Are you looking for ways to improve your 3-point shooting? One of the best drills to work on your catch-and-shoot three is the Brad Stevens Shooting Drill. Learn why in this article.
On November 1, 2018, the Boston Celtics, under the guidance of Head Coach Brad Stevens, broke a franchise record by making 24 3-pointers.
The record was a result of team play. All of the players on the court were involved in getting shooters open and this led to them getting wide-open catch-and-shoot threes.
They shared the ball, set picks for one another, and moved without the ball.
For many of the plays, a ball-handler (usually Kyrie Irving) would come off of a pick, which would discombobulate the defence, then dish the ball to his screener (usually Al Horford) for an open 3-pointer.
They also did plays that used their star players’ gravity. The Celtics would drive the lane, causing the defence to collapse on that player, which led to them kicking the ball out to an open shooter for a wide-open 3-pointer.
They rarely ever isolated on their 3-point attempts.
So, how are the Celtics, as a team, so good at catch-and-shoot threes?
Well, it’s because their coach makes them do the Brad Stevens Shooting Drill.
What is the Brad Stevens Shooting Drill?
This basketball shooting drill is a drill that former Butler and Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens concocted.
It involves a shooting machine (or rebounder) and a passer and it’s meant to condition players physically and mentally and to improve his players’ shooting ability.
How Do You Do the Brad Stevens Shooting Drill?
Here’s the drill in action and the instructions on how to do it:
Key Notes:
- Starting off, go for two-in-a-roll instead of three-in-a-roll. Work on your skill and get comfortable with your shooting form first.
- Also, do the drill in the mid-range area the first few times. The point of the drill is to work on your shot mechanics, after all. And as Steve Kerr says, you can’t shoot threes if you can’t shoot the mid-range jumper (read why here).
- If you are unable to get 2 extra players to do the drill with you, you should get a portable basketball rebounder/returner that will assist you with retrieving the ball. It definitely won’t be as effective as having a dedicated rebounder, but it’ll do the job if you’re lacking a player. You can grab one from Amazon here.
(And to be transparent with you, this is an affiliate link. What this means is that if you use it to buy anything on the site, I will get a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)
Benefits of the Brad Stevens Shooting Drill
The Brad Sevens Shooting Drill is fantastic for overall basketball conditioning.
Since you have to do so many activities, such as run, shoot from the triple-threat postion, and get streaky, you’ll be able to work on your overall game with this one drill.
But, in my opinion, the most important ability that you’ll get from this drill is mental toughness.
Here’s why:
Since you’ll be punished for missing two shots in a row, you have to keep your composure, even when you are dead tired. You have to muster up the energy to shoot with good form and try to make that one shot.
This is an important skill. It’ll teach you not to give up and to keep trying, even if each latter shot is more dreadful and will take longer than the previous one. It’ll also teach you to not miss more than one shot in a row.
This will translate into games by forcing you to think before you shoot.
You’ll have to decide if a shot is a good one or not because missing it (and potentially the ones after it) will have dire consequences.
Additionally, by having to make these decisions, you’ll boost your basketball I.Q. (hopefully).
Final Thoughts
The Brad Stevens Shooting Drill is tough. It may even break you. But by doing it, it’ll only make you a better player; it’ll help you be tougher and smarter.
So, if you want to be a great basketball player who shoots really well under pressure, grab a buddy (or two) and do this drill.
