Examples of Basketball Drills and How to Create Your Own Practice

Every coach has their own idea of how a perfect practice looks. As a coach, it is important to have building blocks that can be used and modified to help build an effective practice. The building blocks can be the same despite the skill level of the players you’re coaching. If you’re a high school coach playing for a state championship, your practice will look different than a youth coach trying to develop the fundamentals for your players. Even though the skill level and the intention of practice are very different, the building blocks can be the same. In our example practice plan, you can check out some of our building blocks we use to design practice. Drills are very modifiable and can drastically shape a practice. In this article, we are going to break down what is a drill and how to modify it for your team's needs.

What is a basketball drill?

A drill is a game-like scenario broken down into smaller pieces. A player uses a dribble move and drives to the basket for a right handed layup, this is a game like scenario. A drill takes this scenario and breaks it down into smaller parts. All of these focus areas are used during this game-like scenario.

• Ball handling
• Driving
• Decision making
• Finishing

We can create drills for each focus area to make sure players have the ability to complete all of the skills needed to perform the entire sequence in the game. While it is important to recreate and perform the exact situation, it is also important to break the skills down into smaller focus areas to ensure you are developing skills and not just getting better at recreating scenarios. The game is filled with unique scenarios that usually only occur once. Players are different sizes, skill levels, and athletic abilities. This creates different challenges that need a toolbox of skills to overcome. Think of studying for a test and memorizing the study guide vs thoroughly understanding the concepts on the test. You will be much more prepared if you understand the concepts, being able to handle any question.

Most coaches will design drills to work on a large focus area, like shooting a pull up jumper or ball handling vs pressure. Inside of the drill will have smaller focus areas that are being worked on in the background, like defending a jump shooter or ball handler. The best drills work on a few areas at once, all in the background. Players should know what focus area the drill is trying to improve, but not hyperfocused where they are no longer using other skills in the background. Basketball requires players to do multiple things at once. The best drills mimic this requirement without the player even realizing it.

Drill example 1: Cut the Corner Finishing (ball handling and finishing)

This drill is a competitive drill that either a small group or the entire team can do. The focus areas we are working on in this drill are: ball handling, driving, and finishing. Below is how we like to break a drill down, dividing it into three sections. The set up is where the players will start and what equipment is needed. The execution is how the drill will start and what movements it will require. The focus areas are what the coaches and players should be looking for.

Drill set up:

• Divide your team into groups of two, one offensive and one defensive player.
• Put two cones on the floor, one on each elbow.
• Line up your entire team on the baseline, facing one of the cones.

Drill execution:

• The offensive player in the group will start with the ball on the baseline, facing the starting cone.
• The defensive player will be lined up directly behind the offensive player.
• Whenever the offensive player decides to start the drill, they will dribble around the outside of both cones. After going around the second cone, they must attack the basket and try to score. They can not shoot a pull up jumper.
• Once the offensive player starts their dribble, the defender is now active. They must follow the offensive player around the first cone. After the defender goes around the first cone, they do not have to go around the second cone. They can now just go right to the basket to play defense.
• This gives the offense and defense slight advantages at different times. Making the defender have to work hard to get back into the play and making the offense read the defense.

Drill focus areas:

• Offensive players should dribble at full speed to gain an advantage against the defense. After passing both cones, they should slow down to read the angle of the defender.
• The defense should sprint around the first cone and read the offense of how aggressive and what angle they should attack the dribble of the offensive player.
• Encourage offensive players to play at different speeds and heights, using fakes. Players tend to try and rush and race the defender to the basket, resulting in rushed and off balance finishes.
• Defenders should use verticality and keep their hands high above their heads, defending without fouling. This drill is simulating the scenario where most fouls occur.

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Drill example 2: Two Pass Chair Stops (passing and three point shooting)

This drill is used for a full team shooting segment. After your team is warmed up and has completed some ball handling and finishing drills, this would be a great drill to warm up the shooting form and get your team ready for more competitive scrimmage drills. This drill helps build the shooting and passing building blocks we use to design a full team practice. If your team needs more help on a certain building block, add more drills and lengthen time spent on that block.

Drill set up:

• Divide your team in groups of four players. This can also be used for a single small group of four.
• Place one chair or cone under the basket with a ball placed on top.
• Place two players in each corner and one player on a wing.
• The player in the corner with an empty wing has the second ball.

Drill execution:

• The corner player with the ball drives to the basket. They will pass their ball to the player in the opposite corner. After they pass that ball, they grab the second ball that is placed on the chair and pass it to the player on the wing.
• The players in the opposite corner and wing will shoot the ball once they receive the pass for the first player.
• Once they shoot, they get their own rebound and move to the next spot. All players rotate spots.
• This can be used as a competition between two groups of players to a target score.

Drill focus areas:

• Players must shoot quickly in order to outscore the other team, replicating game-like pressure and timing.
• The initial passer must deliver on time and on target passes in the shooting pocket.
• Coaches can add constraints to the drill (left hand passes, swish only makes, etc.)

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The bottom line on examples of basketball drills and how to create your own practice

Your foundation of practice will be the building blocks or larger themes that you would like to work on. Inside of those themes will be your drills. The drills break down your themes into very detailed segments that will have your team in safe environments to work on specific skills. Players need to feel comfortable to make mistakes and push themselves out of their comfort zone. Drills are the best environment for this development. Scrimmages and games raise the stress level of the players to where they will no longer expand their game. They will tend to rely on muscle memory and what is comfortable. Think of some strengths and weaknesses of your team, design some drills (or let us design them for you), and watch your team grow!