Pull-Up Jumper
Shoot on balance off the dribble.
What this drill teaches
Stopping on balance with the ball at speed — the hard half of shooting off the dribble. The gather is the drill: feet organised under the body so the shot rises straight up, the same shot they've grooved standing still.
In games: Answers the game-day picture of a defender dropping back to protect the rim — the drive-and-stop scores in the space they give, and makes drop coverage pay.
- Feet set on the gather, no drift or fade forward
- Rising straight up, landing where they took off
- The same follow-through as their set shot
U12: one dribble, close range, expect off-balance shots at first. U16: expect a quick gather under a chasing defender and elbow-to-elbow rhythm.
Equipment
1 ball, 1 hoop
Setup
Player starts at the top of the key with a ball.
Steps
- 1Attack with one or two hard dribbles toward the elbow.
- 2Gather on a one-two or jump stop.
- 3Rise straight up and shoot on balance.
- 4Hold the follow-through, then rebound.
Coaching points
- Get your feet set on the gather.
- Rise straight up, not drifting forward.
- Same follow-through as a set shot.
Why kids love it
Being able to stop and shoot makes older kids much harder to guard — a real 'level-up' skill.
Variations
One dribble only, shoot from close range.
Add a defender chasing from behind so the gather has to be quick.
Drive to one elbow and pull up, rebound, then drive to the other.