Mikan Drill
Ages 7 and up · A hoop and one ball, standing directly under the rim
The Mikan Drill is the most famous finishing drill in basketball for a simple reason: it builds the two skills that decide almost every point a young player will ever score, the layup off either foot with either hand, and the rebound-and-go-right-back-up habit. Named for George Mikan, whose coach used it to build the first great big man, it has survived seventy years of basketball evolution untouched because nothing better has been invented for its job.
It looks like nothing from the driveway: a kid under the rim, laying the ball in from one side, catching it out of the net, and laying it in from the other side, over and over. Inside that loop, both hands learn to finish, both feet learn their footwork, and the ball stops coming down between attempts, which is the putback instinct being born.
How to run it
- Start directly under the basket, ball at the chest, feet just outside the lane on the right side.
- Lay the ball in off the backboard with the RIGHT hand, jumping off the LEFT foot (inside foot), knee driving up.
- Catch the ball out of the net before it hits the ground, in the air or on the first bounce at most.
- Step across to the left side without dribbling and lay it in with the LEFT hand off the RIGHT foot.
- Repeat, alternating sides in a continuous rhythm: right hand-left foot, left hand-right foot, no dribbles, no pauses.
- Work in sets of 10 makes (5 each side), resting between sets. Count makes out loud.
What to say
Common faults and fixes
Same-side hand and foot (right hand jumping off the right foot).
Slow it to a walk-through: step, knee up, finish, said out loud ("left knee, right hand"). The coordination is the whole drill at first; speed returns within a week of slow correct reps.
Bringing the ball down to the waist between reps, where defenders live.
Make "chin or higher" a rule with a fun penalty (restart the count). The keep-it-high habit is worth more than any single make; it is why coaches run this drill.
Shooting from too far under or drifting away from the rim each rep.
Chalk two small squares just outside the lane on each side as home bases. The drill is a tight loop, not a wandering one; the squares keep it honest.
Make it easier, make it harder
Lower the hoop or use a smaller ball; allow one dribble between sides; pause between reps until the footwork settles. Very young kids can do "walking Mikans," stepping through each rep with no rush.
Race the clock (makes in 60 seconds, racing your own record); add a pump fake before each finish; do reverse Mikans (finishing on the far side of the rim with the same hand-foot rules); or finish through a parent waving a towel near the ball.
This page teaches the drill. ParentEdge builds it into a plan for your kid.
Built around their game, their goals, and what they’re working on.
How many Mikans should a kid do per session?
Two to four sets of 10 makes is plenty: this drill rewards daily short doses over marathon sessions. It fits perfectly as a warmup before shooting work, because it also grooves touch around the rim.
What age is the Mikan Drill for?
Any age from about seven up, forever: NBA big men still run it before games. Young kids do it slower and lower; the footwork pattern being built is identical. It is arguably the single highest-value basketball drill a family with a driveway hoop can own.