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Basic Footwork and Cuts Drills 

Footwork is the foundation for a skilled basketball player, involving moves that he will use tens of times during a game. Cuts without the ball are one of the most important phases of the offensive game, because during a 

game a player spends more than three-quarters of his playing time on offense without the ball. 

In this chapter, we will show some basic footwork and cuts drills. Don’t under- estimate these two fundamentals of the game, because many times they separate the good players from the great ones. 

Shooting Drills 

 As important as footwork, passing, dribbling, and playing one-on-one may be, the ultimate target of this game called basketball is to have the ball pass through the rim. If you do not shoot, and shoot with a good 

percentage, it’s very difficult to win a game. In the last ten years, basketball has become more physical; the players are bigger and more aggressive on defense. Scoring a layup or a jump shot is a tough job, so players must be able to shoot under pressure and with physical contact. 

For these reasons, and, also, perhaps, because not enough time is spent on teaching the mechanics of shooting or players do not make enough repetitions, the shooting percentages have decreased at every level in the past years. 

Therefore, shooting is arguably the most important of all the drills we cover in this book. In this chapter, we will provide you with numerous shooting drills, including some that we believe are different and innovative. 

Perimeter Players’ Drills 

Basketball is the ultimate “team sport,” perhaps more than any other team sport,such as soccer, volleyball, or baseball. It is a sport where all five players on the court work together and all five teammates are involved. 

But, during the course of the game, every player on offense has the chance to get the ball and play one-on-one with his defender. The player needs the prop- er moves in his arsenal to get open and receive the ball, then to beat the de- 

fender and drive to the basket or create space for a noncontested jump shot. Otherwise, he can be a detriment to his team, because his defender will not cover him and will jam the lane, or double-team a more dangerous player. 

In this chapter, we will describe the drills for the perimeter players. We will dis- cuss exercises that show how to get free and how to create space in order to work one-on-one, two-on-two, and three-on-three, and how to improve footwork and shooting. 

In today’s game, where the perimeter player can also play inside, and the in- side players come out of the lane, we think that the inside players should also run these specific drills that are run for the perimeter players. They will benefit by improving their knowledge of the game, as well as their skills, adding another dimension to their game. 

Inside Players’ Drills 

 Today, basketball has begun to depend more on inside players, who get out of the lane, perform pick-and-rolls, and shoot from the outside. Playing inside, with the back to the basket, either in the high or low post, is a forgotten skill. 

If an inside player is able to play with his back to the basket, we are convinced that having a player who is able to get open near the basket, as well as to go to rim, based on the reaction of the defense, is still a must in modern basketball. You cannot “teach” a player’s size and the height, but you can teach and practice how to play inside. 

The drills that we will show in this chapter are designed to help players im- prove in every aspect of the game, starting with the footwork that is so necessary for every player, but, above all, for the inside players, who must move in narrow and congested spaces. Then, we will cover the different types of shots, the one- on-one, and passing. 

Spacing and Collaboration Drills 

In basketball, because the players are big and fast, the spacing between the offensive players is of paramount importance to run an effective offense. The proper spacing and collaboration among the five offensive players can force the defenders to run a longer distance to recover after a help or a double team. 

Spacing and collaboration a Fundamentals

The perimeter players must learn to maintain the proper distance between them after a dribble or a cut, and, at the same time, the inside player must move ac- cording to the dribble or cut of the perimeter players or the other inside player, in case the offense plays with two low-posts, or one low and one high . 

We consider spacing and collaboration as normal team fundamentals, and, like any other fundamental, they must be constantly practiced. In this chapter, we will show different drills on spacing and collaboration, working both on the perimeter players and the inside players. 

Fast Break Drills 

Running is essential to the game of basketball. Players enjoy running the fast break, making a no-look pass, an alley hoop for a dunk, or an open three-point shot to end the fast break. The crowd gets excited by a team
that runs in every possible situation, such as after a defensive rebound, a steal,
or an out-of bounds shot. 

Playing a fast-break style of basketball is not easy. Recognition, speed, ball- handling skills, and decision making are critical to the success of a fast break. The players must have simple but consistent rules, know how to act or react in different defensive situations, and know which lanes to occupy on the court. 

Players must practice so they can move the ball up the court and into scoring position as fast as possible, so that the defense is outnumbered and doesn’t have time to set up. If not performed properly, the fast break could become a stampede of crazy broncos. 

In this chapter, we will show different drills that can help to build an aggressive and efficient fast break, from a two-on-one to a five-on-four. 

Passing, especially while running at full speed, and making the right decision as to whom to pass the ball to in order to score an easy basket are the basic elements of the fast break. Scoring an uncontested basket is a big thrill for the offense and upsetting to the defense, not to mention a headache for the rival coach. 

Rebounding 

 Crash the boards!” How many coaches at the high school or pro level have used this rallying cry in their pep talks. Good offensive (and defensive) rebounding is essential to winning, because with- out it, the other team will have far too many chances to score, while your team 

will barely have any chance at all.
It is extremely important to teach and practice the rebound, and work, not 

only with the big men, but also with the perimeter players. Controlling the boards is often the difference between winning or losing a tight game, and rebounding drills will help your team be more dominant in the paint. Contrary to what most people think, rebounding is not about height or jumping ability: It has more to do with heart, determination, and aggressiveness. You can teach these skills by run-ning rebounding drills at every practice. 

The offensive rebound depends on a player’s ability to sprint to the basket a split second after the shot is released, and above all, by the innate feeling to realize where the ball will fall after a shot. 

The best example of a great rebounder is Dennis Rodman, the former NBA Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls forward. He is only 6’ 7” and he was not an incredible jumper, but he was the best rebounder in the league for seven consecutive seasons, and he contributed to those teams winning five NBA titles. 

Just as with any other fundamental, offensive rebounding must be practiced. The players must know how and when to move to get the offensive rebound, either when coming off the strong side or the help side of the court. They must work on anticipating the defenders’ moves, before being blocked- (boxed) out, and master the different techniques of beating the block-out. 

The following drills will help coaches achieve this target. Different from the other drills in this book, in almost all of these drills, defenders are added to get the offensive rebounders used to facing the block-out and teach them how to prevent the defenders from grabbing the rebound. 

International Coaches’ Top Drills 

Until ten years ago, the United Stated totally dominated basketball, from the top to the youth international level competitions. Then the rest of the world started to close the gap. This was partially due to the fact that the U.S. coaches and players spent less time working on fundamentals and team play in favor of tactics and physical skills, such as jumping and speed. 

In the rest of the world, accuracy in teaching the basics of the game, as well as practicing them, was and still is considered a priority. Now the tables have turned again in the United States, and foreign coaches are seen differently, and they are appreciated and studied. 

In this last chapter of the book, we asked some international coaches to present their favorite offensive drills. Here are a few examples of how and why they work on a particular fundamental. 

After reading this chapter, many of you will say, “I know this drill, and I adopted it a long time ago! What’s new?” As we wrote at the beginning of this book, do not think these drills are magic tricks that will be able to change a normal player into a superstar. We think the message they, and we, would like to give is that simplicity is the keystone of a drill, and the repetitions and corrections are the real secrets. If the following coaches are so successful, aside from the fact that they had good players on their teams, it is because they worked hard at teaching and practicing the basics of the game, one of the secrets of a successful coach. 

A final note: In this chapter you’ll find the favorite drills of two Italian coaches. Please, do not think that, moved by patriotism, I included these two coaches, Ettore Messina and Sergio Scariolo, from my country. This was only dictated by the fact that these two coaches are now more “international,” than others, have won competitions in every country in which they coached. In fact, some experts predict that one , or both of them, could be the first foreign coach in the NBA.