Basketball Tips - How to practice in the off season...

By Dr. James Gels, from the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook, @ http://www.coachesclipboard.net

Some players practice all summer and never get any better, while others improve dramatically. Why? It's has to do with practicing correctly, or what you really need to practice to improve. All players need to work on (1)ball handling skills, (2)shooting, (3)work under the backboard, (4)offensive moves, (5)free-throw shooting, (6)fingertip tipping and jumping drills.

Practice at home, four or five days a week. Just playing in a summer league won't do a lot to help your fundamentals.

Ball-Handling

Spend 10 minutes doing our standard ball-handling drills, and dribbling drills. See the Ball Handling, Stationary Dribbling Drills, and Sideline Dribbling Drills handouts. See the video clips.

Under the Backboard (Mikan Drill)

This old drill is still one of the very best for developing a touch or feel for the ball coming of the backboard. Do this drill under the basket before your shooting practice. Become familiar with how the ball comes off the backboard, and at different angles. Start by standing right under the basket. Step on the left foot and do a baby hook lay-up on the right side, using the backboard. Catch the rebound and step on the right foot and do the baby hook lay-up on the left side using your left hand. No dribbling is allowed. Repeat this continuously alternating right and left sides for a couple minutes. This will help you with your lay-ups, both right and left-handed, and give you a better feel for the backboard.

Spot Shooting

See the diagram showing the more common places to shoot on the court. Spend time taking a certain number of shots from each of these spots. Always follow and rebound any missed shots with a lay-up. Start with the shorter shots, working on good one-handed technique with your shoulders square, your elbow in, proper wrist cock and fingertip release and with a nice follow through, getting back-spin (rotation). Extend your range out to the 3-point range. See the Jump Shot and 2-Man Shooting Drills handouts.

Offensive Moves

If you are an outside player, work on the outside moves. Inside, post players work on the inside, post-up moves. All around players, do them all!

Outside, Perimeter Players

Refer to your Outside Moves page.
Do each of these moves five times:
First, from the right side of the court: right-handed players make sure your left foot is the pivot foot, and you jab step with your right foot, and just the opposite for lefties.
1. Jab step- drive - lay-up.
2. Jab step - crossover - lay-up.
3. Jab step - pull back - jump shot.
4. Jab step - drive - jump shot.
5. Jab step - crossover - jump shot.
6. Shot fake - one dribble - jump shot (both right and left).

Then, repeat all six moves from the left side of the court. Shoot all lay-ups from this side, left-handed.

Inside, Post Players

Refer to your Inside Post-up Moves handout. Do each of these moves five times:
1. Drop step to baseline, right side.
2. Drop step to lane, jump hook, right side.
3. Pivot, face defender, jab step, baby jumper, right side
4. Pivot, face defender, fake shot, up and under move, right side.
5. Drop step to baseline, left side.
6. Drop step to lane, jump hook, left side.
7. Pivot, face defender, jab step, baby jumper, left side
8. Pivot, face defender, fake shot, up and under move, left side.
9. Elbow shooting drill (see 2-Man Shooting Drills).

Free Throw Shooting

See the Free Throw Shooting handout for fundamentals, attitude, and a practice routine. Shoot 25 free throws. Keep a record of your shooting percentage.

Tipping Drill

Stand under the basket on the right side and throw the ball up on the backboard. Jump as high as you can, and tip the ball with your right hand fingertips 10 times. Try to tip the last one in the basket. Repeat this on the left side, using your left hand. This will help improve your fingertip control and play under the basket, as well as improving your leaping ability.

Conditioning

You must be in excellent physical condition to play the game well. Shooting skills, concentration, and basic fundamentals deteriorate when you are tired. In the off season, don't forget conditioning. Run a couple miles 3 or 4 days a week. Do some wind sprints, or 100 yard dashes. Jumping rope is also good for developing quick feet, as well as for conditioning. Be ready when the first day of practice arrives! Click here for more info: Conditioning

Be sure to check the video clips of all the moves and drills described above.

Helpful DVDs:

	Ben Braun: 30 Fundamental Drills for Daily Improvement with Ben Braun, former University of California Head Coach; 1997 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2003 Naismith National Coach of the Year award finalist; 1999 NIT Champions. Coach Braun provides numerous fundamental drills for individual and team development that should be utilized daily during the season and are excellent for both pre- and post-season fine-tuning of skills. This drills in this video will help with technique work on many fundamental areas of basketball critical for success and advancement of your players and team, including: ball handling, footwork, shooting, rebounding and includes both individual and team drills to help build fundamental skills. The individual drills are designed... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Ganon Baker's "Superman" Workout for all Players with Ganon Baker, Nike Basketball Training Specialist. In this extraordinary video, basketball skills guru Ganon Baker shares his own "Superman" Workout - a series of intense, skill-building drills designed to develop and refine basketball players of all skill levels. Baker starts out with 22 stationary ball-handling drills, moves on to 20 more shooting and scoring drills and finishes off with 14 basketball-specific conditioning drills. The drills in this workout are personally used by Ganon and have been proven effective. In this video, you will see Baker going through all 56 of the different drills in his "Superman" Workout... (more info) Price: $39.99
	21 Versatile Skill Developmental Drills with Brett Gunning, Villanova University Associate Men's Basketball Coach; introduced by Jay Wright, Villanova University Head Men's Basketball Coach, NCAA "Sweet 16" (2005), Philadelphia Big Five Eastern College Coach of the Year. Jay Wright's ability to transform his players' skills through individual workouts is legendary. Few are better at molding a player to his system with solid teaching, hard work, and repetition. Associate Head Coach Brett Gunning guides players through a classic Wildcat workout. This video will demonstrate the value of repetition when teaching in a small group setting. Wright stresses the "one workout fits all" philosophy as guards and forwards execute the identical workouts. This year-round workout is a foundation of the Wildcat program. Players get maximum reps during this intense 40-minute skill development session. This workout begins with... A superior example of how players can be made in the in-season and off-season... (more info) Price: $39.99
	Jerry Petitgoue's 20 Time-Tested Championship Practice Drills with Jerry Petitgoue, Cuba City HS (WI) Head Boys Basketball Coach (35+ years), 19 Conference titles, 3X Wisconsin State Championships, 26 Consecutive 15+ Win Seasons. This fantastic DVD includes 20 drills personally selected by one America's finest high school coaches, Jerry Petitgoue. These drills are fundamentally sound, proven and have a direct connection to championship basketball. A master coach for over 40 years, Coach Petitgoue takes you onto the court and guides you through each drill. Most of these drills can be used by players to drastically improve their skills in the off-season. Ball handling, passing, shooting, jump stops, defense, post moves, rebounding and transition drills are just a taste of what is included. Because players improve through repetition, Petitgoue's teams have excelled due to his consistent focus on fundamentals and skill development. In addition to building fundamentals, these drills will foster good conditioning, communication and add to a team's competitiveness. Highlights are the "tough man" rebounding drill, chair slides, distance lay-ups, commando ball handling and the zone "call it" drill. Excellent instruction! (more info) Price: $39.99
	Basketball Player Workouts Many more basketball DVDs at the Coach's Clipboard Basketball DVD Store! This page lists a number of DVDs focused on basketball player workouts. Extensive material on player enhancement and workouts by some of basketball's most knowledgeable teachers will help you challenge your players to improve as individuals and as a team. Numerous drills are featured covering areas such as proper warm-up, defense, rebounding, passing, shooting, footwork, ball handling, and individual moves.