It has often been said that “copying” is the most sincere form of flattery. What is often left out is that it also one of the lowest forms of imagination. When it comes to choosing drills for basketball practice this should be top of mind. If you are just implementing drills you did “back in the day” or replicating what you saw someone else do, you are likely selling your team short.
So let’s look at an example. Steve Afford was a great shooter. Here is a drill that he has often shared at basketball clinics… 21. It is a “good” drill in my opinion. First it can be competitive, I want the majority of my practice to be highly competitive. Second it is “random” shooting, instead of “blocked”, which sport science research has demonstrated has greater carry over. Third it involves conditioning and shooting at different rates of fatigue.
So what’s not to like?? This is where your imagination comes in, and depends on your needs. One of my coaching philosophies is that it is the coach’s job to “recognize and emphasize the things they want to be repeated”. So here are 4 things that I have changed about this drill when we are working on our 4 out 1 in offense:
1. I am confident my guys can make breakaway lay ups – we don’t need spend time on that. What we need more work on is finishing in the lane after a player has beat his initial defender on the perimeter and is approaching the help defender. So I added a partner to this drill. The first shot now is a 1v1 finish in the paint as opposed to an ucontested lay up.
2. I want my guys to move better after a pass to the post. So for the mid-range shot (the two pointer in this drill) I have the player drive the ball to the wing, enter a bounce pass to the their partner in the post, and then laker cut to the elbow for a catch and shoot.
3. I want to emphasize bounce passes to the post from the wing and lob passes to the sealing post from the key. I also want to emphasize relocating off a pass. So for the “3 pointer” the player alternates between driving the ball to the wing or the key, making the appropriate pass to the post, and then relocating off the pass to receive an “inside out” catch and shoot 3.
4. To emphasize the importance of “great” passing we subtract 2 points from the partner’s total points if there is a poor pass.
If we are working on our 5 out offense then the midrange shot can become a DHO with a pull up at the elbow or a floater after coming off a PNR. The three point shot can be a pass way with a catch and shoot off a flare screen, a pick and pop or shooting over a screen replicating the defense going under.
These are just my ideas. Remember “you are only limited by your imagination”. What do you want to see your team do more or better? Find ways to modify drills to fit your need and fit the modern day game of basketball. Hopefully this post got you thinking. Good luck!!