Modern centers who shoot threes change how defenses guard the entire lineup. These drills build the four shots a stretch-5 needs: free throws, mid-range jumpers, pick-and-pop threes, and the foul-line jumper that punishes drop coverage.
Who this is for
Built for centers who want to extend range from the paint out to the three-point line. The drills assume solid free-throw mechanics; if your free-throw form is broken, fix it first.
Core principles
Three principles for center shooting. First, the free throw is the baseline test — a 65% free-throw shooter can't credibly stretch beyond the elbow. Second, mid-range comes before three-point; build the range gradually. Third, the pick-and-pop is the most-game-applicable shot; drill it until automatic.
Five drills, run in sequence. Estimated total time: 35 minutes.
Duration: 8 minutes
Setup: Free throw line. Ball.
Steps
Coaching points
Duration: 5 minutes
Setup: Both elbows. Passer at the top.
Steps
Coaching points
Duration: 6 minutes
Setup: Set screen at wing for partner. Pop to three-point line.
Steps
Coaching points
Duration: 8 minutes
Setup: 5 spots around the arc.
Steps
Coaching points
Duration: 8 minutes
Setup: Free throw line. Sprint baseline-to-baseline between attempts.
Steps
Coaching points
Run 5 days a week. Free throws daily (drills 1 and 5). Elbow jumpers + pick-and-pop on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays. Spot threes on Tuesdays/Thursdays. The fatigue free throws once a week. Track free-throw and three-point percentages weekly.
Yes — and the best ones make defenses unworkable. Players like Brook Lopez, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kristaps Porziņģis have shown that a center who shoots 35%+ from three changes lineup math entirely.
Yes. Free throws are the baseline test of shooting form; a center who can't shoot 75%+ from the line won't shoot three-pointers at NBA range either. Build the free throw first; the three-point range follows.
The elbow jumper. It punishes drop coverage by forcing the big to step up, opening rolls for teammates and corner threes for shooters. Even centers who don't shoot threes need an elbow jumper to be a credible offensive threat.
18-30 months of daily disciplined work to reach 33%+ from three at NBA range. The mechanical learning is fast; the speed and consistency at distance takes time. Most centers plateau after 12 months without disciplined fatigue training.
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