Fun Defensive Basketball Drills
While defensive training for basketball may seem like a grueling, arduous, and at times difficult process, it can be easy to add in some fun defensive basketball drills into your routine.
Making some of your defensive drills more fun and enjoyable will not only allow you to feel more committed while practicing them but will also help you to improve your overall defensive game.
Typically, writing or discussing basketball drills, whether offensive or defensive, the article is written for the youth or teenage game.
However, this list of fun defensive basketball drills doesn’t have to be meant solely for our younger readers. This list can be utilized by basketball players of all ages.
Why Keep Defensive Basketball Drills Fun?
Conditioning, defensive, and offensive drills can be grueling and taxing on the body. Completing these drills day-in and day-out can not only affect your in-game performance but can also make you less eager to show up for your next training session.
Whether you’re a coach or basketball player, it is important to incorporate fun defensive and offensive drills into your routine. These drills will not only provide new routines for your workout drill but will also teach you new skills and increase your overall basketball IQ.
Remove Defensive Players
One of the best, and most fun, ways to increase your defensive skills, is to remove a crucial defensive player from your team. This will force you and your defensive team to play more aggressive, zone defense against a fully intact offensive team.
In addition, removing a defensive player from your team will force certain adjustments to be made. This includes playing a zone defense, quickly adapting to the offenses passes, and attempting to secure the defensive rebound against a full five-team offense.
The Suicide Steal
Placing five-defensive players against five-offensive players, with a reduced shot clock of 20 seconds, the offensive team must score a basket while the defensive team attempts to steal, block, or force a bad shot by the offense. Whichever side is successful, the opposing side muse complete one-set of suicides.
What are suicides? Perhaps one of the more difficult stamina and cardiovascular workouts on a basketball court. Simply begin from one side of the basketball court. Run, at full pace, to the nearest free throw line, bending over to touch it once you reach it. As you get up, run full pace back to the starting point.
Once you reach your starting point, run full pace to the half-court line, touching the line before running back to your starting point. Do this again to the opposing free throw line and once more to the end of the court. For full effect, complete a set of five suicide workouts.
1×1 Practice
While a 1×1 game can be fun for both parties involved, the defense may not be the focal point of the game. So, rather, in this edition, the player with the ball must dribble from one end of the court to the other while the defensive player attempts to steal the ball.
You can choose to either complete this defensive drill in a timed or number of attempts manner. Meaning, you can have the offensive player attempt to retain control of the ball for a five-minute countdown or require them to dribble from one end of the court to the other for a total of five trips.
Quick Rebounding Skills
Defensive rebounds are paramount in the game of basketball. And while they are definitely easier to secure than offensive rebounds, there should still be an emphasis placed on drills to ensure the defensive players box out and gain possession of the ball.
For this defensive drill, place three offensive players at three ends of the three-point line. Have the three defensive players lined up under the rim. Quickly pass the ball to one of the offensive players, while simultaneously calling out one of the defensive players to box out the offensive player with the ball.
This fun and fast-paced drill will force the other two defensive players to box out the remaining two offensive players. It will force the defensive players to think and act quickly in order to gain control of the ball and secure the defensive rebound.
A Head Start
Many times, particularly on fast breaks, the offensive team has an advantage on the fast break and has a high likelihood of scoring the ball. That’s why it is so important to practice your defensive skills when your team is at a disadvantage and the fast break has begun.
In this fun defensive basketball drill, have all ten players stand at one end of the court. Provide the basketball to the offensive team. Inbounding the ball, provide the offensive team a 1-second advantage to try and score the basketball into the opposing hoop.
This drill will force your defensive players to not only compensate for the one-second delay but will also force them to push their cardiovascular limits as they attempt to catch-up to the offensive players. Definitely a great defensive drill to help your team train for defending against fast breaks.
The “No Jumping” Defense
Many times, defensive players will be charged a foul as they attempt to block a shot by jumping into the air. While the effort is appreciated, it is also a simple way to be charged with an easy foul, potentially leading to a three-point play.
In this defensive drill, prohibit your defensive players from leaving the ground or jumping in the air. Rather, they will be forced to play defensive with their arms above their head and in the offensive players line of sight. This defensive drill will also force your defensive players to guard at a more intense and focused level.