Earn the
Roster Spot

1. Sprints every drill — effort is visible on day one, before he knows anyone's skill.
2. Talks on defense — call screens, call "ball," call switches. Loud defenders look like leaders.
3. First to the floor — loose balls are free roster points.
4. Makes open shots — this is what the 500 daily makes are for.
5. Doesn't turn it over — simple, strong decisions beat spectacular, risky ones.
6. Listens the first time — eye contact when coach talks, executes instructions immediately.

• Movement prepJog 2 laps → high knees → butt kicks → lateral shuffles → leg swings (10 each direction, each leg) → ankle + hip circles → 20 pogo jumps. Never skip. A tweaked ankle in September ends the whole plan.

• Two-ball stationary — 8 minPound dribbles high & low · alternating · one-high-one-low · simultaneous crossovers · alternating crossovers. 45 sec each, minimal rest. Cue: dribble hard enough to hear it. Soft dribbles get stolen.
• Full-court moving series — 10 minDown and back each: right hand only, left hand only, crossover at each free-throw line and half court, then between-legs, then behind-back. Cue: eyes up the entire trip — pick a spot on the far wall and never look down.
• Combo series — 7 minPick 2 combos per week (e.g., cross → between → attack; hesitation → cross → attack). 20 reps each side, exploding into 2 hard dribbles downhill after every move. A move that doesn't end in an attack is a dance move.
• 1v1 full-court zigzag — 5 min PartnerYou dribble the zigzag, partner defends for real, trying to steal. Swap each trip. Cones never take the ball — a live human is what makes handles tryout-proof.

• Mikan series — 5 minRegular ×10 makes, reverse ×10, power (off two feet, ball kept high) ×10. Cue: ball never drops below your chin in traffic.
• Layup package — 10 minFrom each wing at game speed: regular, reverse, inside-hand finish, pro hop, euro step — 3 makes each per side, both hands. Weak hand gets no excuses.
• Floaters — 5 minFrom the free-throw-line area off one foot, both hands, 5 makes each. This is the shot that beats bigger defenders — as a 1–3 you need it.
• Contact finishing — 5 min PartnerPartner bumps you with a pad or their body on every drive — absorb, stay balanced, finish. Then 5 reps each with the partner chasing from behind like a recovering defender. Real contact from Phase 1, not waiting for pickup.

• Form shooting — 25 makes3 feet from the rim, one hand, perfect release, hold the follow-through until the ball hits the net. Boring on purpose — this is why your form survives when you're gassed in the 4th.
• Catch-and-shoot — 150 makes Partner5 spots (corners, wings, top). 15 mid-range + 15 threes per spot, every catch off a real pass from your partner. Cue: feet ready before the catch — hop or 1-2 step into the shot, in rhythm, no wasted motion.
• Off the dribble — 100 makesPull-ups going left and right, one-dribble and two-dribble versions, from both wings and the top. ~10 makes per variation. Phase 2+: add a move first (hesi pull-up, cross pull-up).
• Off movement — 90 makes PartnerSprint corner → wing, catch in rhythm, shoot. Relocation threes: shoot, sprint to a new spot, partner finds you. This is how role players actually get shots in games.
• Contested — 40 makes PartnerPartner closes out hard with a high hand. Read them: hand down or short closeout → shoot; flying at you → one-dribble side-step or attack for a pull-up. This is a decision drill disguised as a shooting drill.
• Free throws — 50 attempts, tracked PartnerAlways last, always tired. Identical routine every shot. Stakes: every miss = one sideline sprint for the shooter. FTs with consequences are a different skill than FTs alone in a quiet gym. Target: 75%+ and climbing.

Your fastest route to a roster spot. New coaches fall in love with defenders because effort shows up on day one, before he knows anyone's offense.

• Lane slides — 8 minSide to side across the lane, touching lines. 4 × 30 sec max effort, 30 sec rest. Cue: if your legs aren't burning, you're standing too tall. Chest up, butt down, never cross your feet.
• Live closeouts → 1v1 — 8 min PartnerPartner catches on the wing; you sprint from the lane, chop your last steps, high hand — then play the possession live to a stop or score. 10 possessions, swap. The closest thing to an actual tryout rep that exists, 20 a day.
• Zigzag on-ball — 4 min PartnerFull-court guarding your partner's live dribble. Force them to change direction; beat them to the spot. Nose on the ball, hands active, no reaching.
• Jumps & core — 5 min3×10 squat jumps · 3×8 single-leg bounds per leg · 3×30-sec plank · 3×15 V-ups.

• 17s — raced PartnerSideline to sideline 17 times in 60 seconds. Phase 1: 2 sets · Phase 2: 3 · Phase 3: 4. Every set is a race against your partner — you will both go harder. That's the point.
• Suicides — timed & logged Partner2–3, timed. Write the times down; beat them. No gym: jump rope 30s hard / 15s rest ×10, or hill sprints.
• 1v1, 3-dribble limit, games to 5 — every session PartnerThe dribble limit forces purpose: jab, read, attack or shoot — no pounding the ball. Best IQ drill two people can do. Log your head-to-head record; it should tighten or flip over 15 weeks.

• Pick one guard your size and styleJalen Brunson for craft · Derrick White for two-way play · Davion Mitchell for defense. Watch only him, especially off the ball: where does he cut, relocate, screen, help?
• Ask "why" on every possessionWhy that pass? Why that cut? What did the defense show him first? If you can't answer, rewind. One possession understood beats ten watched.
• Watch yourself weeklyIf anyone films your pickup runs or 1v1s, watch it once a week. It's uncomfortable. It's also the fastest IQ gain available — you'll see the ball-watching and late rotations you can't feel in the moment.
• Pickup with one job PartnerEvery run, give yourself a single assignment: "only good shots today" · "talk on every defensive possession" · "attack every closeout." Partner holds you to it. That's how drill skills become game skills.

Log today

• The week beforeCut training volume ~40%. Keep daily shooting and FTs, drop the grind. Arrive fresh, not fried. Sleep 8+ every night that week.
• First impressionFirst one in the gym, ball in hand, getting shots up. Introduce yourself to the coach — name, position, "I'm here to compete." Thirty seconds, then get to work.
• During every drillSprint between stations. Talk on defense loud enough that the coach hears you specifically. Dive for the first loose ball of the day — it sets your reputation for the whole tryout.
• With the ballSimple and strong: take your open shots without hesitating, attack closeouts, make the easy pass on time. Zero hero plays. Turnovers are how bubble guys get cut.
• When you mess upNext play. Coaches watch how you respond to mistakes more than the mistakes themselves — a hung head after a miss says more than the miss.