Posts

Ball Handling Practice

 Below is a great ball handling practice that you can do do help improve your control of the ball. Stationary:  Each drill do 25 reps Right Hand Waist Left Hand Waist Right Hand Low Left Hand Low Right Hand Pounds Left Hand Pounds Crossovers Cross-Between Right Cross-Between Left Cross-Behind Right Cross-Behind Left Cross-Between-Behind One Hand Cross-Cross One Hand Cross-Between One Hand Cross-Behind One Hand Cross-Cross-Between-Behind Cross-Cross-Behind-Behind Moving: Go from baseline to free throw line and back.  Stay low for all but the last 2 drills. Cross-Cross Cross-Between Right Cross-Between Left Cross-Behind Right Cross-Behind Left Cross-Between-Behind One Hand Cross-Cross One Hand Cross-Between One Hand Cross-Behind One Hand Cross-Cross-Between-Behind Spider-walk Outside Spider-walk 2 Ball Drills-25 reps Straight Bounce Alternating Bounce Crossover Between Crossover Right Between Crossover-Left Alternate Behind Bounce Juggle - Right Bounce Juggle - Left 1 Hand ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Drills for Motion Offense

Image
3v3 screening with extra screener.  3v3 Dribble Handoff 3v3 Give and Go 3v3 Dribble At 3v3 Ball Screen 3v3 High Low Post Action to 4 3v3 High Low Post Action to 5 3v3 Low Pass to High Block Cut by Weakside Wing 3v3 Dribble Weave
Post a Comment
Read more

Offensive Philosophy

Image
Many coaches still spend a lot of time in practice showing their teams set plays to run during each possession during a game.  I've always wondered if that's the best way to teach kids how to play.  Realistically speaking, a given play could work maybe 2-3 times a game at best depending on how sharp the coaches and players are who have to deal with this set play.  Usually, your team will end up spending about 60% of the time improvising through the offense because the defense has made the adjustments needed to defend against the set play.  If the play requires improvisation, then why should we spend so much time at practice running plays.  Wouldn't it be better to work on adjustments from the get-go? I have to admit that I have been guilty teaching set plays as well but through the years I've noticed that opponents catch on pretty quickly and disrupt your play as quickly as the second time you run it. This means that my team had to start adjusting to the defense...
Post a Comment
Read more

4 Layers of Scoring in Basketball

 When it comes to basketball there are 4 layers from which a basketball player can score from.  The 4 layers are: Finishing at the basket Midrange game 3-point shot Free Throws The better you are at all four phases the better your scoring will be in basketball games.  In addition, the more efficient your team is at scoring from all 4 layers the more difficult the team will be to guard.  Let's take a look at all 4 layers briefly before we dive into them in more detail over the next few weeks. Finishing at the Basket - This layer is an important one for all basketball players. Everyone who steps on the floor should know how to finish at the basket.  Right-handed layups, left-handed layups, inside hand finishing, floaters and many more.  This doesn't mention creating contact with a big man, absorbing contact, and protecting the ball while driving the lane.  Bigs need to know how to finish at the basket but so do guards.  It's a great idea that all pl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Creating Space

 When you play basketball, one of the most important qualities of a good player is that they are able to create space.  There are 2 ways to create space.  The first is without the dribble and the second is with the dribble. Below are some videos of creating space without a dribble:   https://youtu.be/Z6nsuN50tmo?si=LL8hZxr1OuLrE-XJ   https://youtu.be/Jj_pgnvgOoA?si=UU3cwh-jbQRBxe9b   https://youtu.be/OJe6hIVZjWs?si=fPG8mmBtj7KcXSgx   https://youtu.be/R-al1nYvQA0?si=KLOmaOoDamWsF0Ln As you see on the videos, the offensive player uses pivots, jabs, and rips to create space without a dribble.  This is something all good players know how to do but average and poor players don't. The next thing to look at is some of the moves a player can use to create space with the dribble.   Below are some videos of creating space with the dribble: Sidestep off the bounce -  https://youtu.be/JPsLsxTVT5g?si=4kHWkgUagOhrp712 Show dribble right cross left -...
Post a Comment
Read more

Building an Athlete's Confidence

There are 4 ways to build a player's confidence.  The 4 are listed and explained in detail below. Talk about the butterflies in the stomach - Explain to your athletes that butterflies in the stomach is the fight or flight response reaction your body is giving you due to the task at hand.  You're body is telling you to evaluate the situation at hand and letting you know that whether you choose to run or fight it is ready to give you everything it has to help you out.  Your body is basically telling you "hey I know there is a challenging situation your are about to face, so I want to let you know that I'm ready to run or stay and fight.  It's your choice."  Another way to think about this is that if you didn't care you wouldn't have butterflies but since you do care you're nervous. Preparation - When you talk to pro players about what goes through their mind when they are preparing to take the last shot of a game, almost all of them say that they fal...
Post a Comment
Read more

Player Development Overview

One of my favorite parts of coaching is the actual development of players.  In the many years I have spent coaching, I have had the pleasure to coach kids who were willing to put in the work and who saw benefits from it.  My job as skills coach is to keep the players improving.  We have spoken before about getting players to go beyond their comfort zone into an area of the unknown. An area that may seem awkward to them at the beginning but with constant reps will get easier and more instinctive. The area of unknown has to be very carefully determined.  The area identified can't be too difficult for the kids to perform or else they can get discouraged.  On the other hand, the area can't be too easy as to not challenge the kids.  In order to do this properly there is a sequence that needs to be followed.  The sequence is challenge, evaluate, adjust, execute, and repetition. The first step of the sequence is to challenge.  Set up some basic drills th...
Post a Comment
Read more