Position-Specific Player Development: Workout plans for your athletes

For your athletes to develop their individual skills this off-season it will take a commitment from them to work hard, clock( check out these great clocks ) countless hours in the gym and leave their comfort zone by working on their weaknesses. Attending camps where they will have this opportunity or bringing in Midwest Elite Basketball are options that coaches and athletes have to learn from outside sources. Player development happens to be my strongest asset as a young coach and an area that I love to share with coaches and athletes alike. Following are two staple individual workout plans.

The first program is for anyone that plays the guard position. Though these drills are tailored for your perimeter players, ball handling, passing and form shooting, should be done by all positions and players. The 2^nd workout is designed for post players. Just like some of the guard workout drills should be done by the bigs, so to should guards work on their post game. The best player with his back to the basket in the world right now is Kobe Bryant who starts at the 2-guard.

• Ball Handling
  • Two-Ball Dribbling (Stationary)-High ball pounds, low ball pounds, alternate hi/lo, inside out, front to back on your sides, figure 8’s, double crossover
  •  Two-Ball Dribbling (On the Move)-Full court zig-zags with same tempo and alternating tempo, cross-over on each turn, between the legs on each turn and push dribbles.
  • Tennis Ball Dribbling (Stationary)-Dribble basketball with one hand while tossing tennis ball in the other….start with low tosses then go to high tosses, add a crossover, between the legs dribble, and behind the back between each tennis ball toss.
  • Tennis Ball Dribbling (On the Move)-Repeat the above drills while on the move.
• Passing
  • X-Passing-Place an X mark on the wall and do 10 reps of chest, bounce, wraparound (post entry pass) and skip pass (overhead pass). Try to hit 10-10
  • Cone Passing-Place 8-10 cones on the floor 15-20 feet away from player. Object of the drill is to hit the cone off of a bounce pass action. Great for simulating fast break bounce passes and enhances your vision hitting a target spot.
• Form Shooting to Live Shooting
  • Slow Motion Forms: Make 15 1-hand form shots using a slow motion technique. Focus on the all the fundamentals of your shot……do not want to go game speed during this!
  • Form Shooting: Add your guide hand and footwork during this part. Make 15 shots.
  • Streak Shooting: From all 7 spots on the floor you have to make 2-5 consecutive shots. Start with 2 in a row and for elite shooters work your way up to 5 in a row.
  • 2-Minute Shooting-Put 2:00 minutes on the clock. Have to make back-to-back shots from 5 spots on the floor, 2X around. Elite shooters can do all 7 spots.
  • Bigs: 15 feet       Guards: 3’s
  • Close-Out Shooting (NEED A PARTNER)- Player A tosses the ball to Player B while closing out on them. Once Player B shoots the ball he rebounds his own shot and then repeats drill with Player A now being the shooter. Outstanding drill for improving defensive closeouts and shooting contested shots.
• Shooting on the Move
  • Spin and Shoot-While moving along the arc spin the ball 3-4 feet out in front of you, explode into your cut planting your inside foot while getting all TEN toes pointed at the target. Shoot 10 shots around the arc….GOAL is to make at least 6
  • Slide and Shoot (Need a partner or coach to pass)-Slide around the arc while maintaining your rocker step or quick hop footwork; make sure to not cross your feet and work on keeping a low base. Shoot 10 shots around the arc….GOAL is to make at least 6.
  • Fast Break Shooting (Need a partner to pass)-Sprint in from half court and receive pass from partner in your scoring zone, elevate straight up to take shot, after each shot back pedal back to half court, than repeat. Make 2 from 5 different spots on the floor.
• Shooting off the Dribble
  • Straight line and Crossover Drives-From 5 or 7 spots on the floor make 1 pull-up jump shot using both drives. Work on both 1 and 2 dribbles.

• Ball Handling and Passing drills from the above guard drills should be utilized by your forwards and posts as well.
• KEY POINT: If you can gain deep enough post position, you don’t have to make a move at all because you will be shooting lay-ups!
•  Drop Step Progression (Need a partner to help rebound)-Place a basketball on each block, establish post position over the basketball, chin ball and check middle (two most neglected skills when posting up), drop step baseline/middle and finish with a power lay-up, repeat going back and forth between each block.Reps: 10 Sets: 2
• Primary Move (JUMP HOOK)-Unstoppable move for players of all ages and sizes! Al Jefferson makes millions of dollars a season in the NBA off of this one move.
  • Stationary forms-Without elevating make 10 with both hands. Focus on finishing high with arm extended and wrist rolled over, similar to the extension on your jump shot.
  • Stationary forms-With elevating repeat above drill.
  • Live-From each block develop the FOOTWORK combined with the top part of the form.
• Primary Move (TURNAROUND)-Make 5 shots going over each shoulder from both blocks and straight on.
• Secondary Move (Up and Under or Spin Back)-Need a COUNTER move to your go-to. Make 5 from both sides of the lane.
• Reverse Pivot Face-ups (Always play on your PRIMARY PIVOT!)
  • Jump Shots-Make 10 shots from each side of the floor
  • Ball Sweep Drives-Rip the ball past your defender, take one explosive dribble and finish with a power lay-up. Make 5 from each side of the floor.
  • Pump Fake Drive- Sell a shot fake then drive around defender using both a straight step and crossover step. Make 5 going each direction.
• Elbow to Elbow Jump-Shots-Spin ball from elbow to elbow shooting a total of 30 shots. Goal for the drill is to hit at least 20 shots.