Defense basketball drills

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 112 individual basketball drills in this category.

2 0n 1 Denial

The purpose of the 2 on 1 denial drill is to teach how to deny the ball. By using two players, emphasis is also placed on double-teaming. This drill is also good for offensive players in that it allows them to work on receiving the ball when being double teamed. This would be especially good for a post player. This drill also forces the players on the perimeter to work on their passing.

2 Man Loose Ball Drill

Teaches players to get after a loose ball by getting on the floor instead of reaching for the ball.

1000 MPH Recovery

This drill teaches players quickly change between slide steps and sprint steps. This drill is a good intermediate drill between the basic z pattern defensive slide steps, and full open court 1 on 1. I have found this to be an excellent drill, when my players are having footwork problems in the open court try to control a dribbler who changes speed and direction very well.

1-5 Drill

Set up 5 offensive players, 2 (1 each) in the corners, 2 (1 each) at a high wing, and one at the point. Set up 4 defensive players playing man-to-man on all offensive players except the point.

There are 5 different defensive aspects that are addressed in this drill.

POSITION— Have the offensive players pass the ball around and stress good defensive position (always see your man and the ball).
HEDGE— The offensive players can now dribble the ball. One player must set a screen for the dribbler. The defender calls out ‘screen’ and takes a quick jab step to try to make the dribbler pick up his dribble and give the other defender time to get around the screen. Note: The hedger’s first move is the quick jab step and his second move is to get back quickly on his man with his hands in the air to try and stop an overhead pass.
FRONT THE CUTTER— The offensive player at the wing passes to the corner and cuts through looking for a pass to the basket. The defender must front the cut and force a lob or no pass at all. The off side wing and point rotate and fill the spot of the cutter. Note: The defender must use his body to force the cutter to go where he wants him to go.
DRIVE THE BASELINE— The ball is thrown to the corner. The defender lets the ball go baseline and yells ‘help’. The off side baseline defender slides over to trap the ball. The off side wing defender slides to the baseline, and the ball side wing defender slides to the opposite wing.
Note: It is essential for the beat defender to yell ‘help’, but if the off side defender is player proper position defense, he will see the move.
ALL OF THE ABOVE— Each of the top four aspects are incorporated together.

1 vs 1 off hand dribble

Player A and player B stand behind the base line on each side of basket. Coach stands in corner of court (or to the side).

ONE ON FOUR

PLACE AN OFFENSIVE AND A DEFENSIVE PLAYER AT HALF COURT. PLACE THREE OTHER OFFENSIVE PLAYERS AS FOLLOWS: PUT ONE ON EACH WING AND ONE ON THE FREE THROW LINE. THESE THREE PLAYERS ARE TO ACT AS SCREENERS AND PASSERS. THE OFFENSIVE PLAYER AT HALF COURT STARTS WITH THE BASKETBALL. HE THEN PASSES IT TO ANY ONE OF THE OTHER PLAYERS. HE THEN MAY USE ALL THREE OF THEM AS SCREENERS OR PASSERS. THE NON-GUARDED PLAYERS MAY SCREEN OR PASS AS THEY SEE FIT. IF THE OFFENSIVE PLAYER SCORES THE DEFENDER REMAINS AND A NEW OFFENSIVE PLAYER GOES AGAINST THE DEFENDER. WE MAKE THE DEFENDER STAY UNTIL HE STOPS SOMEONE. WE ROTATE THREE NEW PLAYERS IN AS SCREENER/PASSERS EVERY THREE OR FOUR POSESSIONS. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DRILL WHICH CAN HELP YOUR DETERMINE WHO YOUR COMPETITORS ARE, AS THE DEFENSE IS AT A SEVERE DISADVANTAGE. IT ALSO HELPS YOUR OFFENSE AS THE YOUNG MEN LEARN TO PLAY TOGETHER AND USE SCREENS AND PASS THE BALL. LASTLY, IT IS FUN THE PLAYERS ENJOY GETTING ONE GUY ON DEFENSE AND SEEING HOW LONG THEY CAN KEEP HIM THERE.

1-on-2

A good 1 on 2 defensive drill that helps people with their ball handling.

1-on-1 Half Court with Corner Man Stationary

Drill is designed to teach defensive man on ball to steer to outside. It also designed to teach man below ball to help and recover to shooter. The drill can also be used to deny reversal pass when ball is in corner.

Basketball categories

Ballhandling 160Probably the most basic of basketball skills, but sometimes the most neglected. These drills will show you how to develop ballhandling skills. Remember that weak hand!
Big man 36Perhaps more than any other position on the team, the big man needs drills to perfect inside and post-up moves.
Combination 74Drills that combine other skills, and puts emphasis on technique and fundamentals.
Conditioning 159Basketball requires all around conditioning; stamina, strength, speed, jumping ability and more. These drills show you how to improve in all those areas.
Defense 112Offense wins games, defense wins championships. Playing defense is a skill like everything else. It requires skill, understanding of the game, and dedication.
Offense 79If you want to develop a sound offensive game, this category is for you. These are drills for the individual player and for the team.
Passing 74Another fundamental skill that is often overlooked. These drills will teach you everything from individual passing drills, to team passing drills.
Rebounding 77Like defense, rebounding takes dedication. But rebounding is easier if you understand the basics of boxing out, timing, and the importance of defensive positioning.
Shooting 260More than any other skill, shooting takes practice. Lot's of practice. Fundamentals include form, timing, and mental training.
Skills 32Drills that teach other aspects of the game are collected here.
Transition 47The transition from defense to offense can be a very effective weapon. Teams that know how to run the floor and establish a set offense quickly, have a powerful weapon for scoring easy points.
Warmup 24These drills cover everything from individual to team warmup drills, both for game and practice situations.
Wheelchair 10I'd like to have a lot more drills for wheelchair basketball, so please help me add more drills to this category!
Youth 23For those just starting out playing basketball, the game should be all about having fun. These drills will show you how to make sure the kids enjoy themselves while they learn the basics of basketball.