Mini Mikan Layups
Teach alternating layups off both hands close to the basket, building left/right comfort early.
- Duration
- 8 min
- Steps
- 4
- Equipment
- 2 items
- Difficulty
- Beginner
How to run it
- 1
Stand directly under the rim.
- 2
Toss the ball off the backboard softly and lay it in with the right hand.
- 3
Catch the ball, step to the other side, and lay it in with the left hand.
- 4
Continue alternating for 30 seconds, counting makes.
Coaching points
- Aim for the top corner of the square on the backboard.
- Use the correct hand for each side — right on the right, left on the left.
- Keep the ball high; don't bring it below the chest.
Equipment
- Basketball
- Rim
Why it works
The Mikan drill is the single best way to make young players ambidextrous finishers. The nugget: in a game, defenders force you to your weak hand on purpose — a player who can only finish right gets funneled and stopped. Alternating hands under the rim trains soft touch AND the habit of using the near hand, so when a defender overplays your strong side in a game, you finish with the other hand instead of throwing up a prayer.
Mini Mikan Layups
Purpose: Teach alternating layups off both hands close to the basket, building left/right comfort early.
▶How to run it
- 1Stand directly under the rim.
- 2Toss the ball off the backboard softly and lay it in with the right hand.
- 3Catch the ball, step to the other side, and lay it in with the left hand.
- 4Continue alternating for 30 seconds, counting makes.
✓Coaching points
- ✓Aim for the top corner of the square on the backboard.
- ✓Use the correct hand for each side — right on the right, left on the left.
- ✓Keep the ball high; don't bring it below the chest.
▢Equipment
★Why it works
The Mikan drill is the single best way to make young players ambidextrous finishers. The nugget: in a game, defenders force you to your weak hand on purpose — a player who can only finish right gets funneled and stopped. Alternating hands under the rim trains soft touch AND the habit of using the near hand, so when a defender overplays your strong side in a game, you finish with the other hand instead of throwing up a prayer.