Springs Valley Basketball

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“The tradition continues...”
COACHING NOTES
Bob Knight: Practice Planning and Drills for Mental Toughness
Championship Productions
Quote of the Video: “Sherlock Homles once said to his buddy Watson that everybody sees, but very few
perceive. I think that in basketball players and coaches look, but very few see what is actually there. Coaches
and players alike have to be better at seeing what is actually there.”

Key Points

The game of basketball has three parts…offense; defense; and conversion
o Conversion is the most important part of the game

Coaches have to be generals… “Kids have to know that you are damn serious about what you are doing
and you expect them to follow what you tell them to a T.”

Getting every practice started with energy is very important

As an offensive player it is better to get to a spot too late than too soon

Work on using practice time to work both on offense and on defense

Encourage kids to use shot fakes; drives; and to follow their shot

Talk to players about READING the defense

When you move on the court you are either screening; coming off a screen; or making a cut

Pete Newell was the best Part/Whole teacher that Knight has ever been around…break down and teach
the parts and then move on to bringing it all together (whole).

Individual drills should be done for five minutes, then move on
o These drills should have a certain degree of difficulty and involve stamina improvement

Team drills should be done for ten minutes, then move on
o Kids/team gets bored and ho-hum attitude sets in
o Plus basketball is a team game that changes quicker than any other on a consistent basis

Assistant coaches cannot stop practice, but they must take players out and insert substitute…then take
the kid to the side and correct the player (offense or defense)…then make sure they correct it!

Have managers or lower level assistant coach keep track of missed lay-ups and poor passes…shows lack
of concentration

Coaches should expect players to sprint to the next drill and be in it by the time that you are done saying
what you want them in

Zig Zag Drill

Do this every day for 3-5 minutes

Coaches want kids that are tough and tough kids will go hard at zig-zags

2-on-1 Rebounding

Basically the old hamburger drill

Coaches can match kids up by size or sometimes have a guard go against big men or visa versa

Coach shoots/passes and three players go every man for himself…cannot dribble more than once

Four Corner Passing

This is a discipline and toughness drill

Players have three things that they have to do…pass; return; and hand-off

Players line up at the elbows and the blocks

When players make a pass then they have to call out names

Drill can go using two; three; or four balls…go clockwise or counterclockwise
o After players get the hang of this then the coach should call out changes

11-Man Drill

Two defenders on each end…two players on each wing…three offensive players initiate the drills
against defense on one end of the floor

Only allow one shot and then require an outlet…unless one of your main ball handlers gets the rebound

Man in the middle needs to get to one side of the floor or the other…this pulls the defense

Wing men get inside the three-point line on the baseline

3-on-3 Blockout Drill

Coach Knight teachers to hold out with the elbows extended

Put the butt into the thigh

Coach throws the ball out and says, “Get it!” and the defense has to hold for a four count before going
after the ball

This drill really makes kids tougher

Change from offense to defense quickly

2 Ball Dribbling Drill

Players have two basketballs one in the right and one in the left

Coach directs the players as to where to go…right; left; forward; and backward

Then coach directs and every change requires players to change from right to left

2-on-2 Shooting

When the shooter catches the ball the shooter should have the shooting foot back to step into the shot

This drill should be done from the elbows or wherever the coach decides to shoot from

Players shoot and follow their shot; make pass to teammate; and follow pass to then ready to shoot after
their teammate shoots and follows his shot

Have groups shoot to ten or whatever mark you have set for the day

Two Ball Shooting

Involves a shooter and rebounder

Teaches players how to shoot with stamina

Players can do a lot of things that they are directed to do by the coach
o Shot fake and go back the way you came, etc.

Post Two Ball Shooting

Passers on the wings…one ball each

Post player flashes (high or low) and can shoot or drive

When the player moves on to block-block shooting the coach should call out the move to make

Keep Away Drill (Monkey in the Middle Drill)

Offensive players are ten feet apart

Offensive players have to wait for the defender and can use one dribble

Offensive players cannot throw the ball over the top of the defender’s head

Semi-Circle Passing

Passer in the lane and the group of five to six players should have two balls
o Other players should form a semi-circle around the passer

Passer has to make passes and then receive the other ball
o Passer cannot throw the ball back to the guy he received it from and he cannot throw the ball in a
continuous line

Players have to call out names…great for communication

Passer has to step into the pass

Dribble Circle

Just like dribble tag…but only with two players…much like a cock fight

Develops stamina and toughness…especially if both players go extremely hard

5-on-0

Coach throws the ball up on the board and rebound and an outlet pass must be made

Coach can determine if the drill will be done in one, two, or more trips

Call out sets for the players to run after they have crossed half-court
o Players have to communicate

Coaches lay out expectations on offense
o Don’t throw the ball away
o Stop and talk about mistakes

High Offense

Have four players free-throw line or above

This puts the defense under constant pressure

No threes in transition

Get the ball into the paint and get to the FT line
o Make more free-throws than the opponents attempt

This drill can be done in 2, 3, 4, etc. possessions and is conducted 5-on-0 prior to adding defense

Start at half-court for this drill…really a motion breakdown drill

Do not throw the ball to the corner unless the player is wide open and is a good shooter

Four Possessions

Inside man should be the screener

Do not throw the ball to the corner

Talk about balance to your players…get the ball off the baseline…don’t crowd baseline!

Players have a tendency to resort to the dribble vs. man, but Coach Knight actually encourages the
dribble against a zone
o Dribble against a zone every time that you catch the ball on the perimeter
o Attack a seam

Causes the top defenders to react and move

Dribble does more to change a zone than anything…it forces it to become something that
it does not want to be

Man Offense: Eliminate the Dribble (No Dribble Drill)

This drill develops cutting and spacing as well as encouraging good passes

Players should only dribble to change position or to get to the basket

Teams develop confidence that they can score without putting the ball on the floor

Man/Man D…three-point line is the last line of defense for picking up the ball
o Half-court is the farthest
o Point of pick-up is dictated by how quick you are and how quick the offense is

Post players need to hold their posts…don’t come off the block
o Other players do not come into areas where a post man is holding a post

Don’t just run around…SEE AND REACT

Offensive players need to get off the baseline

No cross court passes against man-to-man defense

2-on-2/3-on-3 Screening

Come off screens shoulder to shoulder

2-on-2
o Make the pass to the feeder and then screen down
o Five options on the down screen

Down screen with the player receiving the screen coming over the top

Defender goes high so the screener goes underneath and the player receiving the screen
makes a back cut

Player getting the screen just flares when defender goes underneath

Player receiving the screen actually sets the screen when the defender goes
underneath…jams both defenders and the original screener pops out

Slip the screen and player receiving the screen pops

3-on-3
o This part of the drill is done without a feeder…ball starts on top
o You have to set up a cut off a screen…don’t just run
o Inside guy is the player who should be the screener (except on flare screens)
o Two players not with the ball should be the ones setting up for the screening action
o Spacing should be 15ft.

4-on-4 Offense and Defense

This drill is much better to work on your offensive principles
o Helps with the fundamentals of screening and cutting
o Much more difficult to cover for four defenders (disadvantage)

On offense it is better to be there a little bit late than too soon

Have players set up the best screening angle possible

Talk to players about READING the defense

When you move on the court you are either screening; coming off a screen; or making a cut

Pay attention to your defender…he will tell you where to go…don’t let him dictate though

3-on-3/4-on-4 Cut and Screen

Have defenders switch screens