Basketball Rebounding Drills

These Rebounding Drills came from the Arizona Men’s February Basketball Newsletter.  If you are interested in subscribing to their newsletter, please give me your:

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War Drill (8 minute drill)

(1 basketball. 6. 8 or 10 players. Full Court)

Defense is in the paint and matches up. On the shot by the coach. their goal is to go meet the offense outside of the paint and keep them out of it.

The offensive players are set up behind the three point line and except for the point guard, (who gets back on defense), are going hard to the rim.  The defender on the point guard should look to help on boxing someone else out.

This is a highly competitive drill with a winner and loser. If the offense gets the rebound they get a point and can try to score a 2 or 3 pointer.  If they score we set the drill back up. If the defense gets the rebound or forces a turnover, there is no point scored but they push the basketball down court (transition offense) and try to score on the other end. On a score or turnover by them, play stops and we set the drill back up.

The ball will only go from one end to the other end one time and then the drill would be reset. If we don’t reset the drill it becomes a transition drill and not a contact drill.

There are no points on a made shot by the coach but it is still played like a rebound.

Knicks Drill

(1 or 2 basketballs. 6 or more players)

On the shot by the number 3 (could be a coach),  Xl and X4 come out and box out (they start with one foot on the baseline). Offensive players 1 and 5 are going hard to the rim. Numbers 2 and 4 are there for the outlet pass. If the defense gets the rebound they are going to pivot to the outside and outlet the ball. If it’s a made shot. they run out of bounds to outlet the basketball. The offense players try to stop the outlet pass. You could have one player deny the inbounder and the other denying the player receiving the pass.

If the offense gets the rebound they go 2 on 2 and try to score or the drill can be reset (coach’s option).

Offensive players switch between being offense or outlet players. The defense remains defense until you switch them out.

Try to match up the lines with perimeter players in one line and post players in the other.

This could be a competition drill with sprints for the losers. A defensive rebound is one point. a successful outlet pass is one point, an offensive rebound is two points and a made basket is one point.

The Defenders can cross and block out opposite line to vary the drill.

Here is a similar version run by Xavier’s Chris Mack. Coach Mack was an assistant on Sean Miller’s staff when Coach Miller was at Xavier.

You can find out more about the DVD that this video came from by following this link: Chris Mack: Smorgasbord of Basketball Drills

Get to the Basket Drill

(1 basketball, 3 or more players)

Place two defenders side by side facing the offense (if you have football pads, use them).  On the shot, the offense has to bust through to the basket.  This teaches them to never surrender going to the basket and being aggressive.

Only drill this from the wings.  If we have an offensive player at the top, we would normally want him to get back on defense.

Without the pads, the defense gives a little pressure, just enough to make them push through.

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