Master the Steph Curry 3 Shots Drill: Build Elite Shooting Versatility
If you want to shoot like the greatest marksman in NBA history, you need to practice with his level of intensity and variety. The Steph Curry 3 Shots Drill is a high-volume shooting workout designed for guards and wings who need to be lethal from deep, regardless of how they get the ball. By combining ball-handling fluidity with catch-and-shoot precision, we are simulating real game pressure to help you develop a scorer's rhythm that holds up when the defense tightens.
How to Perform This Drill
- Setup: Start at the corner 3-point line. You will need a rebounder or a shooting machine to keep the pace high.
- Execute the Pull-Up: Receive the ball, take a hard one-dribble rip to your left or right simulating an attack on a closeout, and rise up for a balanced pull-up jumper.
- Execute the Catch-and-Shoot: Immediately reset your feet behind the line, receive the pass with your hands ready, and fire a quick catch-and-shoot jumper without dipping the ball.
- Execute the Step-Back: Receive the next pass, take a hard dribble to engage the imaginary defender, and create separation with a sharp step-back for the third shot.
- The Standard: Your goal is to make 5 out of 7 shots total, or hit 5 consecutive shots at the current spot.
- Rotate: Once you clear the corner, move to the wing, top of the key, opposite wing, and opposite corner.
- Time Constraint: To replicate game stress, attempt to complete the entire 5-spot circuit within two minutes.
Why This Drill Works
In a real game, you rarely get the same look twice in a row. This drill forces you to constantly switch your footwork and shooting mechanics between three distinct shot types: the rhythmic pull-up, the quick-trigger catch, and the separation step-back. By forcing you to calibrate your touch instantly between these varying motions, you develop the neural adaptation necessary to become a three-level scorer who cannot be stopped by a single defensive scheme. It trains you to find your balance and release point regardless of your lower-body movement.
Pro Tips
- Stay Loaded: Keep your hips dropped and knees bent between reps. If you stand tall waiting for the pass, you lose the split-second advantage needed to get your shot off against a tight window.
- Sell the Drive: On the step-back, your eyes and shoulders must convince the defender you are driving to the rim before you violently plant your foot to push back into space.
- Stick the Landing: Fatigue will set in quickly during the two-minute timer. Focus on landing on two feet with your chest over your toes to maintain your arc when your legs start to feel heavy.
- Snap the Wrist: On the catch-and-shoot, minimize movement. Don't dip the ball below your waist; catch it in the "shot pocket" and snap your wrist for a lightning-fast release.