Offense wins games, defense wins championships. Playing defense is a skill like everything else. It requires skill, understanding of the game, and dedication.
There are 105 basketball drills in this category, and the newest ones are listed first.
Transition defense in a vital part of any defensive scheme, this drill helps instill this.
1/1 2000
Align your players in three lines at half court, with the ball in the middle line. You start the drill as if you were doing the old figure 8 shooting drill.
1/1 2000
4 offensive players are positioned along the arc while 4 defensive players are on the baseline, two players on each side of the coach who has a ball.(all four players, including the coach, are inside the boundaries of the foul lane).
Coach passes the ball to any of the four offensive players.
They play live offensive basketball. (coach can limit what they can or cannot do within the development of their players and progression with their offensive play. For example, no screens, basket cuts only, ball screens only, etc.) The defense closes out on the ball and positions themselves in helpside to defend the ball and their opponent. The defense must get 3 ‘stops’ to get out of the drill.
A ‘stop’ is defined by the coaching staff. We tell our players that all players must box out on a shot, no one is allowed to get beat middle on a dribble, the players must fill’n sink on baseline drives properly, must closeout with hands high when their opponent receives the pass, all shots are contested, no one is allowed to front cut and no ‘splits’ are allowed. ( a ‘split’ is dribble penetration between two defensive players.) If everything is done well and the offense makes the basket, that does not constitute a ‘stop’. Finally, if the defense allows an uncontested shot and that shot is made, it is a minus one for the defense’s score.
1/1 2000
It starts as a 5 man weave down the court, as the last two to touch the ball become the defense. The shooter sprints back to the basket as the passer makes sure to slow down the ball, this allows the other teammates to get bck if the ball doesn’t advnce quickly. The 3 offensive players attack the two defense members and the shooter becomes the defense on a two on one break back. After the offense attacks the one , the defensive player dribbles down the court for a lay up on no defense.
1/1 2000
Transition Man Defense 4 on 4/5 on 4
1/1 2000
THis drill emphasizes denial defense when the dribbler picks up his dribble. Focus is on smothering the man who picked up his dribble and denying the ball to the other 4 offensive players.
1/1 2000
I use (4) lines as a warm-up drill and also use it as a way to teach players the pick and roll, shooting off the dribble while coming the pick – and just putting different priorities on the drill as I see fit. The drill is simple and if you picture the lines starting in between half court and the three point line and having the first line start from left going to right evenly spaced across the width of the three point line. First line = offense, Second line = defense, third line = picker, 4th line = passer. Passer slaps ball – first line (offense) makes a V-cut to get open, the defender plays light defense, the picker picks the defense and then the offense comes off the pick. Here is where you put in the options…. shoot, drive, pick and roll. Easy drill – gets everyone involved. The players rotate to the right and to the next line after they complete the drill.
1/1 2000
We line up 4 offensive players in a square just slightly outside the lane and place 3 defensive players in the lane. The 4 offensive players may not drive but may shoot at any time. The 3 defensive players must defend the player with the ball (but not block the shot) as well as two of the other offensive players. They must deny hard if they are one pass away and play on the help line if two passes away. All defenders must rotate (and communicate) to cover again after each pass (they can’t steal passes) to be in position to defend and to rebound. When a shot is taken all three defenders must box out(one offensive player is knowingly unaccounted for), rebound, outlet to one of his partners and attack a single defender at the opposite end of the court transitioning a rebound into a fast break. The three offensive players then move to defense with the 4th player drifting back to play defense at the opposite end while the four former offensive players jump in to man the box formation.
1/1 2000
Shell defense is where you have four defensive players and four offensive players. 4 on 4 on 4 is a defensive/offensive drill to help on backside defense.
1/1 2000
Drill begins as 4 on 4. This is a competitive drill that emphasizes offensive fundamentals and team defense. Coach can select the number of points to win. Winner stays and faces team which is out. Team waiting maybe shooting FT’s running or working on ballhandling. Whichever team has most wins after 10-15 minutes cheers for other two teams who must run sprints.
1/1 2000
Start at one basket. Line up your offensive players in any spots you want. The defense will play man to man. The object of this drill is for the defense to get out as quickly as possible. The score begins 3-0 in favor of the offense. Every time the defense gets a rebound, steal, block shot/recover, the score goes down to 2-0. Every time the offense gets a score or offensive rebound, it goes back up to 3-0.
1/1 2000
Four offensive players are spaced along the arc while three defensive players guard any 3 opponents. A coach has the ball and he will begin the drill by passing to any of the four offensive players. The defense must rotate to prevent an uncontested jump shot.
1/1 2000
Divide court up by chairs down the middle of the court. Scoreboard Clock runs and ball handler on each side of court is guarded and has 10 seconds to get the ball to half court while pressured-then must maintain head up over half court and run the clock down and score with less than 10 seconds on 30 second clock.
1/1 2000
The drill is a full court drill used to teach covering the used dribble and denying the pass after a cover call.
1/1 2000
Start the drill with 3 players stationed along the baseline within the key area.
On the whistle players must sprint to opposite baseline touch the line sprint back, as the players touch the line the coach tosses the ball and hollers ball the players must turn find the ball and go get it.
The player who gets position continues towards the basket and plays the other two players when the player shoots, If she misses all three players go after the rebound and play continues until someone scores. The player who scores steps off the court and the remaining two players must sprint to the opposite baseline touch line and sprint back.
The coach tosses ball out again player retrieves ball now we play one on one player scores steps off and the remaining player must take the last sprint up and back, the drill continues with three new players.
1/1 2000

The basketball drills are licensed under a Creative Commons License.
TLC: Pål Degerstrøm 2000-2010