Best of The Drill: Running the W

An assistant with the Seattle Storm and Lakeside, Chris Bown has made his mark with individual player development. His sixth column on drills is Running the W, a drill to improve shooting and footwork.

Running the W
Requirements: One player, one coach, one ball.

The player starts in the right corner as you are facing the basket. The coach is her rebounder and passer and is standing under the basket. She will start in the corner and finish in the opposite corner. As the player backpedals, she moves to her left. She should shoot about 12-15 10-foot jumpers as she makes her way around the horn. The player backpedals and, on the pass, steps in right-left for the shot. She then backpedals out to give the coach time to retrieve the ball and on the pass she steps in again for another shot. Once she gets to the opposite corner she takes a break and comes back the other way for the same shots. Only this time she steps in left-right for the shot.

Keys: Make sure the player steps down and in for the shot with chest up and a hand target.

Alternatives:

• Have the player move to 15-foot jumpers and then on to three-point shots.
• Once the player has the footwork down for the shot, have her step in, shot fake, one dribble to the basket and shoot. Go both ways.

---

Note: I have seen this drill used at Stanford and various other college programs as well as high school programs around the country.

---

Chris Bown is an assistant coach with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, in charge of individual player development, and with the Lakeside girls varsity basketball team. Chris also does individual training and can be reached at 206-794-9046 or . A graduate of the University of Washington, he has been the head coach for girls varsity basketball teams at Holy Names Academy, Seattle Academy and American Indian Heritage School. This is his second stint at Lakeside as an assistant to Sandy Schneider. Chris also has been a math and physical education instructor at St. Paul School and Seattle Academy.

---

More Chris Bown Columns:

1-2 Follow-Thru
Tap-Pitch-Touch-Dive-Score
Penetrate & Kick
Multi-Shot
Banana Run
Ballhandling
Oiler Screen Series
Medicine Ball Passing
Oiler Three-Point
Running the W
Oiler Shooting
Basic Four
Mikan Plus
Defensive Combo
Half-Circle