5-Spot Shadow Spacing
Spacing
Legend
- players
- cones
- spacing movement
How it works
Move through the five key scoring spots on a half-court, two corners, two wings, and the top of the key, to internalize proper floor spacing without a defender.
What you need
- cones
Your focus
Young players can't feel what good spacing looks like until they've physically stood in each spot and looked at the basket. Walking through all five positions solo builds a mental map of the court that transfers directly into team play.
Place a cone at each of the 5 spots: left corner, right corner, left wing, right wing, and top of the key.
Start at the top cone. Say the spot name out loud, look at the basket, then jog to the left wing.
At each cone, pause for two seconds, say the spot name, look toward the basket (or hoop), and read the 'court' around you.
Continue through all 5 spots in order, then reverse direction.
Do 3 full rounds. On the final round, add a basketball: catch an imaginary pass at each spot and shoot a form shot before moving on.
Goal
You've got it when you can move to all five spots without bumping into anyone and without anyone telling you where to go, the floor just makes sense to you now.
Helpful cues
- Say the name of the spot, that's how your brain locks it in
- Face the basket every time you stop
- Don't rush, spacing is about being in the right place, not moving fast
No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.