Drills play
Drill: Sikma Move Series (Inside Pivot Face-Up)
- Court
- Half court
- Length
- 9 steps
About this play
Jack Sikma's inside pivot gives a face-up to bigs who cannot shoot over their shoulder, and it is the footwork every face-up series is built on, which is why I teach it before any turnaround. One post, a coach passing from the wing, a dummy defender behind the post, one ball. 1 flashes to the mid-post, shows a target, and catches with a jump stop. He reverse pivots on the baseline foot, swinging the top foot back away from the defender, so he ends facing the rim a step farther out with the ball still above his head. He hops into balance and shoots the face-up jumper with a high release and no dip. Counters off the same pivot: if the defender closes, shot fake and drive step past him; if he stays back, one power dribble inside. Five makes per spot per option, both sides. Mistakes: pivoting outside over the shoulder (that is a turnaround, not the Sikma), bringing the ball to the waist, lifting the pivot foot before the shot. Progression: a live defender who has to play behind, then a guard in the corner for a kick-out read. High school and up. I picked this up from Hubie Brown's Sikma move clinic and Sikma's own Hall of Fame explanation on NBA.com; start there if you want the history behind the footwork.
