WOLF DRILL: Defensive Intensity & Toughness

The WOLF DRILL is a defensive drill that allows you to work on a variety of defensive skills in one rep:  closeouts, on the ball defense, blocking out and taking a charge. 

Three offensive players align around the perimeter, one at the top of the key and 2 and 3 on the wings.  One defender starts with a basketball and under the basket.

X1 rolls the ball out to 1.  X1 will execute a closeout.  They play one-on-one.  1 gets three dribbles to try and score.

 As soon as X1 and 1 complete their part of the drill, the ball is immediately passed out to 2.  X1 will now sprint to 2 and execute a closeout.  2 will immediately catch and shoot.  X1 must box out 2 after the shot.  Both players attempt to get the rebound.

If 2 makes the shot X1 immediately passes the ball to 3.  If 2 misses and 1 gets the rebound they will immediately pass to 3.  If 2 gets and offensive rebound, they play until 2 scores or X1 gets a rebound or turnover.
On the catch 3 will immediately attack the basket off the dribble to attempt to score on a layup.  Meanwhile X1 is sprinting over to set up to take a charge outside the lane (if possible).

Players rotate 1 to 2.  2 to 3.  3 to defender.

5 LINE SCRAMBLE REBOUND DRILL

SKILLS COVERED
*Rebounding
*Communication
*Hustle/Effort

ALIGNMENT 
*Three players line up in lane facing rim.  One on each block and one just inside the free throw line
*Remaining players divide evenly into five lines standing on the three point line facing the rim.  One in each corner, one line at each wing, one line at top of key. Lines are numbered
1 through 5 (players must know numbers).

*Coach stands about 15 feet away from the rim, anywhere, with the ball.

RUNNING THE DRILL 
*Coach yells three out of the five numbers (for example 2, 4, 5).
*Coach shoots the ball and everyone in the gym yells "shot!"
*Players from the three lines called must crash the basket hard as soon as ball is released.
*The three players in the lane must turn and locate crashers, make body contact, and secure the rebound. Do not just look at the ball and rim.
*Players must get three rebounds before being allowed to leave the lane and get in crashing lines.

*Keep track of how many reps it takes for each group to get their three consecutive rebounds.  The group that takes the least amount of reps, wins the drill.

DRILL VARIATIONS
*Make players get more or less than three rebounds before leaving the lane depending on the skill of your team or rebounders.

10 QUESTIONS TO DEVELOP A REBOUNDING PHILOSOPHY

Do you have a philosophy when it comes to rebounding?  There are so many things to consider when it comes to developing a philosophy when teaching rebounding to your players.  Below are 10 questions to answer that will help develop your rebounding philosophy.

1. When on defense do you want your players to make contact with their player when a shot is taken?  Or do you want them to just go get the ball?

2. If you want your players to make contact, how do you want them to do it?

3. How do you want your players to grab for the ball?  Two hands?

4. Will you teach your players where most rebounds are attained when the ball is shot from a specific spot on the floor?  How will you teach them to anticipate the spot the ball will be for the rebound?

5. Will you use specific rebounding drills in practice?  Or will you have rebounding be something you work on during team play in practice?

6. In games how many players will you send to the offensive boards?  Do the players know who is supposed to go for offensive rebounds?

7. Are you going to teach rebounding as an attitude?  How will you teach your players to be aggressive with rebounding?

8. How will you teach rebounding during free throw situations, on offense and defense?

9. When on defense, how will you teach your players to get in rebounding position (to blockout) if the offensive players is in between them and the basket?

10. Where do you want your players arms and hands to be during a blockout?

REBOUNDING: MAROON-GOLD REBOUNDING

SKILLS COVERED
*Defensive blockout
*Offensive rebounding

ALIGNMENT
*Two lines, one at each elbow and two lines, one at each lane-line along the baseline
*Coach is out on the perimeter with a ball.



EXECUTING THE DRILL
*In this diagram the triangles are in maroon and are the defenders. The circles are in gold and on offense.
*The goal of each player is to have their practice jersey on the maroon side when the drill is over.
*Coach shoots the ball.
*The two defensive players box out the two offensive players. All four players attempt to get the rebound.
*Whichever team gets the rebound, that group will be maroon. The two player team that did not get the rebound will be in gold. This means that if gold got the rebound, they then have to switch their practice jersey to maroon and then go to the baseline lines. And the maroon team then has to turn their practice jersey to gold, and go to the two lines out at the elbows.
*Coach will tell the team the length (minutes) of the drill before the drill starts.
*At the end of the drill the players who are wearing maroon, win. The players that are wearing gold, lose. Coach can set a reward for winners or have losers do extra running or push-ups.

IMPORTANT

The purpose of this drill is obviously to work on blocking out, rebounding, and offensive rebounding.  This drill can be a real teaching point for offensive rebounding as the coach can talk to players about the probable direction the ball will bounce off the rim based on where the shot came from.  This drill also creates a high level of intensity in your players.  Coaches can determine the level of intensity and physicality based on how much they 'let go'.  You could have players ending up on the floor, diving on the floor, and yelling on rebounds.  Not only is rebounding practiced in this drill, but it also helps create an aggressive nature within your players.