopping and shooting with good form. Complete a walk through the first couple of times if necessary. Do this for the same spot at least 15 times and keep track of how many shot you make.
- Free Throws
- Complete the same pre-shooting routine every time. Take a deep breath before you shoot and don’t move over the line. Start with 20 free throws and keep track of how many you make.
Individual Development Drills Progression
These summer basketball development drills can be completed both individually or within a team setting. The beauty of these basic and intermediate exercises is they can be incorporated into team workouts or players can complete them on their own at a neighborhood park or with at their basketball hoop at home.
Over the summer, players should look to complete these drills at least five times a week, unless they’re involved in other sports. But even if a player is participating in summer training for another sport, they should crave out time to complete these summer basketball development drills so as to not fall behind.
Related: Summer Team Basketball Work
Resources:
Coach Unplugged Podcast
Ep: 1083 Summer Basketball Takeways
Ep: 1072 Favorite Summer Coaching Books
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