These basketball drills deal with defense. Click the blue link name of the drill for more information about each of the basketball drills.

This drill is from the Xavier University men's team. “Can you do conditioning with a ball in your hand instead of just running?” This drill evolved from this question. Drill involves 10 players —5 on offense vs. 5 on defense. It is executed for :45-:60 seconds in the NBA and :90 seconds in college. Rules: No dribbling, no screening, no shooting. Emphasize passing! As one player has the ball the other four offensive players make 10-15 ft. cuts — no 3 ft. cuts are allowed. The drill is initiated by a coach or manager who is out of bounds. This initial pass does not count. From this pass forward every time a pass is completed the receiver yells the # on the catch. A coach always encourages offensive movement. Anytime that you make a pass as a player you then cut. On any deflected pass or turnover pass a manager or coach who is out of bounds quickly passes the ball to an offensive player to keep the pace of the drill moving. This pass is not counted.As a defender, your responsibility is to NOT allow your man to receive a pass. Deny everywhere. At the end of the allotted time you count the number of catches by the offense as a unit, or the number of catches by individual players. The drill flip flops with the offense going to defense and the defense going to offense. Use two rotations. Great conditioner, very competitive, high accountability. Beware of “brother and law” deals happening. Make players guard different offensive players.

Two Basketball Denial Drill is s drill to work on pressuring passing lanes and recovering on a backdoor cut.

Basketball Drills: Five on the line Conversion Drill--this is one of my favorite drills to teach and practice the skills that go into becoming a team that is tough to score against in conversion.

Basketball Drills: Close out One on One--a great example of teaching players to close out on the ball, contain the drive, and contest the shot.

Basketball Drills: Full Court Take the Charge (from Coach Josh Stinson at Perfect Practice). This is animated with computer software.

Basketball Drills: Shell Drill--an animation of a basic shell drill for a pack line style of defense.

Basketball Drills: Shell Drill with a helpside interchange by the offense and then a post up from the Xavier Men's Basketball Newsletter Archives.

Basketball Drills: Duke Men's Six Point Contest Defensive Drill is a drill to isolate one player going through the process of defending various movements and positioning in a simulation of a defensive possession.

Basketball Drills: Defensive drill working on chasing a cutter through a screen from Coach Dick Bennett. The link will take you to the page on the Championship Productions web site where Coach Bennett's DVD The "Pack-Line" Pressure Defense is outlined. Additionally, you can read reviews of the DVD. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the video of the drill.

Basketball Drills: Tennessee Women's Conversion to Defense Drill taught by Coach Pat Summitt. The link will take you to a page on the Championship Productions web site. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the video of the drill.

Basketball Drills: Here is a version of the closeout, contest, and contain drill that Frank Martin uses at Kansas State.  In my opinion, having a variety of drills that teach and reinforce fundamentals and then finding ways to make them competitive, helps keep things fresh for the players. Closeout, Contest, and Contain Drill

Basketball Drills: Coach Josh Stinson has put together a nice series on the three player shell drill at his Perfect Practice site.  You can take a look here: Three Player Shell Dril.

Basketball Drills: I have explained in words what I feel is the best defensive sliding technique--wide feet.  In this video, the players demonstrate six inch step, six inch slide to maintain wide feet. I am sure that the coach in the video is an outstanding coach and obviously knows what he is doing.  I just would not feel comfortable risking an injury with this drill.  Not to mention that your AD probably wouldn't appreciate what the chairs would do to the floor if the players drop them. :) Here it is--take a look for a great example of maintaining wide feet in the defensive slide. Wide Feet Defensive Slide Drill Scroll down to view the drill.

Basketball Drills: When you are outnumbered such as in a 3 on 2 or 2 on 1 situation, emphasize that you want to force as many passes as possible in order to allow the rest of your team to catch up and even up your odds. Here is a short video segment of Chris Lowery of Southern Illinois teaching how they defend 2 on 1 situaitions. It is from a page on Championship Productions web site. You need to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the drill.

Basketball Drills: COMPETITIVE CLOSEOUTS Here is a competitive defensive drill from Geno Auriemma where the player has to make a one on one defensive stop to get out of the drill. To make the drill more even more competitive and quick moving than what the short video shows, split your team into groups of five using as many baskets and coaches as you can.  I think it is best to make the players in each group as similar in ability as you can.  The drill is scored like golf.  Each time a player goes on defense, he or she gets a point.  So, if they make the stop the first time, they only get one point (hole in one in golf).  If they have to go five times and get their defensive stop, then they get five points. After 4 "rounds" where each player has been on defense four times, the low score wins.  That also gives incentive for the offense to work to score because they are putting points against the players they are competing against within their own group. I like the setup with the two offensive lines so that the defender has to change sides of the floor if they have to go again. Geno Auriemma Defensive Drill