(Rental)-Nick Nurse Shoot Like a Pro

Nick Nurse has won at every level he has coached, including leading the Toronto Raptors to an NBA championship in 2019. One of the reasons for Coach Nurse’s success has been his ability to develop shooters. In this video, Nurse shares and discusses how he crafts quality shooters.

Shooting Factors

To begin, Coach Nurse talks about getting the shot lined up. The middle of the ball is always lined up with the middle of the basket. The Toronto practice facility actually has lines on the court to illustrate getting a shot lined up.

The second factor in shooting is arc. Too much arc will cause the ball not to travel far enough. Too little arc results is a shot being more likely to miss. Developing good form and mechanics can help get the correct arc on the ball.

The final factor is depth or the distance the ball must travel. Nurse uses drills to develop a player’s shooting range.

Perfect Shooting Drills

To learn proper shooting mechanics, Nurse uses two main drills: Perfect Form and Perfects. In Perfect Form, players work on their form using a cadence. “Perfects” is a drill with a target on the rim. The objective is to get all net. Nurse expands Perfects with Backup Game where players take a step back from the last spot where they made a shot.

3-Point Shooting

To help players extend their shooting range, Nurse uses a drill called Deep Threes. The concept is similar to adding weight to a bar. Players shoot from progressively deeper spots behind the three-point arc.

Another drill is Five Spot Shooting which allows players to compete against themselves. This video by one of the NBA’s best is an outstanding look at how to develop the complete shooter.