OffenseShooting

Pick-and-Pop Shooting Drill

Instead of rolling to the rim, the screener pops out to the perimeter for a jumper — a counter to aggressive screen defense that stretches the floor for a shooting big or wing.

Age RangeAges 14+
Duration12 minutes
Group Size3 players + 1 defender
SportBasketball

Equipment Needed

  • One basketball
  • Half court

Rep this drill without a rebounder

A basketball return net feeds makes and misses right back to the shooter, so pick-and-pop reps keep moving without a chaser.

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Setup

  • Ball handler and screener start at the top of the key; a defender guards the screener live.
  • A passer or the ball handler themselves will deliver the pass after the screen.
Pick-and-Pop Shooting Drill12Pops outXXpopScreener pops to the arc instead of rolling; catch-and-shoot look

Instructions

  1. The ball handler dribbles off the screen as if attacking downhill.
  2. Instead of rolling, the screener pops immediately to open space beyond the arc.
  3. The ball handler reads the defense and hits the popping screener for a catch-and-shoot look.
  4. Reset and repeat, alternating which side the screen is set on.
Coaching Points
  • The pop has to happen immediately after contact, not a beat later, to stay ahead of the recovering defender.
  • Screener should pop to a spot with a clean passing lane, not just backward in a straight line.
  • This only works against a defense that helps aggressively on the drive — teach the read, not just the action.
  • Catch-and-shoot rhythm matters; the popping player should already be squared up before the catch.

Variation

Add a second defender to make the driver's read live, or have the screener attack a closeout off the pop for a shot-or-drive decision.