Plays | Drills | Strategies | And Much More!

Written by: Tony Adragna

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1
Coaching Tips………………………………………………………………………………2
Traits Of A Great Coach…………...………………………………………………….9
36 Basketball Drills..…………………………………………………………………… 12
Ballhandling Drills.………………………………………………………………………13
Agility Drills……………………………………………………………………………….. 20
Defensive Drills……………………..….………………………………………………..23
Shooting Drills………………………….…………………………………………………30
Game-Like Drils…………………………………………………………………………..45
Basketball Plays……………………..………………………………………………….. 49
Practice Planning…………..…………………………………………………………… 57
Sample Practice Plan……..……………………………………………………………59
150 Coaching Quotes…..…………………………………………………………….. 60
Introduction

Taking on a youth basketball coaching gig can be scary if you’re not

positive on how exactly to practices, game situations, drills, etc.
There’s a lot that goes into it, and often times, the guidance you
need just isn’t there.
But fear no more, this guide is the ULTIMATE toolbox for youth
basketball coaches. We give you plays, strategies, drills, quotes you
can use to motivate yourself and your players, and more!
If you’re ever struggling to think of a drill to run at practice, or need
guidance on how to run something, you can always use this guide as
a reference point, as it is the ultimate toolbox for every youth
basketball coach!

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Coaching Tips

Coaching youth basketball is something that should be fun, but it’s

also an important role to take on when it comes to player
development. Kids are very impressionable at a young age, so a poor
experience can turn them off to the sport for good. On the contrary,
a great experience can spark a passion for a lifelong love of the
game.
As a youth basketball coach, it’s important to understand the role
you are playing. For that reason, we created this ultimate guide to
coaching youth basketball. By following the points below, you’ll be
on the right track to giving your kids a great basketball experience!
Keep it Fun
This is the most important point for coaching any youth sport. Sports
are a game. Games are played to be fun, especially for kids. Make
sure your kids are having a good time playing the game.
Don’t be too prideful in your coaching. Feel free to ask the kids or
their parents how their season is going. Ask what they’d like to do
more of, ask how things could be more fun. You don’t have to act on
all of the feedback you receive, but it’s okay to ask.
Ultimately, you’re there to help the kids learn the game and keep
things light. As a youth basketball coach, the kids are far too young
for the game to be too serious, and that’s something you should

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keep in mind as you’re coaching. If the kids are having fun, you’re
probably doing a pretty good job.
Start With The Basics
It’s easy to get excited about coaching your team and scour the
internet for advanced drills and tactics, but the truth is, you need to
start with the basics, even for players you may think are ‘advanced.’
Often times some of the best youth basketball players have the
worst habits. You may have a deadly three-point shooter, but he
shoots the ball from his hip because he doesn’t have the strength to
shoot a good-looking jumpshot.
So what exactly are the basics?
Form Shooting
Keep your players close to the basket and show them the proper
shooting form. Knees bent, elbow in, ball on the pads of your
fingertips (not in your palm), follow through as you release the ball.
Ball-Handling
Knees should be bent, eyes should be up. We have some great ball-
handling drills in our [sg_popup id=”2″ event=”click”]free
workout![/sg_popup]
Passing
At the youth level, passes should be sent with two hands and the
ball should be received in the shooting pocket. Passes to work on at
this level are the chest pass, bounce pass, and over-the-head pass.

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Triple Threat Position
A player is able to do anything offensively from the triple threat
position. This is done with the knees bent and ball on the hip. From
the triple threat position, a player can shoot, pass, dribble, or pivot.
Defensive Stance
A great defensive stance has the knees bent, the arms out wide, and
the back straight. Don’t let your players stand straight-legged or
hunch their back. Teaching them this early builds great habits as
they get older.
Boxing Out
This is one of the most important. Don’t let your kids just run to the
rim toward the basketball. Make them box out and then go get the
ball.
Screening
Teach players the proper way to set a screen. This means knees
bent, staying set, and covering themselves.
These items may seem boring to kids, but there are ways to make all
of these things fun. For example, want to work on proper
ballhandling? Make it a relay race down the floor with teams. The
kids will learn the fundamentals while keeping it fun.
Teach Them To Play, Not Plays
This is one I can’t stress enough. Nothing bothers me more than
watching a youth basketball game in which the teams run a set play
every time down the floor. That does nothing to teach your players

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players the game. They are just learning how to run to spots and do
what the coach tells them. Also, they are constantly thinking about
the plays in their heads instead of just playing.
There is a time and a place to run a set. I’m not saying to never run a
play. What I am saying is to teach your kids how to play the game of
basketball. Some items I always like to teach my youth teams:
• Pass and screen away
• Pass and basket cut
• Screen and roll
• Screen and pop
• Down screen when you’re being denied
• Backdoor when you’re being denied
• Dribble hand-off
• Call for a ball screen (we put a fist in the air)
• SpacingAnd many more!

By teaching your team HOW to play, and not just plays, it’ll go a long
way in their development.

Build Skills, Not Drills

This goes hand-in-hand with the point above, but make sure you are
building players that get better at skills and not better at drills. What
I mean by this is that you’ll find a lot of goofy drills on the internet
that you could have your team run. For example, shooting off of one
foot from the free throw line. If you did this drill every day for 10
minutes, your players would get better at shooting off of one foot
from the free throw line, but is that an applicable skill to a real
game? Doubtful.

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Make sure that the drills you have your kids run are building real
skills that they can use in games, not just something that looks cool
that you found on the internet. When you’re making your practice
plan, think about if the drill you’re planning on running will build
skills for your players.

Play Man-to-Man Defense

It is a a no-brainer that playing a zone defense against third graders
will probably yield better results than playing man-to-man defense.
Third graders have not yet developed knock-down jumpshots and
clogging the paint will certainly help keep their scoring total down.

But what are you teaching your kids by playing zone the entire
game? Probably bad habits of standing around on defense and
staying in the same area. While you may win a few more games
playing zone defense, you are stunting the development of yours
players.

Instead of playing zone, teach them fundamental man-to-man

principles. Denying while one pass away, playing help-side defense,
communicating throughout the possession. If you teach your players
this at a young age, their high school and college coaches will be
thanking you, because man-to-man is the staple defense of most
high school and college programs across the country.

Positionless Basketball
What do I mean by this? Let your big kids work on their ball-
handling and shooting. Let your short kids work on their post moves
and screening. When you’re coaching youth basketball, you have no

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idea who is going to hit a big growth spurt, or who may be done
growing. The size of kids when they’re 10 and the size they’ll be
when they’re 18 are vastly different.

So with that said, play positionless basketball. Everybody should be

working on ALL of the skills of the game. Not only will it make them
a more well-rounded player, they’ll be ready for whatever position
they need to play when they get to high school and beyond.

Don’t stunt the growth of your players by only allowing the bigs to
play on the block, or only allowing your smaller players to bring the
ball up the floor Everybody should be working on all of their skills
when it comes to youth basketball.

Don’t Burn Your Kids Out

Give your kids breaks. Let them play other sports. Don’t play in
tournaments every weekend. Burnout is very real in youth sports,
and that’s because kids never get a chance to be away from the
sport. They are constantly playing and being pushed to work on their
games.

While there is a time and a place to work on their games, it doesn’t

have to be 24/7/365 as youngsters. They need time away. They need
to just be kids. Keep that in mind when you are scheduling practices,
games, tournaments, etc.

You should also be encouraging your kids to play other sports. Don’t
pigeon-hole them into choosing basketball at a young age. They
should be exploring everything. By doing this, you’re not burning
them out and they’ll continue being hungry to play more basketball

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as they get older.

In summary, coaching youth basketball comes with responsibility.

People are entrusting you to give their kids a positive experience.

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Traits Of A Great Coach

Some coaches can be really strong in one aspect of coaching, but

severely lack in other parts. But a GREAT basketball coach
encompasses several of the traits highlighted below:

Caring – A great coach cares deeply about each individual in their

program. This goes all the way from assistant coaches to the
managers and all of their families. They let everyone in their
program know that they care for them.
Communication – Great coaches are able to communication their
vision clearly. Whether that be in a practice, a game, a pre-game
speech, etc., what they are communicating is absorbed and
executed by their teams.
Teamwork – This goes for getting their players to play as a collective
unit, and teamwork on the sidelines with their assistant coaches. It
takes a village to have a successful basketball team, and it starts with
the head coach.
Leadership – This one is a no-brainer. A great coach has to be an
effective leader, on and off the court. If the leadership at the top is
poor, the team has minimal chances for success.
Ability to Teach – A coach is a teacher. They are constantly teaching
the game, life lessons, and more. Great coaches are able to
articulate what they want out of their players and coaches and teach
them the best way to get to that point.

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Love What They Do – The second a coach isn’t loving what they do,
they should get out of coaching. A great coach loves the entire
process of building and growing a team.
Respect – Just as respect should be expected from their players, a
coach must also give respect to their players.
Passion – Great coaches have a passion not only for the game, but
for what they are doing. They wake up every morning excited for the
journey ahead of them.
Energy – Piggy-backing off of the passion, the energy of a coach is
very important. The entire program will feed off of it.
Personal Development – Nobody is going to start out in coaching as
a great coach. Coaches become great coaches by constantly learning
and personal development.
Ability to Adapt – Throughout the course of a season, or even a
game, things are going to change. Great coaches are able to adapt
and keep their team rolling.
Basketball IQ – Basketball IQ is important to being a great coach.
Recognizing situations and putting their team in great situations to
succeed is vital.
Organization – A lot goes into running a successful basketball
program. Without proper organization, things can slip through the
cracks and the team will suffer.
Delegation – Great coaches understand that it takes a village (as
noted earlier). Being able to delegate to assistant coaches and
managers is important.
Skill Building – Great coaches recognize what it takes to help build
skills for the players in their program.
Offensive Philosophy – A coach should have an offensive philosophy
that he follows and highlights for his team. Everybody in the
program should be on the same page about what the philosophy is.

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Defensive Philosophy – Just like offensive philosophy, defensive
philosophy is obviously important for basketball coaches. Again,
everybody in the program should be on the same page about this.
Discipline – Without discipline, programs can become a circus. Great
coaches recognize that discipline is needed across the board for
their programs to be successful.
Motivation – Great coaches are able to motivate their teams to play
to the best of their ability, not only in games, but also in practices.
Planning – Without proper planning, programs can get stuck in
mediocrity. Coaches have to coach in the present, but also plan for
the future.
Involvment – A coach should make sure his players know that he
wants to be involved in their life outside of the game. They should
know about their school work, home lives, and more, so that they’re
able to connect with their players on a deeper level.
Objective – Great coaches are able to put any personal connections
aside and coach each player objectively.
Attention to Detail – A great coach is very detail-oriented and pays
special attention to even the smallest of details to make sure his
team is operating at 100% efficiency.

Obviously there are far more traits that great coaches have that
aren’t in the list above. With that said, the list above is a great
starting point if you have aspirations to be a great coach.

Start with one or two of the traits and really focus on them for a
week or two until they become second-nature, and then move on to
a couple more to focus on until all of these come to you naturally.

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36 Basketball Drills

As a youth basketball coach, you want to keep your practices

interesting and fresh. You don’t want your players coming into the
gym dreading practice because they already know what’s on the
docket for the day.

With that said, keeping practices interesting and fresh for youth
basketball players is much easier said than done. You have to rack
your brain for drills and it’s easy to get stuck on the same drills over
and over.

For that reason, we’ve created this comprehensive resource of 36

youth basketball drills for kids that you can reference when you’re
coming up with your practice plans!

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Ballhandling Drills

The drills in this category are focused primarily on ball-handling and

can be used to improve your players’ handles in practice.

Stationary Ballhandling (1 ball)

Stationary ballhandling works exactly how it sounds. Your players
have a basketball and these drills are performed while they stay
stationary.
How to perform:
• Ball slaps – Players rotate slapping the basketball with both
hands to warm their hands up and get them used to the feel of
the ball.
• Fingertip rotate – Players will keep their arms straight and throw
the ball back and forth with their fingertips. Again, this is used to
warm the hands up and get a feel for the basketball.
• Around the head, waist, and feet – Players will start by throwing
the ball around their head in a circle as quickly as they can. Once
they get comfortable, they should switch directions in which they
are going. The same is repeated throwing the ball around the
waist and the feet.
• Figure 8 – Players will make a figure 8 putting the ball through
their legs (see how to perform)
• Right hand, right leg – Players will use only their right hand and
dribble the basketball around their right leg. Once they get
comfortable, they’ll switch directions on which way they’re
dribbling.

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• Left hand, left leg – Players use only their left hand and dribble
the basketball around their left leg. Once they get comfortable,
they’ll switch directions on which way they’re dribbling.
• Figure 8 Dribble – This is performed in the same manner as the
figure 8 above, only the players will dribble the basketball in a
figure 8 formation using both hands.
• Front-to-back pull-back dribble – Players will start will the ball in
their right hand and push the ball as far out in front of them as
they can, and then pull it back as far behind them as they can.
Then they’ll switch to the left hand
• Side-to-side pull-back dribble – Players start will the ball out in
front of them and using only their right hand will dribble the ball
from side to side. Then have them switch to their left hand.
• Dribble moves- Have the players perform stationary dribble
moves
• Crossover
• Between the legs
• Behind the back

Stationary Ballhandling (2 ball)

Much like the drill above, this drill is performed while the players are
stationary, but this time they will be using two basketballs.
How to perform:
• Dribble together – Players dribble both basketballs at the same
time in unison. Have them dribble the balls below their knees,
then at their waist, and then shoulder height.
• Alternating dribbles – With this one, players will alternate
dribbling the basketballs. Have them dribble the balls below their
knees, then at their waist, and then shoulder height.

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• Left hand, left leg – Players use only their left hand and dribble
the basketball around their left leg. Once they get comfortable,
they’ll switch directions on which way they’re dribbling.
• Figure 8 Dribble – This is performed in the same manner as the
figure 8 above, only the players will dribble the basketball in a
figure 8 formation using both hands.
• Front-to-back pull-back dribble – Players will start will the ball in
their right hand and push the ball as far out in front of them as
they can, and then pull it back as far behind them as they can.
Then they’ll switch to the left hand
• Side-to-side pull-back dribble – Players start will the ball out in
front of them and using only their right hand will dribble the ball
from side to side. Then have them switch to their left hand.
• Dribble moves- Have the players perform stationary dribble
moves
• Crossover
• Between the legs
• Behind the back

Dribbling Race
The object of this drill is to create some competition while
enhancing dribbling skills at game speed.
How to perform:
• Have dribbling races where players dribble:
• With their right hand
• With their left hand
• Making crossover moves, between the legs, behind the back, etc.

The opportunities with this drill are endless. Get creative and watch
your players have fun.

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Tennis Ball Dribbling
This is a simple, yet effective ballhandling drill. It works on hand-eye
coordination, keeping your head up while you’re dribbling, and focus
while dribbling the basketball.
How to perform:
Your players should start by dribbling the ball in their strong hand
while throwing the tennis ball up in the air with their weak hand.
After an allotted amount of time, switch hands (see how to
perform).

As your players get comfortable with this drill, they can perform
dribble moves as they throw the tennis ball up in the air (see how to
perform).

Dribble moves they can perform are:

• Crossover
• Between the legs
• Around the back
• Double crossover
• Double between the legs
• Double behind the back
• Crossover-between the legs combo

Wall Touches
This drill is performed with a basketball and a wall. It helps to keep
the eyes up and develop coordination in your players.
How to perform:
Players touch the wall with the opposite hand as they perform
dribble moves.

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• Dribble moves to perform:
• Crossover
• Between the legs
• Behind the back
• Dribble-dribble-cross
• Dribble-dribble-behind-the-back
• Feel free to get creative with this drill, as well!
(See how to perform)

Killer 150
This drill is designed for your players to perform 150 dribble moves
as quickly as possible.
How to perform:
Players are to perform the dribble moves below as quickly as
possible, while still maintaining control of the basketball. As time
goes on, players should become quicker at completing this drill.
The drill is as follows:
• 25 dribbles at the knee (performed with strong hand)
• 25 rapid fire dribbles (as low as possible w/ strong hand)
• 25 dribble pound, inside out move
• 25 dribble pound, double crossover move
• 25 dribble pound, between the legs then crossover move
• 25 dribble pound, behind the back then crossover move

The ball should always end up back in the strong hand after each
move is performed. As your players adapt to this drill, you can make
them use their weak hand.

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Cone Dribbling
This drill is designed to working on changes of direction and
different dribble moves.
How to perform:
Set up a line of cones (anywhere from 5-8) on the court. At each
cone have your players execute a dribble move.
Dribble moves can include:
• Crossover
• Between the legs
• Behind the back
• Spin move
• Pullback dribble
• Combination moves
• Double crossover
• Between the legs then crossover
• Behind the back then crossover
• Double between the legs

This is another drill in which the opportunities for creativity are

endless.

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Agility Drills

The drills in this category are focused primarily on agility and can be
used to increase your players’ foot speed, quickness, and overall
athleticism.
Dot Drill
This is a drill that will work on increasing foot speed as well as foot-
eye coordination.
How to perform:
Mark 5 spots on the floor as if they are the five spots on a dice.
Have your players perform each of the following exercises for 30
seconds at a time:
• Two feet hitting every dot, going forward then backward.
• One foot hitting every dot, going forward then backward (go right
foot for the first 30 seconds, then left foot for the next 30
seconds).
• Have your players perform 2-1-2 forward and backward, meaning
they hit both outside dots with one foot, and the middle dot with
both feet, in the 2-1-2 pattern.
• Have your players perform the 2-1-2 pattern forward, perform a
180 degree turn, and perform the 2-1-2 pattern again,
completing the 180 degree turn each time their feet hit the two
dots.

These are quick exercises, but your players will be worn out quickly
and have newfound foot speed if they perform these over time.

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Ladder Drill
This drill uses an agility ladder to perform different footwork
exercises.
How to perform:
With an agility ladder, there are numerous exercises you can have
your players perform. Since these are youth basketball drills, we’ll
keep them fairly simple. The moves they can perform are:
• One foot in every square
• Two feet in every square
• One foot in, one foot out
• Two feet in, two feet out
• Two foot hop in each square
• Two foot hop skipping a square
• Two foot sidway hop
• Sideways run in each square
• High knees in each square
As we mentioned, this drill has infinite opportunities of different
footwork drills you can use.

Jump Rope
Using a jump rope is one of the best tools you can use to enhance
footwork, coordination, and foot speed.
How to perform:
These jump rope drills can be performed in a certain time frame or
make the kids perform a certain number of reps. The jump rope
exercises are:
• Regular jump rope
• Criss-cross
• Double-jump

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• Right leg only
• Left leg only
• High Knees
• Running forward down the court while jump roping
• Coming backward back down the court while jump roping
• Scissored Feet – this is alternating scissoring your feet on every
jump

Air Squat Rip Through

This is a drill to work on lower strength, as well as ballhandling and
ripping the basketball.
How to perform:
Place five cones in a straight line down the floor. Have the players
dribble to each cone. At each cone, the player should place the ball
above their head and perform five air squats. When they are done
with the five air squats, they should rip the ball through and dribble
to the next cone.

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Defensive Drills

The drills in this category are focused primarily on defensive

movements and how to improve your players’ defensive skilset.
Twice Around
This is a drill to work different movements when your players are on
defense. This includes defensive stance, sprinting, and backpedaling.
How to perform:
Players start in the corner of the court on the baseline. They should:
• Sprint to half court and closeout at the half-court line
• They should then slide all the way across half court
• Then they’ll backpedal down to the opposite baseline
• On the opposite baseline, they will perform a defensive slide all
the way to the other side of the baseline
• They will then sprint up to the half court line again and close out
• They’ll slide across the half court line again
• They’ll back-pedal to the baseline they originated at
• They’ll finish with a defensive slide across the baseline again
This drill is performed in a figure-8.

Toughness D
This is a drill that works on several aspects of defensive movements
as a team. It is led by a coach that is standing where the players can
see them.
How to perform:
Players all start in a line facing the coach. When the coach blows his

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whistle or says start, the players slap the floor, yell “DEFENSE!” and
begin to shuffle their feet. The players continue shuffling their feet
until the coach gives these commands:
• Slide & point – This tells the players which direction to slide. They
should continue sliding in that direction until you point the other
way or give another command
• Loose ball – Players should dive on the floor in front of them,
then return to their feet as quickly as possible and begin shuffling
their feet again
• Shot – Players should close out chopping their feet with a hand
up when this command is given, and then return to chopping
their feet
• Charge – This is how the drill should end, with the players taking
a charge and falling on their butts (NOT THEIR WRISTS!).
Players can get fatigued easily in this drill, but don’t let them get by
with giving minimal effort.

Sword Fight
This is a drill you can use to help teach helping stop dribble
penetration from somebody else’s man, and then recover out to
your own man.
How to perform:
Each player should have a partner
that they are lined up across the
lane from like in the diagram to
the right

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The players should slide into the lane communicating “I got your
help! I got your help! As they meet in the middle of the lane, they
should slap hands, then begin to slide outside the lane
communicating “Recover! Recover!” Both of their feet should go
outside the lane before they change their direction to start sliding
back toward the middle.

VCU Defense
This is a drill that works on different defensive movements and
toughness aspects of the game.
How to perform:
Players start out on the block of the lane. Then they should:

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• Sprint to the opposite elbow
• Slide to the other elbow
• Backpedal to the block they started on
• Slide over to the other block
• A player on that block will roll the ball out and the player in the
drill should go dive on it
• Then the player that rolled the ball takes a charge from the diver
after they get up
• The diver then becomes the next person to roll the ball and the
next person begins on the other block.

Partner Chase
This drill works on both finishing in transition and transition defense
from behind.
How to perform:
The offense starts at the volleyball line and defense starts behind
them at the half court line. Once the offense breaks for the basket,
the defense sprints and tries to back-tap the basketball from the
offensive player.

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The offensive player’s goal is to make a layup with pressure.

Baseline Block-Out
This drill works on not only blocking out, but holding a blockout.
How to perform:
Have your players partner up, and place a basketball on the baseline
for each set of partners. Have one offensive player stand at the free
throw line, and a defensive player facing him an arms length away.

On the blow of your whistle, the defenders should turn and begin to
block their partner out. Contrarily, the offensive player should be
trying their hardest to go get the basketball on the baseline.

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4-on-4 Blockout
This drill works blocking out and getting the rebound.
How to perform:
Have four offensive players line up free throw-line extended and
four defensive players line up on the baseline.

Have a coach throw the ball to one of the offensive players. As the
ball is thrown, the guy guarding the shooter should close out, and
then box out the shooter, while the rest of the defenders should
make contact with their man, turn and box him out, then go get the
rebound.

This can be turned into a game, only allowing points for defensive
rebounds.

Zig Zag Defense

This drill works on turning your man when you are playing defense
and beating them to the spot. It also doubles as a ballhandling drill,
as the ballhandler has to dribble with defensive pressure.
How to perform:
Players partner up, with one playing defense and the other playing
offense in the corner on the baseline. The defense should work on
moving their feet, playing defense without their hands, and beating
the offense to the spot. They should try to turn the offense as many
times as possible.

The boundary lines are the sideline and the volleyball line for the
offensive player to maneuver around in down the court.

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Once the players get down the court, they should go to the other
corner, and perform the drill going back down the other side of the
floor, with the offensive and defensive player switching their roles.

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Shooting Drills

The drills in this category are focused primarily on shooting the

basketball.

Partner Shooting
Players alternate shooting and getting their own rebound from
anywhere on the court. As the other player is getting the rebound,
the shooter should be moving around and spotting up for their next
shot.

This drill should get a lot of shooting reps in. Variations could be:
•Shot fake, 1 dribble pull-up
•Shot fake, 1 dribble to the rim
•Shot fake, 1 dribble step-back

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Brad Stevens Shooting
In this drill, players execute five different shots:
• Shot in the corner
• 1 dribble pull-up
• Curl to the wing
• Flair to the wing
• 3-pointer in transition.

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Read The D Shooting
In this drill, you’ll have players in two lines at the wings. You can run
this drill from either side of the floor. Players will execute v cuts and
then make these cuts:
• Curl for a layup
• Curl for a shot
• Backdoor for a layup
• Flair to the wing for a shot
Point of emphasis: Players should call out every cut they’re making
so the passer knows where to throw the ball.

31
Doubles
In this drill, there are five spots that players will choose from. These
can be anywhere from 15-footers to 3-point shots. The rules are:
• If a player makes two in a row from a spot, they move on to the
next spot
• However, if they miss two in a row, they move back a spot
The object is to see how quickly the shooter can make it all the way
around.

Depending on the skill level of your players, you can adjust the rules
to say that two makes in a row moves you forward, but it takes 3
misses in a row to move back, or vice versa. Let your players have
fun with this and see who can beat it the fastest.

32
Elbow Shooting

In this drill, you have one team of

players on one elbow, and the
other team of players on the
other elbow.

Players will shoot the ball from

the elbow, throw it to the next
person in line, and then run to
the other end of the court, touch
the baseline, and then run and
get back in line.

This is a great shooting drill, along

with conditioning. You can have a
time limit, or say the first team to
so many baskets wins.

33
Full Court Shooting

This drill takes at least 9 players

to run. Three players start in the
middle of the court without
basketballs. 3 other players start
on one baseline with basketballs,
and 3 more start on the opposite
baseline with basketballs.

The players in the middle all run

to one end where they receive
passes for shots.

After the players pass, they run to

the other end and receive passes
for shots. This process repeats for
a set amount of time or until your
players reach a certain threshold
of makes.

34
Drive & Kick Shooting

This drill can be run with a player and coach, two players, or an
entire team with two lines. It can also be run from either side of
the court.

The object is for the 1 to dribble the ball into the paint. As the 1
drives, the two floats to the corner and kicks to the 2 for a three-
pointer.

As the 2 catches, they could also shot-fake and do a one-dribble

pull-up.

35
Shooting Off A Ball Screen

This is another drill that many variations can be added to, and can
be used for 1 player or an entire team.

The player uses the chair as the screen, and works on shooting off
of the dribble/screen.

36
Close Out Jumpers

This drill can be run from any spot on the floor in which you want
your players to work on contested jumpers.

You start with a line under the basket with the basketballs, and a
line where you want your players to shoot from.

The players under the basket pass the ball to the player in line &
then close out. The player catches the ball and shoots it while his
shot is being contested.

37
Screen Away Shooting

This drill starts with a line at the top of the key and a line on each
wing. The ball starts at the top of the key.

The player at the top of the key will throw the ball to a wing, and
then screen away for the opposite wing.

The opposite wing will use the screen and come off of the screen
with their hands ready. They will receive a pass and shoot the ball.

This drill helps to work on basic motion cuts and shooting off of a
screen.

The players can curl, straight cut, flair, or backdoor off of the
screens.

38
Fast Break Jumpers

This drill starts with a line under

the basket with the basketballs,
and a line out on the wing.

The player under the basket will

throw the ball off of the
backboard and retrieve the
rebound. They will then outlet the
basketball to the player on the
wing.

The player on the wing will get the

basketball and attack the elbow on
the other end of the floor. The
player that got the rebound will
sprint & stay wide down the floor.
They will then receive a pass for a
jump shot on the other end.
After the shot, the players can come back on the other side of the
floor doing the same thing.

You can have the players shoot jump shots, one-dribble pull-ups,
layups, and more.

39
5 In A Row Shooting

Have your players start out 6 feet in front of the basket. Once they
make five in a row from that spot, have them take a giant step
backward and repeat that process.

Give them a certain allotment of time and see how far back they
can get.

40
10 In 1 Shooting

This is a great shooting drills that encompasses shooting,

conditioning, and pressure.

There is a designated shooter and rebounder. Put 1 minute on the

clock, and the shooter has that amount of time to make 10 three-
pointers.

After each shot, the shooter must run and touch half-court before
shooting their next one.

41
30 Second Shooting

This is a great shooting drills that encompasses shooting on the

move, conditioning, and pressure.

There is a designated shooter and rebounder. Put 30 seconds on

the clock. After each shot, the shooter will rotate between the
short corner and the elbow. They should be planting their inside
foot to work on shooting on the move.

You can do this drill from any two spots on the floor, and you can
also adjust the amount of time given to the shooters.

42
Form Shooting
This is a drill that should be performed everyday. It helps players
have proper form on their shots.
How to perform:
The player holds the ball in their palm, then they bring the ball up,
then finish their shot with a follow through. We call this “Ready,
Aim, Fire.”

Mikan Drill
This is another great drill to use to establish fundamentals of
layups.
How to perform:
Each shot should be a layup, and then rebounded out of the
basket and performed quickly.
The shots to perform are:
• One footed layup
• Two footed layup
• Pump-fake then layup
• Reverse layup

43
Game-Like Drills

These are drills that can be used as games to keep practices

interesting and fun.
Monkey In The Middle
We all played this game as kids, but it can actually be used as a great
basketball drill.
How to perform:
Designate a distance two players should be from each other, and
have one person in the middle. The person with the ball has to wait
until the person in the middle is playing defense on them before
they can pass. You should make your players avoid lob passes, and
instead make game-like passes around the defense.

This is a great drill that works on passing and defense.

5-on-4 Catch-Up
This is a drill that is used to create an advantage situation for the
offense and to work on transition scoring.
It is also used for the defense to work on stopping the offense when
they are at a disadvantage.
How to perform:
Have your five offensive players line up across the baseline, and
have your five defensive players line up across from them free throw
line extended.

44
A coach will throw the ball to one of the offensive players. Whoever
is lined up across from the guy that the ball is thrown to should go
and touch the baseline. Everybody else should take off down the
court and the offense has a 5-on-4 advantage until the defender
gets back.

5-4-3-2-1
This is a drill that helps to work on transition offense and defense by
playing advantages and disadvantages.
How to perform:
Break your team up into two teams for this game. Each team will
have two lines on their end of the court, as the diagram below
shows.
After the teams are situated,
whichever team you designate should
get to have the ball first will have
ONE player from their team go to the
other end of the court to shoot a free
throw. The other team will have TWO
players around the lane to get the
miss or take out a make.

After the first free throw is shot, the

two players go down the court in a 2-
on-1 situation.

45
Next, after the 2-on-1 takes place, either the two offensive players
score, or the 1 defender gets a stop, one player from each line on
that side of the court come into play, and the 2-on-1 disadvantage
now becomes a 3-on-2 advantage, and they take the ball the other
way.

As you might have guessed, after the 3-on-2 break ends with a score
or stop, the other team takes the ball and heads toward the other
end, turning their 2-on-3 disadvantage into 4-on-3 advantage. The
drill ends after the 5-on-4 advantage is complete.
We like to run this drill until a team scores 20 points (normal scoring
with 2’s and 3’s on offense).
The kids love this drill and they’re working on their transition offense
and defense without really knowing it.

46
3-on-3 Cut Throat
A fun drill to use to play 3-on-3 with a fun twist.
How to perform:
Split your guys into three even teams. Hopefully there isn’t more
than 3 or 4 guys on a team. If you have side goals, you can split into
6 teams and play full court on the side goals.
Either way, this drill is designed to have three teams of 3 guys. The
drill starts with an offensive team and a defensive team on one side
of the court playing 3-on-3.
The third team is on the other end of the court preparing to play
defense (4, 5, 6 in the diagram below).

The two teams that are on the end of the

floor playing 3-on-3 go at it until the
offense scores or the defense gets a stop.
If the offense scores, they take the ball out
of bounds and head to the other end of
the court, where there is a new defensive
team waiting on them.

If the defense gets a stop, they become

offense and take the ball to the other end
of the court, where a defense is waiting
on them.

If you don’t score, or you don’t get a stop,

you stay on the end of the floor that
you’re on and wait to play defense until
the next possession.

47
Basketball Plays That Work

48
49
50
51
52
53
Baseline Out Of Bounds Plays

54
55
56
Practice Planning

When it comes to planning a basketball practice, coaches can

become overwhelmed. They may rack their brains trying to come up
with the perfect practice plan for their team, only to feel
unaccomplished once the practice is over.
Building a practice plan isn’t an easy task. You have to plan your
points of emphasis, know what your team needs to work on, and
plan practice accordingly. For many coaches, this can be a daunting
task.
First of all, I believe that all practices should encompass these areas
of the game:
Warm-Up – Your players shouldn’t go all out before warming up their
muscles. A warm-up doesn’t have to be static stretching, but it
should be something that gets your players loose before diving into
intense drills.
Player Skill Development – The #1 thing that every good basketball
team has is good basketball players. Don’t neglect skill development
in your practices, your team will pay the price.
Team Defensive Skills – This includes drills that factor in ball denials,
on-ball defense, help-side, staying low, and more. You must drill
defensive items in order to have a great defensive team.
Team Offensive Skills – This includes drills that factor in passing,
decision-making, cutting, spacing, movement, and more. To have a
great offensive team, these items must be drilled.
Live Drills – This is where skills are put to the test. Let your players
play in live situations and work on the skills that you’ve drilled. This

57
helps with decision-making and making the right plays when they’re
in game situations.
Conditioning – This doesn’t mean your players need to run lines and
sprints at all. Conditioning should be done within your drills, but
make sure that the drills you are doing include conditioning aspects
where your players get up and down the floor.
Every practice plan doesn’t have to follow the exact order above, but
it should start with a warm-up. Warm-up could include things like
full-court dribbling, full court layups, or position breakdown. Just
make sure it’s something that gets your players’ muscles loose for
the rest of the practice.

58
Sample Practice Plan

Drill Start Time Drill Name Drill Description

Right hand, left hand, speed dribble,
2:30 Full-Court Dribbling power dribble, two balls (below the
kneeds, up high, machine gun, etc.)
Lines on wings. Attack paint and float up
Drive and Kick
2:35 or to the corner. Attack baseline and hit
Shooting
the baseline and then wing
Cones are placed at half court and the
2:40 Make A Move Layups elbows. Players make moves at the cones
and make a layup or jumpshot.
Diamond Shell (4-on- Have one man in the post following the
2:47
4) ball w/ other shell principles
Go from Sideline to volleyball line. Beat
2:57 Zig-Zag D
your man to the spot, don’t cross feet, etc.
Partner passes after each shot. Shot in
Brad Stevens corner, pump-fake 1 dribble shot, curl to
3:02
Shooting wing for shot, flair from the elbow for shot,
touch half court & shoot a 3 in transition
Defense starts under the basket and rolls
3:12 1-on-1 Cut Throat the ball out to the offense. Then they play
1-on-1.
Players line up at the 4 corners of half
3:22 Star Passing court. They dribble to the middle, pivot,
then throw a pass
3:27 Motion Offense Work on Motion Offense
11 men on the floor. 2 defense on each
3:42 11 Man Fast Break
side, 4 outlets, and 3 men playing offense.
3:55
5-on-5 Scrimmage Go live and work on decision-making
.

59
150 Coaching Quotes

When you’re having a tough day, or your team is struggling to

respond to you, or just when you need some motivation, take to this
quote board and find your motivation!

Day “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man
1 cannot make a team.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabar
Day There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet and put the
2 darn ball in the basket. – Abe Lemons
Day “The worst thing you can do for someone is something that
3 they could and should do for themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln.
Day “We want men here, not just players. Players are a dime a
4 dozen” – Adolph Rupp
Day “A team should be an extension of a coach’s personality. My
5 teams are arrogant and obnoxious.” – Al McGuire
Day “I don’t discuss basketball. I dictate basketball. I’m not
6 interested in philosophy classes.” – Al McGuire
Day “It’s a profession in which, the longer you stay, the closer you
7 are to being fired.” – Al McGuire
Day “Winning is overemphasized. The only time it is really
8 important is in surgery and war.” – Al McGuire

60
Day “He who controlleth the backboard, controlleth the game” –
9 Al McGuire
Day “People do not differ in their desire to win; they differ in the
10 price they are willing to pay to win” – Alan Stein
Day Help one kid at a time. He’ll maybe go back and help a few
11 more” – Alan Stein
Day “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried
12 anything new.” – Albert Einstein
Day
“Creativity Is Intelligence Having Fun.” – Albert Einstein
13
“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the
Day
happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.” –
14
Andy Rooney
Day “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!” –
15 Andy Rooney
Day “It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does
16 to have tried and succeeded.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Day “If you do what you always did, you will get what you always
17 got.” – Anonymous
Day “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is
18 to give it away.” – Anonymous
Day “Trust because you are willing to accept the risk, not because
19 it’s safe or certain.” – Anonymous
Day “What’s the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do
20 something remarkable.” – Anonymous

61
Day “Your problem isn’t the problem. Your reaction is the
21 problem.” – Anonymous
“The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The
Day
Optimist Sees The Opportunity In Every Difficulty.” –
22
Anonymous
Day “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an
23 act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
Day
“The best things in life aren’t things.” – Art Buchwald
24
Day
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth
25
Day “We must all hang together, else we shall hang seperately.” –
26 Benjamin Franklin
Day “It doesn’t matter how athletic or skilled a player is, if they
27 have a low I.Q., they won’t be very good” – Bill Belichick
Day “Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling” – Bill
28 Belichick
“The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your
Day
opponent believe that you might block every shot.” – Bill
29
Russell
Day “Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of
30 victory” – Bill Russell
Day “Create unselfishness as the most important team attribute”
31 – Bill Russell

62
Day “The most important thing to me is the friends that I’ve
32 made” – Bill Russell
Day Create unselfishness as the most important team attribute. –
33 Bill Russell
Day “Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team
34 when it’s not the best thing for you” – Bill Walsh
Day “Winning is about having the whole team on the same page.”
35 – Bill Walton
Day “Champions behave like champions before they are
36 champions” – Billy Donovan
“If I can’t expect someone to be accountable off the floor,
Day
how can I expect them to guard a pick and roll? Or get a
37
rebound?” – Billy Donovan
Day “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” – Billy
38 Ocean
Day “As players see themselves getting better through skill
39 sessions, they will want to get in the gym more” – Bo Ryan
“I didn’t get into teaching and coaching for the number of
Day
wins or the money. It was a passion for trying to help young
40
people” – Bo Ryan
“Shot fakes and ball fakes work. No one uses more than
Day
Wisconsin. It’s amazing how many people don’t use them” –
41
Bob Cousy

63
 “Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then
Day
you can be successful in anything that you put your mind to”
42
– Bob Hurley
Day A bad day coaching basketball is better than a good day
43 doing almost anything else” – Bob Hurley
“Defense is all about helping. No one can guard a good
Day
dribbler, You have to walk kids through how to help and then
44
how to help the helper.” – Bob Knight
Day “Good basketball always starts with good defense.” – Bob
45 Knight
Day
“Offense is not equal opportunity.” – Bob Knight
46
“A quick way for any player to make himself better is to think
Day
about what he himself doesn’t like to play against” – Bob
47
Knight
Day “Good basketball always starts with good defense!” – Bob
48 Knight
“I hate casual shooting. Every shot is preceded by working to
Day
get open and catch and shoot under game like conditions” –
49
Bob Knight
“I just love the game of basketball so much. The game! I
Day don’t need the 18,000 people screaming and all the
50 peripheral things. To me, the most enjoyable part is the
practice and preparation” – Bob Knight
Day “In order to achieve to achieve positive results, one must
51 work for them, not hope for them” – Bob Knight

64
Day
“Offense is not equal opportunity” – Bob Knight
53
“Players must be able to carry out simple instructions from
Day
the bench to the court. If they can’t, then they can’t play” –
54
Bob Knight
“Players must be able to carry out simple instructions from
Day
the bench to the court. If they can’t, then they can’t play” –
55
Bob Knight
Day “The single most important aspect of coaching is running
56 effective practices” – Bob Knight
“What is the best thing you can do in a close game? Drive to
Day
the basket and put pressure on the defense! Not jack up
57
jump shots” – Bob Knight
Day Mental toughness is to physical as four is to one. – Bob
58 Knight
Day The key is not the ‘will to win’… everybody has that. It is the
59 will to prepare to win that is important” – Bob Knight
Day “You have to earn your right to win the game with effort and
60 togetherness.” – Brad Stevens – Brad Stevens
“Defense is all about helping. No one can guard a good
Day
dribbler, You have to walk kids through how to help and then
61
how to help the helper” – Brad Stevens
Day “How good can we expect to be if our best player is not our
62 best teammate” – Brad Stevens

65
Day
“The game honors toughness” – Brad Stevens
64
“The key is to maintain an evenness. Try to play one
Day
possession at a time, regardless of what happened on the
65
last possession” – Brad Stevens
“We’re building a culture of accountability, trust, and
Day
togetherness. Entitlement will not be tolerated” – Brad
66
Stevens
“Develop An ‘Attitude Of Gratitude’. Say Thank You To
Day
Everyone You Meet For Everything They Do For You.” – Brian
67
Tracy
“Fake It Until You Make It! Act As If You Had All The
Day
Confidence You Require Until It Becomes Your Reality.” –
68
Brian Tracy
Day “Imagine Your Life Is Perfect In Every Respect; What Would It
69 Look Like?” – Brian Tracy
Day “Reading Is To The Mind, As Exercise Is To The Body.” – Brian
70 Tracy
Day “The Future Belongs To The Competent. Get Good, Get
71 Better, Be The Best!” – Brian Tracy
Day “You Are Never Too Old To Set Another Goal Or To Dream A
72 New Dream.” – C.S. Lewis
Day
“Most games are lost, not won.” – Casey Stengel
73

66
 “I always laugh when people ask me about rebounding
Day
techniques. I’ve got a technique It’s called just go get the
74
damn ball” – Charles Barkley
Day “This is basketball, not figure skating. You don’t get extra
75 points for degree of difficulty” – Charles Barkley
Day “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” – Chris
76 Grosser
Day “Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.” –
77 Christopher Morley
Day “Defense doesn’t break down on the help, it breaks down on
78 the recovery” – Chuck Daly
Day “If you are afraid of failure you don’t deserve to be
79 successful” – Chuck Daly
“Players have to buy into your system and be willing to
Day
accept the role, you, as the coach, have assigned to them” –
80
Chuck Daly
Day
Athletes that can’t listen, can condition. – Chuck Daly
81
Day “To See What Is Right And Not Do It Is A Lack Of Courage.” –
82 Confucious
Day “When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade.” – Dale
83 Carnegie
“The best teams have chemistry. They communicate with
Day
each other and they sacrifice personal glory for the common
84
goal.” – Dave DeBusschere

67
Day
“Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” – Davey Crockett
85
Day “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with
86 the bricks others have thrown at him.” – David Brinkley
Day “I’m a lot better coach when I have really good players” –
87 David Robinson
Day “If you make every game a life-and-death thing, you’re going
88 to have problems. You’ll be dead a lot.” – Dean Smith
Day “Basketball is a team game. But that doesn’t mean all five
89 players should take the same amount of shots” – Dean Smith
“If you make every game a life and death proposition, you’re
Day
going to have problems. For one thing, you’ll be dead a lot” –
90
Dean Smith
Day “My goal is to win the next game one possession at a time.
91 That’s it. I don’t have any other goals” – Dean Smith
“One player’s selfish attitude can poison the locker room and
Day
make it hard, if not impossible, to establish teamwork” –
92
Dean Smith
Day “Over coaching is the worst thing you can do to a player” –
93 Dean Smith
“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player
Day
should never let anyone try harder than he does” – Dean
94
Smith
Day
“Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” – Davey Crockett
95

68
Day
“Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” – Davey Crockett
85
Day “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with
86 the bricks others have thrown at him.” – David Brinkley
Day “I’m a lot better coach when I have really good players” –
87 David Robinson
Day “If you make every game a life-and-death thing, you’re going
88 to have problems. You’ll be dead a lot.” – Dean Smith
Day “Basketball is a team game. But that doesn’t mean all five
89 players should take the same amount of shots” – Dean Smith
“If you make every game a life and death proposition, you’re
Day
going to have problems. For one thing, you’ll be dead a lot” –
90
Dean Smith
Day “My goal is to win the next game one possession at a time.
91 That’s it. I don’t have any other goals” – Dean Smith
“One player’s selfish attitude can poison the locker room and
Day
make it hard, if not impossible, to establish teamwork” –
92
Dean Smith
Day “Over coaching is the worst thing you can do to a player” –
93 Dean Smith
“There is a lot of basketball beyond our control, but a player
Day
should never let anyone try harder than he does” – Dean
94
Smith
Day “What do you do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn
95 from it, forget it” – Dean Smith

69
 “You should always sub a player out when you see them not
Day
going full speed or they’re playing selfish basketball” – Dean
96
Smith
Day Basketball is a beautiful game when the five players on the
97 court play with one heartbeat. – Dean Smith
Day What to do with a mistake – recognize it, admit it, learn from
98 it, forget it. – Dean Smith
Day Sometimes, adrenaline flows into momentum. – Dennis
99 Johnson
“We must be optimistic. No matter how devastating the
Day
previous day, we must be tremendously resilient and come
100
back the next day with a plan to improve.” – Dick Bennett
“Do you want to choose winning over standing out? It’s a
Day
choice every player on every championship team has to do”
101
– Doc Rivers
Day “Encourage ‘random’ picks on the ball because they cannot
102 be scouted” – Doc Rivers
Day “If you’re not talking, you’re not playing defense” – Doc
103 Rivers
Day
“Praise behaviour that you want repeated” – Doc Rivers
104
Day “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” –
105 Dolly Parton
Day “How competitive can you be without losing your
106 discipline?” – Don Meyer

70
Day “You never realize the value of coaching until your children
107 play for a coach.” – Don Meyer – Don Meyer
Day “Discover your gift, develop your gift, and then give it away
108 every day” – Don Meyer
Day “If you want to thank me, go do something for somebody
109 else” – Don Meyer
Day “In the end, what your own troops do is more important than
110 who they are marching against” – Don Meyer
Day
“It doesn’t cost nothing to be nice to people” – Don Meyer
111
Day “It is foolish to expect a young man to follow your advice and
112 to ignore your example” – Don Meyer
Day “It is not what you teach, but what you emphasize” – Don
113 Meyer
Day “Players who are late are saying that their time is more
114 important than the team” – Don Meyer
Day “Plays are not as important as players, and players are not as
115 important as teammates” – Don Meyer
Day “Practice shared suffering. If one guy messes up, everyone
116 runs. If one guy does well, everyone benefits” – Don Meyer
Day “Recognize and reward players who put the team first, not
117 just the gifted ones” – Don Meyer
Day “You never realize the value of coaching until your children
118 play for a coach” – Don Meyer

71
Day “What You Lack In Talent Can Be Made Up With Desire,
119 Hustle And Giving 110% All The Time.” – Don Zimmer
Day “Don’t ever have a rule that you won’t enforce with your
120 best player” – Doug Collins
“You’re always going to face criticism, you’re always going to
Day
face challenges, but those things are there to make you
121
stronger and more committed” – Doug Collins
Day “The person who has the most to do with what happens to
122 you, is you.” – Dr. Ben Carson
Day “We Generate Fears While We Sit. We Overcome Them By
123 Action.” – Dr. Henry Link
“Even the greatest players accept coaching and value the
Day
need for discipline and the order that it brings to the team” –
124
Dr. Jack Ramsay
Day “The worst day coaching is better than the best day doing
125 anything else” – Dr. Jack Ramsay
Day “A good practice is one where the players talk and the
126 coaches don’t have to.” – Dr. James Gels
Day “Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals.” – Dr. James
127 Naismith, the father of basketball
“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the
Day
fight… it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – Dwight
128
Eisenhower
Day
Play the game with a smile. – Earl “The Pearl” Monroe
129

72
Day “Work as hard as you can to become as good an individual
130 player as you can to help your team win” – Ed Murphy
Day “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –
131 Eleanor Roosevelt
Day “Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you.” –
132 Frank Tyger
Day “The Only Limit To Our Realization Of Tomorrow Will Be Our
133 Doubts Of Today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Day “It is as big a mistake to turn down a good shot as it is to take
134 a bad one” – Fred Hoiberg
Day “I don’t hire good coaches, I hire good people. If they turn
135 out to be good coaches, too, that’s a plus” – Geno Auriemma
“If your bigs rim run at full speed it not only increases the
Day
potential for a quick layup, but opens up court for guards” –
136
Geno Auriemma
“‘Play the right way’ means play unselfishly, respect each
Day
other’s achievements, play hard, fulfill your role” – Gregg
137
Popovich
“I can’t make every decision for you. I don’t have 14
Day
timeouts. You guys got to get together and talk” – Gregg
138
Popovich
Day “Players draw confidence from a poised, alert coach who
139 anticipates changing in game conditions” – Gregg Popovich
Day I’m not against taking shots, but I am against taking bad
140 shots. – Hank Iba

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Day We are not going to play them; they are going to play us. –
141 Hank Iba
Day
“It takes no talent to hustle.” – Hans Schmidt
142
Day “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” – Harry
143 S. Truman
Day “The Man Who Has Confidence In Himself Gains The
144 Confidence Of Others.” – Hasidic Proverb
Day “Security Is Mostly A Superstition. Life Is Either A Daring
145 Adventure Or Nothing.” – Helen Keller
Day “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” –
146 Henry David Thoreau
Day “Whether You Think You Can Or Think You Can’t, You’re
147 Right.” – Henry Ford
Day Go up to the free throw line knowing your going to make it,
148 not knowing you won’t miss. – Hilary Ashmead
“No one is bigger than the team. If you can’t do things our
Day
way, you’re not getting time here and we don’t care who you
149
are” – Hubie Brown
Day “Use different basketball offensive alignments to cause
150 confusion for the other team” – Hubie Brown

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