Basketball drills

• There are rows of players on both sidelines.
• The front player of each row has a basketball.
• These players dribble to the sideline on the other side and play the ball with a bounce pass to the second player in the row who is now automatically in front.
• The first player closes in behind and the second player now dribbles across.
• The players practise the overhead pass (with 2 hands, from above the head) and vary the distance
• Players stand in a circle with 1 player in the middle.
• One player starts and throws the ball with a chest pass to the player in the middle.
• Then the first player runs after the ball to the middle.
• The player in the middle throws the ball to the next player in the circle and then runs after them etc.
• The players stand in a circle and pass the ball to each other.
• They are free to choose who they throw to and which pass variant they use.
• To make the exercise more difficult more basketballs can be used.

Competition form.

• 2 groups against each other.
• You have to make 15 good lay-ups with your group.
• If you succeed, you sit down and you've won.
• As an extension of this, in two minutes you have to make as many lay-ups as possible with your group.
• At least 3 balls per group so you don't have to wait for the ball.
• The lay-up must at least have a two step rhythm otherwise it does not count.
• Approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Feint exercise

• Walk towards the defender, move your left foot to the left, as if you were passing the defender on the left
• Immediately afterwards, move your left foot to the right and get the ball very low from your left hand to your right hand, so that your back is facing your opponent
• Now dribble on and score with the lay-up

• The attackers are not allowed to move from their spot.
• They play the ball around and if they get the chance, they try to score
• The defenders have to run They try to prevent a goal from being scored
• When defenders are too static and stand by an attacker, you can do 3 things
  • Or force the defenders to run by telling at least one of them to run towards the attacker with the ball
  • Or tell the attackers they can take 2 steps.
  • Or draw a square on the ground where the attackers can move.
  • After 5 attempts, the defenders change with 2 new defenders.

• We are going to work on two baskets and therefore also in 2 groups.
• (How many groups you make depends on the number of baskets. More baskets means more groups).
• Half of a group stands approximately on the center line on the right side of the basket.
• The other half starts on the left side just beside the basket.
• These persons have the ball and throw the ball to the person on the center line.
• This person dribbles the ball to the basket, makes a lay-up, catches the ball and joins the line next to the basket.

This drill will help develop proper passing and shooting techniques. This drill also emphasizes communication between teammates

1. Divide the team into four squads. One team on each block and one team on each elbow. Give each team one ball.
2. The first person in each line shoots and follows his shot, passing it back to the next person in his line.
3. After rebounding the ball, the shooter returns the ball to the line they were in and rotates clockwise to the end of the next spot. Rotations are shown in the diagram.
4. All four lines work as a team and keep track of the total number of shots scored.

• Emphasize to the players that communication is very important in this drill.
• Players must make game-winning passes and their shots must also be taken at game level.
• The time limit of this exercise can be changed from five minutes to whatever you like or number of shots scored
• Also the spots on the court where the players shoot from can be varied

• Players start at the bottom of the baseline.
  • The red cones are sprint.
  • The green cones are step-slide.
• Then we either take the ball on the right side of the court or the left side.
• We start with the ball on the right side anyway.
• Do a lay-up, then lay the ball down on the left side of the court and sprint to the end line,
• and then start again,
• now laying down on the left side of the court, taking the ball there
• and then do a shot on the left side of the court,
• rebound and
• put the ball on the right side of the court
• and do the round again with the right side
• and then lay up there again.
• This exercise we repeat first round 3x, 15'' rest, 5x 30'' rest, 7x 45'' rest, 5x 30'' rest and finish again with 3x

End of exercise.

We keep on walking and don't walk. Rest period is provided between drills.

• One person shoots free throws.
• Two other players stand behind the one who throws the free throw.
  • According to the rules of the game
• Once the ball is gone the three players go for the rebound.
• If the person who made the free throw has the ball, he can make another free throw.
• If he doesn't have the ball, the 2 other players go to the other side of the court to attack, 2 against 1.
• If attacker is pressured by defender then go to free man, otherwise keep going until lay-up.
• The next three players get ready to execute the exercise.

• Players stand ready at the halfway line. The first one has a ball (then 2 without the ball).
  • X1 makes lay-up
  • X2 takes rebound and passes in (after scoring!)
  • X3 runs around the pot and starts defending
  • X1 and X2 attack to the other ring

• variation: with 5
  • X1 makes lay-up
  • X2 takes rebound and gives in (after score!) to X3
  • X3 dribbles over, X1 and X2 fill in the outer lines.
  • X4 walks around the basket near the baseline and defends.
  • X4 runs around the ball at the halfway line (other side) and defends.

This drill can serve well as a warming up drill (passing / finishing) but is also a good breakdown for a "scissor" play, or "split the post". You can expand the drill to include other options that may or may not be used in your set play. You start off basic, simple, and as your team is ready, you expand the exercise further and further.

• The exercise starts with two rows on two spots (e.g. 2 guard spots).
• If you have a larger team, you work on 2 baskets. Again, we would like to see everyone finish as many balls as possible.
• So make the groups as small as possible, but at least 4-6 players per basket.
• #1 starts the exercise by making a preliminary move ("setting up" the defender) and cutting tightly over the pawn (or chair).
• As a trainer you can also stand here for a while as a high-post so that it becomes recognizable for the players.
• #4 passes the ball to the cutting in #1 and after his pass he immediately makes another pre-move and cuts across the pawn in the same way, then gets the ball from #2.
• Rotation: Each player catches his own ball, and joins the line from which he received the ball. The exercise continues in this manner continuously.

Variations:

• Vary speed. The players must first master the technique of cutting in. Set up a man, push off and accelerate, etc. (see teaching points). Then increase the pace.
• Receive and shoot the ball;
• Make a pop-out (when a defender passes underneath) and shoot;
• Train aggression with pad, unbalance players when cutting in;
• After cutting in, offer the ball at the low post and finish with a post move (also think of countermoves), use pads here too;
• Work with a high-post player (trainer or one of the players): Pass the ball to the high-post first and then: hand-off / hi-lo, etc (depending on your own options);
• Eventually work with defenders involved as well;

Teaching Points:

• Set up defenders;
• Push off on the outer foot and accelerate (change of direction = change of speed)

Aggressive cutting in!

• Cut straight over the pawn, do not make wide turns ("shoulder to shoulder");
• Communication in the passing game, seeking eye contact, clearly asking for the ball with the front hand, asking in front of the man and running into the ball;
• Finish from the left side with the left hand, and the same applies for the right side;

• three groups of two per basket
• try to make qualitatively equal pairs
• How?
  • 1 pair in front, 2 in forward positions
  • take turns making a drive, alternating attack/defence
  • First of the pair to have 5 points, wins.