7 Basketball Defense Drills to Build Defensive Skill

Basketball defense drills are exercises that aim to increase the defensive performance of players. Often incorporating defensive footwork, defensive rebound techniques, and the defensive stance, these drills emphasize the essential skills of a good defensive game. There are defense drills for single players, multiple players, and entire teams.

In addition to focusing on offensive techniques such as ball handling, layups, shooting, passing, and finishing, it’s important to work on defensive skills. In addition to helping practice your fundamentals, defensive drills can improve footwork and help you prevent your opponents from shooting, passing, and scoring. Good defense will force them to take more difficult shots and may disrupt their individual and team rhythm.

Whether you are practicing man-to-man defense or zone defense, there are plenty of defensive basketball drills you can practice. As always, add these drills to other workouts and be sure to include warm-ups first. Below are some examples:

1. 1. One-on-one full court: For this drill, two players start at one end of the court. The coach passes the ball to the offensive player, and the ball defender guards him as he dribbles down the length of the court and attempts to score. Then, the players switch, the offense player defends as the offense makes a charge for the opposite basket. A variation is to restrict the drill to half court.
2. 2. Coordinated movements: Spread all the participating players out at even intervals, facing one side of the court in the defensive stance. From the sideline, the coach calls out which movements the players should perform, switching quickly through high-intensity exercises like close-outs, defensive slides, charges, and backpedals.
3. 3. Three cone hurdles: For this drill, space three cones two feet apart. The player will perform high-knee lateral hurdles through the cones. The drill should be done quickly, landing on the outside foot after the last cone, before reversing. This will help with agility, lateral quickness, and speed.
4. 4. Crossover-slide-sprint: The player or players slide in a defensive position, crossover, then move back to a slide. Alternate the slide with a full sprint, then back to a slide. The object is to work on rapid transitions between the different movements.
5. 5. Zig-zag: Two players start near each other at one corner of the court. Then, using the side of the lane as a boundary, the offensive player will dribble while the defensive player stays in a low defensive position, guarding them as they go. They should make a zig-zag shape across the court. When they reach the opposite corner, have the dribbler and defender switch positions.
6. 6. Shell drill: This is a good team defense drill. Four offensive players line up along the three-point line—two near the top and one in each wing. Four defensive players should be along the baseline. The basketball is passed to one of the players at the top of the three-point line, and the defenders must sprint to their corresponding player, then shift as the ball is passed among the four offensive players. Based on where the ball is, they should all adjust their defensive positions.
7. 7. Box out defending rebound drill: Two players—one offense and one defense—will position beyond the top of the key, the free throw lane in front of the hoop. Place a ball directly below the basket. When the coach gives the signal, the defensive player will try to keep the offensive player from the ball for as long as possible, using defensive box out maneuvers.

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