Hook Shot Warm-Up Drills
By Hal Wissel
Hook Shot Warm-Up
In this drill, you will shoot hook shots with both your strong and weak hands. Start with your head under the front of the rim, facing the sideline in a balanced stance. Hold the ball in hook shot position (also called lock-in position) with your shooting elbow at your side, your shooting hand under the ball, and your balance hand slightly behind and on top of the ball. Use your legs in a down and up motion. As your legs come up, shoot the hook by lifting the ball to the basket in an ear-to-ear motion, keeping your balance hand on the ball until the release. Use the trigger words “Lock-Legs-Lift” from the start of the hook shot until the release of the ball. Use two hands to catch the ball as it comes through the basket or to rebound on a missed shot. Treat a missed shot as a pass to yourself. After rebounding the ball on a missed shot score with a power move. Your goal is to make five consecutive hook shots with each hand.
Hook Shot Warm-Up With Crossover Step Drill
After you can make five consecutive warm-up hook shots with each hand, move to the hook shot warm-up with a crossover step. Start with your head under the front of the rim. Face the sideline while holding the ball in hook shot position. Using your inside foot (foot closest to the basket), make a crossover step toward the foul line and shoot a hook shot. Pivot toward the basket on the crossover step and lift your shooting side knee as you shoot. Use the trigger words “Lock-Step-Lift” from the start of the hook shot until the release of the ball. After rebounding the ball on a missed shot score with a power move. Your goal is to make five consecutive crossover step hook shots with each hand.
Alternate-Hand Hook Shooting Drill (Mikan Drill)
In this drill, you will alternate shooting right-handed and left-handed bank hook shots using a crossover step. For the first shot, use your right hand. Start under the rim, facing the right sideline. Hold the ball in hook shot position with your right hand under the ball. Using your left foot (foot closest to the basket), make a crossover step, toward a 45-degree angle away from the backboard. Pivot toward the basket on the step and lift your right knee as you shoot a right-handed bank hook shot, aiming for the top near corner of the box on the backboard. Catch the ball with two hands after either a made shot or on a rebound. Now face the offensive left sideline. Hold the ball in hook shot position with your left hand under the ball. Using your right foot (foot closest to the basket), make a crossover step, toward a 45-degree angle away from the backboard. Pivot and shoot a left-handed bank hook shot, catching the ball with two hands. Continue the drill, alternating between right-handed and left-handed hook shots. Use the trigger words “Lock-Step-Lift” from the start of each hook shot until the release of the ball. After rebounding the ball on a missed shot score with a power move. Your goal is to make 10 consecutive alternate-hand hook shots.
Hook Shot Warm-up Drills