Proven, easy to use basketball drills, practice plans, coaching tips and advice for youth coaches

Basketball Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use basketball drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, plays, warm-ups, coaching tips and advice. The resources are created for the grassroots youth coach following best practice from around the world as well as insights from the professional game.

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“Close and Skip” teaches necessities

Basketball Defense Drills

From Chad Warner, head coach at Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida Defensive players must learn how to close out on the ball, stop a cutter and race out to guard a new ball handler on a skip pass – require these skills for playing time. Why use it Your defensive players must do more than […]

Low screen creates high-low opportunity

Basketball plays

From Pat Fitterer, Washington State Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer. When you have a tough point guard who loves to set screens, this is a perfect play to create an in-close scoring chance for one of your post players. Why use it Post players don’t enjoy being screened by guards. Many times, these big players […]

1-4 High leads to lob

Basketball plays

From Wes Kosel, assistant coach at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. This quick hitter relies upon right-side action to draw defensive attention, then uses the left-side advantage by sending a forward to the rim for a catch and score on a lob pass. Why use it Starting in a 1-4 High against a man defense […]

High-post entry has backdoor option

3 Point Plays

From Pat Fitterer, Washington State Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer. A pass to the high post on the right leads to a possible backdoor layup on the catch or let the actions develop and create an open 3-point shot on the left wing. Why use it This play offers a quick backdoor option and if […]

Brian Baxter’s tips for the mental game

Coaching Philosophy

Brian Baxter is the director of Sports Psychology Institute Northwest in Portland, Oregon, and says: “Take time to reflect on the team’s mission statement, goals and performance, and to update the goals for the postseason. Make sure to celebrate improvements and successes together, but refocus attention and energy in the new goals. Clarify players’ roles […]

Fake handoff, kickout for 3

3 Point Plays

From Roger DeBoer, a state-champion coach at Lynden Christian High Washington. Engage the defense with a dribble entry, then attack the opposite side by executing a fake handoff and running the shooter off a screen to come free for a 3-pointer. Why use it This play shifts the defense to the right before attacking the […]

“4v3 Contest” builds scramblers

Basketball Defense Drills

From Chad Warner, men’s coach at Flagler College St. Augustine, Florida Defenders must learn to react and recover (scramble) when passes are flying around the perimeter – use this disadvantage drill to sharpen those skills. Why use it All great defenses scramble well. This means they sprint to recover as the ball is moving around […]

Brad Stevens’ set to beat a shrinking clock

Basketball Buzzer Beater Plays

From Brad Stevens’s Boston Celtics playbook Brad Stevens knows how to use a shot clock to his advantage – do the same with this play featuring many movements leading into a backdoor cut and layup. Why use it When a team has to defend for 25 to 35 seconds, inevitably a breakdown occurs – and […]

Should you script your plays?

In-Game Strategy

I’d always heard of football coaches scripting out their first 5 or 10 plays of a game, but it’s not something I’d heard of basketball coaches doing. However, when I met up with frequent Basketball Coach Weekly contributor Justin Duke (author of 46 Winning Warm-Ups), who says he sometimes scripts his first few plays to help build confidence. […]

Make proper passes and focus on scoring

Basketball Passing Drills

From Kelly Graves, the head women’s coach at the University of Oregon You don’t want to be the one who misses in this drill focusing upon dribble penetration, proper cuts to the hoop, passing to a cutter and scoring on the move. Why use it It seems so easy – deliver a sharp pass in […]

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