Sideline Toss

On Court Player Development

Doing the Sideline Toss

Improving your shooting footwork starts with learning to pivot in different ways. See how the Sideline Toss can help.

If you’ve submerged yourself in March Madness like the rest of us basketball junkies, you were able to see how a number of different players work themselves free to get off shots. It’s all about the technique. If you want to strengthen your approach to shot taking, try the Sideline Toss Shot Series, which will teach you how to pivot in different ways than you’re used to. The drill helps strengthen your toes, feet and legs, as well as improve your shooting skills.

Start with a ball under the basket. Toss it toward the wing, and then sprint and catch it by landing on your inside foot on the toes. Next, roll through the following shot series:

• Toe-Turn Jump Shot – Perform a full pivot to face the basket and take a jump shot. (Point of emphasis: perform a full pivot on the inside foot on the toes.)

• Shot Fake to Leg Lunge Jump Shot – Perform a full pivot, fake the shot on the toes, explode toward the opposite sideline and perform an exaggerated leg lunge with your foot facing that sideline. Hold the pose, and on the coach’s command, pivot and shoot.

• Shot Fake to Live Toe-Turn Jump Shot – Same as the previous shot, except do not hold the pose, go directly into the shot. (Point of emphasis: Perform the shot fake with the whole body; arms extended, up on the toes.)

• Crossover Swing – Perform a full pivot on your inside foot, explode to the baseline and, first time through, hold-the-pose for a shot and second time through, a live toe-turn shot at the baseline. (Point of emphasis: Perform the full pivot only on the inside foot, without the other foot touching the ground.)

• One Foot Reverse – Push off the inside foot into a reverse pivot toward the baseline. Perform the Hold-the- Pose Jump Shot. (Point of emphasis: Plant and perform reverse pivot on your inside foot.)

A couple of things to watch out for while doing the drill is to avoid landing on your heels instead of your toes, and make sure you stand up during your pivots – rather than staying low.

Drill Name:

Sideline Toss Shot Series

Major Skill Area:

Shooting Footwork

Equipment Needed:

Basketballs, Basketball Goal

Drill Details/Instructions:

1. The player starts with a ball under the basket

2. The player tosses the ball out towards the wing, sprints and catches the ball landing on the inside foot on the toes

3. The player then goes into the shot series:

- Toe-Turn Jump Shot- Perform a full pivot to face the basket and take a jump shot

- Shot Fake to Leg Lunge Jump Shot- Perform a full pivot, fake the shot on the toes, explode towards the opposite sideline and perform an exaggerated leg lunge with your foot facing that sideline. Hold the pose, and on the Coach's command, pivot and shoot

- Shot Fake to Live Toe-Turn Jump Shot- Same as the previous shot, except do not hold the pose, go directly into the shot

- Crossover Swing- Perform a full pivot on the inside foot, explode to the baseline and, first time through, hold-the-pose for a shot and second time through, a live toe-turn shot at the baseline

- One Foot Reverse- Push off the inside foot into a reverse pivot towards the baseline. Perform Hold-the-Pose Jump Shot

Drill Philosophy (Why):

• The Sideline Toss Shot Series teaches players to pivot in different ways than they're used to. This drill will strengthen the toes, feet and legs as well as improve shooting skills.

Point(s) of Emphasis:

• Toe-Turn Jump Shot- Perform a full pivot on the inside foot on the toes

• Shot Fake on Toes- Perform the shot fake with the whole body; arms extended up on the toes

• Crossover Swing- Perform the full pivot only on the inside foot, without the other foot touching the ground

• One-Foot Reverse- Plant and perform reverse pivot on the inside foot

Common Corrections:

• Players have a tendency to land on their heels rather than their toes

• Players stand up during their pivots rather than staying low