Master the Mikan: Facing the Baseline Variations for Elite Finishing
This advanced finishing drill takes the classic Mikan routine and flips the script, forcing you to develop elite touch and coordination from a reverse angle. Ideal for post players and slashing guards alike, the Mikan Facing the Baseline variation sharpens your ability to score when you have beaten your defender baseline or find yourself deep under the rim. You will build ambidextrous finishing skills and master the art of using the rim as a shield against shot blockers.
How to Perform This Drill
- Setup: Start directly under the basket, positioning your body so your chest is facing the baseline (out of bounds). Hold the ball high at chin level.
- Execute Right: Step out toward the right side of the hoop. Explode upward off your left leg while extending your left hand for a reverse finish.
- Finish: Use the backboard to kiss the ball into the hoop with your left hand. Focus on a soft touch, utilizing the glass to angle the ball into the net.
- Transition: Rebound the ball out of the net as high as possible—do not let the ball drop below your shoulders.
- Execute Left: Immediately step to the left side of the hoop. Jump off your right leg and finish with a right-handed reverse layup.
- Repeat: Maintain a continuous, rhythmic motion, alternating sides until you have completed 10 made baskets.
Why This Drill Works
In a real game, you will rarely have a perfect, frontal path to the hoop; often, momentum carries you deep along the baseline where standard mechanics fail. By practicing this variation, you develop "game touch"—the ability to apply the correct spin (English) off the glass from difficult reverse angles while your body shields the ball from defenders. Furthermore, practicing the specific footwork of jumping off the inside leg (same foot, same hand) disrupts the timing of shot blockers who typically time their jumps against a traditional two-step gather.
Pro Tips
- Keep the ball high: After every rebound, keep the ball above your shoulders. Dipping the ball to your waist allows smaller guards to strip it in a game situation; keep it high to finish fast.
- Master the spin: Because you are facing away from the court, you cannot shoot a straight layup. Snap your wrist to put "English" on the ball, allowing it to hit the glass and spin back into the cylinder.
- Explode vertically: Do not just go through the motions. Treat every attempt like a game rep by jumping as high as possible, which builds the conditioning and explosiveness needed for fourth-quarter finishes.
- Stay oriented: It is easy to drift too far under the backboard during this drill. Focus on your landing spots to ensure you stay slightly outside the rim line, giving yourself the best angle for the reverse finish.
