• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

  • Basketball Plays
    • Ball Screen Sets
    • Horns Sets
    • Man to Man Post Up
    • Man to Man Isolations
    • Backdoor Plays
    • Man to Man 3 Point Shot Plays
    • 2-3 Zone Attack
    • Baseline Inbound Plays
    • Sideline Inbound Plays
    • Combination Defense Attack
  • Drills
    • Defensive Drills
    • Offensive Drills
    • Competitive Drills
    • Passing Drills
    • Rebounding Drills
    • Shooting and Scoring Drills
    • Toughness Drills
    • Transition & Conversion Drills
    • One on One Drills
  • Blueprint
  • Practice
  • Mental Toughness
  • Skill Development
  • Offense
  • Defense
  • Store

Defense

Tom Izzo: Defensive Stance

By Brian Williams on March 28, 2023

In the video below Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo breaks down the basic principles of a defensive stance.

Coach Izzo has his players square their feet to the offensive player. He does not have them put one foot up and one foot back. If he wants to force a player in one direction he has his defensive players move one step either to the right or left and split the stance of the offensive player while still squaring up to the offensive player.

Coach Izzo also states that he has his players put one hand up while in their stance and stresses the importance of not only contesting shots but contesting passes while in the defensive stance.

This clip was taken from a complete coaching course.

For more information about that video course click the following link: Tom Izzo Defensive and Rebounding Skills

The clip below has audio so please make sure you are not muted and the volume is turned up.

 

 

 

 

NBA Finals Notes Game 4

By Brian Williams on June 13, 2022

These short video clips were put together by George Washington Men’s Assistant Coach Zak Boisvert.

They are some notes that he took when watching NBA finals game #4.

If you missed his notes from the first game, you can access it at this link: NBA Finals Game 1 Notes

You may or may not agree with the notes, but hopefully they will stimulate your thoughts for some ideas that can help your program.

Zak has an outstanding site with posts on various coaching topics at www.pickandpop.net

His YouTube channel has several videos with various types of man-to-man plays, zone sets, and inbounds plays as well as clips on various defensive coverages.

You can subscribe to receive an update when he posts a new video Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

You can follow him on Twitter at this link: @ZakBoisvert

Click play to see the video

This is a YouTube video, so you will need to be on a server that allows you YouTube access.

NBA Finals Notes Game 2

By Brian Williams on June 8, 2022

These short video clips were put together by George Washington Men’s Assistant Coach Zak Boisvert.

They are some notes that he took when watching NBA finals game #2.

If you missed his notes from the first game, you can access it at this link: NBA Finals Game 1 Notes

You may or may not agree with the notes, but hopefully they will stimulate your thoughts for some ideas that can help your program.

Zak has an outstanding site with posts on various coaching topics at www.pickandpop.net

His YouTube channel has several videos with various types of man-to-man plays, zone sets, and inbounds plays as well as clips on various defensive coverages.

You can subscribe to receive an update when he posts a new video Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

You can follow him on Twitter at this link: @ZakBoisvert

Click play to see the video

This is a YouTube video, so you will need to be on a server that allows you YouTube access.

NBA Finals Notes Game 1

By Brian Williams on June 8, 2022

These short video clips were put together by George Washington Men’s Assistant Coach Zak Boisvert.

They are some notes that he took when watching the first NBA finals game.

You may or may not agree with the notes, but hopefully they will stimulate your thoughts for some ideas that can help your program.

Zak has an outstanding site with posts on various coaching topics at www.pickandpop.net

His YouTube channel has several videos with various types of man-to-man plays, zone sets, and inbounds plays as well as clips on various defensive coverages.

You can subscribe to receive an update when he posts a new video Zak Boisvert You Tube Channel

You can follow him on Twitter at this link: @ZakBoisvert

Click play to see the video

This is a YouTube video, so you will need to be on a server that allows you YouTube access.

How the Houston Cougars Approach Practice

By Brian Williams on September 27, 2021

Kelvin Sampson led the Houston Cougars to the Final Four during the 2020-21 season.

Around basketball, the Cougars are known to have one of the best Cultures in college basketball. 

They were a top 5 NCAA  team defensive team and rebounding team last season.
 
Coach Sampson explains that if you want a team to be good at certain concepts then you need to simplify and hone in on those core concepts everyday in practice.

The Cougars call this their “Core Four”.

  • Pick and Roll Defense
  • Trapping the Post 
  • Transition Defense
  • Offensive Spacing

Coach Sampson said that another big emphasis for the Cougars is Rebounding.

Here is a snapshot of what the Cougars emphasis every day in practice:

(Click on Image to Play Free Video)


This is how the Cougars evaluate their “Toughness”. They focus on rebounding and defense. 

Pick and Roll Defense

One of the Cougars “Cour Four” is pick and roll defense.

This is something the Cougars work on every single day of practice.

The Cougars pick and roll principles include 5 steps. 
#1 Pick and roll communication needs to be early and loud three times. 

#2 The guards must dictate and have back pressure.

#3 The bigs have to come up to the line of scrimmage to meet the guard coming off the pick and roll.

#4 The help defense has to be in position to give support for the pick and roll defense. 

#5 The MIG (most important guy) has to take roller until the big can recover.

Below, Coach Sampson shows an example of these 5 steps.

(Click on Image to Play Free Video)

Spacing in the Half-Court

Offensive Spacing is another key concept in the Cougars “Core Four”.

Spacing in the half court starts with players in certain areas of the court.

-The corners and slots are to be filled.

-The dunker spot is to be filled with the big.

-And then all the actions that the Cougars run come out of proper spacing.

(Click on Image to Play Free Video)

The Cougars success has been built due to a championship level culture. 

Coach Sampson and staff have done a terrific job at Houston. 

These videos were taken from Coach Sampson’s complete 40-minute video course.

If you would like to learn more about that course click the link below.

Kelvin Sampson: PNR Defense and Offensive Spacing

 

 

 

3 on 3 Position & Take the Charge Drill

By Brian Williams on July 9, 2021

3-on-3 Position & Take the Charge Drill with Rick Croy, Arizona State, Associate Men’s Head Coach.

Rick Croy made a name for himself at California Baptist University, becoming one of the fastest coaches to reach 300 victories, before moving to Arizona State.

In this drill, players work on ball side defensive positioning. When the ball is reversed, the basket defender has to make the quick decision to take a charge or make a vertical shot contest.

This is a YouTube video, so you will need to be on a network that does not block YouTube videos.

For more information about NABC On the Court Open Practice with Rick Croy: Offensive & Defensive Drills to Promote Toughness, click here: NABC On the Court Open Practice with Rick Croy: Offensive & Defensive Drills to Promote Toughness – Basketball — Championship Productions, Inc.

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 17
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
coachestoolbox
personaldevelopmenttoolbox
basketballplayerstoolbox
basketballtrainer
athleticperformancetoolbox
coachingbasketball

© Copyright 2026 Coaching Toolbox

Privacy Policy