This is the entry layup. Two steps from the free throw line, then finish at the basket. No dribble. Just walk, step, step, layup.
What you need: 8-foot basket. Youth ball. Flat court.
Setup: Kid starts at the free throw line with the ball in their hands.
How to run it:
- Cue: Plant, Up, Lay, Land. Holding the ball, walk toward the basket.
- Plant your inside foot (closest to the basket). This is step 1.
- Step up with the outside foot. This is step 2.
- Lay the ball off the backboard with the hand on the side you’re approaching from (right side = right hand).
- Do 5 layups from the right side. Then 5 from the left side. Rest. Do 2 rounds.
What to watch: Are they planting on the correct foot? Inside foot plants first. If they get it backwards, the footwork is wrong.
If they’re struggling: Start closer to the basket (3 feet). Walk through it slowly. Practice the footwork without the ball first.
If they’ve got it: Add a dribble approach. Dribble from the free throw line, then do the two-step finish.