How to study basketball

Ultimate Guide to Improving your Basketball Knowledge

Photo Credit: anton khoff via Compfight cc

The interesting thing about the best leaders is that they immerse themselves in both teaching and learning. Growth comes by both          – Kevin Eastman

Coaching isn’t all about packed arenas, nail-biting games, and running practices. There’s a much less glamorous side of coaching…  But a side that all truly passionate coaches love.

A side that involves staying up till 3am dissecting games, travelling across the country to attend coaching clinics, and giving up our free time to learn from the best coaches.

We have an incredible opportunity to impact the lives of our youth players, but first we must attain the knowledge all great coaches require. We must learn the right things to teach, the right things to say, how to communicate with our players, the best drills, how to be a leader, and many more important things.

How do we do this? By constantly studying and learning the game of basketball.

Below I’m going to share with you 13 different ways and many, many resources on how you can improve on your current basketball knowledge. If you’ve got any resources we’re missing, leave a comment!

I love to read. Especially coaching autobiographies. So much knowledge can be gained by getting a true insight into the lives of former and current coaches and the struggles they had to endure to be successful.

I came across a quote from George Raveling on his Twitter account last week that said this “A dog is not our best friend, books are our best friends.” And since I don’t have a dog anymore (sad face), I’m inclined to agree.

Some of my favourites in no particular order:

1. Sum It Up – by Pat Summitt
2. They Call Me Coach – John Wooden
3. The Carolina Way – Dean Smith

Coaching clinics are a great way to meet other coaches and get advice from some of the best coaches in the game.

It wouldn’t be smart for me to list specific clinics to attend because it is going to depend entirely on where you’re located which clinics you are able to attend. If you are located near one, don’t miss it. You’ll regret it.

It’s great to watch other games and pick up little tips and tricks you can use for your team, but no game is more beneficial to watch than your own games.

By studying your games from the previous seasons in detail you’ll see which areas of your team needs improvement, which areas your team is good at, what you should be doing differently, etc. This is essential to develop a great pre-season practice plan so that you’ll be ready for next season.

Living in an age with such great technology has it’s benefits. We can now meet, connect, and mastermind with other coaches incredibly easily. Something the coaches before us couldn’t do.

We’ve all got coaches that we look up to and admire. Send them an e-mail, a tweet, a FaceBook message… you’ll be surprised how many of them are more than happy to connect with you if you just reach out to them. You’ll never know if you don’t try, right?

If you plan on sending someone you admire an e-mail, here’s a blog post on Medium I love that I recommend you to read. It will certainly improve the chances of you receiving a response.

Medium – How to get a busy person to respond to your e-mail.

Use the above post along with this blog post detailing 8 different ways you can connect with other coaches.

Word of warning: DVD’s are expensive… but can be well worth it.

It seems like every week Championship Productions are releasing another basketball coaching DVD giving us insight into the drills and game-plans used by some of the best coaches in basketball.

If you have some spare cash lying around, DVD’s can be a great investment.

The free option you have is to watch online clinics. There are a ton of free clinics available online if you just know where to look.

My favourite place to find them is the FIBA YouTube channel. They post a ton of great clinics on their channel for free and I highly recommend you subscribe to it. Only problem is they’re posted along with a ton of other videos you’ll probably find irrelevant. Just have to keep your eye out for the good ones!

Some of my favourite are…

1. Cutthroat Defensive Drill – Brett Brown
2. Transition Drills – Jamie Carey
3. The Shooting and Drills – Juan Orenga

Have a specific coaching question you need answered? It’s probably answered somewhere on the internet. Actually, scratch that. It’s definitely answered somewhere on the internet. And Google can lead you to it.

There are so many great blogs and websites on the internet about coaching basketball that are posting a massive amount of terrific content.

If I ever have a question Google is usually my first port of call and it will link me to many great articles on any topic I’m asking about.

There are a ton of insanely smart coaches that are participating in forums on the internet. Forums make for a fantastic place to share ideas, hear ideas, and get feedback on your different thoughts and techniques. Not to mention you’ll be building relationships with other coaches. And as I keep saying… that’s very important!

As I mentioned in my post on connecting with other coaches, I’m not as active on forums as I’d like to be. But here are my two favourites…

1. http://coachingbball.proboards.com/
2. http://www.basketballcoach.com/coaching/

Online membership sites allow you to view premium content from some of the top skills coaches from the comfort of your own home. Most basketball membership websites are for players, but the ones listed below have many great workouts and drills that will help you with your coaching.

Here are three online basketball membership websites you can think about signing up to.

1. http://miskillz.com/
2. http://www.hoopsuinsider.com/
3. http://basketballhq.com/

By subscribing to blogs you make sure you never miss out on any of the content they publish. It’ll get sent straight to your e-mail so that you can view it when you have time.

While we’re on this topic, if you like the content I’ve been putting out, you can subscribe to my blog (cheesy self promoting, I know). You can do that at the top right of this page. Thanks if you do!

If you don’t like my blog (that would make me sad), here are 13 other awesome coaching blogs that I check out all the time.

1. Hoops Thoughts
2. Hoops Skills
3. Jeff Haefner’s Coaching Blog
4. Layups
5. Coach Dunlap
6. Breakthrough Basketball
7. Stronger Team
8. Keys to the Gym
9. Hoops Roundtable
10. George Raveling
11. Men’s Basketball Hoop Scoop
12. Online Basketball Drills
13. KCS Basketball

Podcasts are the new big thing. Everybody’s starting to do them. I listen to them every time I’m driving since I’m usually in the car a couple of hours a day. Why would I waste time listening to music when I could be learning!

I’ve decided to list only one basketball coaching podcast since I believe it’s the only one you’ll ever need.

The Hardwood Hustle Podcast by Alan Stein and Adam Bradley.

Please do yourself a favour and don’t miss a single episode.

Are you a tweeter? I am. I love spending time connecting and socialising with other coaches and skills trainers on Twitter.

When I’m watching live NBA and NCAA games I’ve usually got Twitter open on my phone so that during time-outs and between quarters I can get an insight into how other coaches and analysts are seeing the game and what their thoughts are.

Some of the tweeters I always look out for are:

1. BBall Breakdown
2. Zach Lowe
3. Amin Elhassan
4. Nate Jones

More of a FaceBooker than a Tweeter? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with that too.

1. Proactive Coach
2. Ganon Baker Basketball
3. Functional Basketball Coaching

Bookmark this page and refer back to it regularly. Use this blog post and the resources provided to improve your coaching knowledge. You can never learn too much!

Are there any other resources you use that other coaches might want to know about?

How to Study Basketball Strategies: A Basic Guide

Are you a basketball player who needs some basketball strategy tips? Or are you someone who is not so familiar with basketball and would like to learn more about it? If either of these applies to you, then this blog post is for you. Here we will discuss how one can study basketball strategies. As well as the basics of basketball that every aspiring player should know. We will also provide tips on how to improve your knowledge to become an expert!

[powerkit_toc title=”Table of Contents” depth=”1″ min_count=”4″ min_characters=”1000″]

Why is Strategy Important in Basketball?

Basketball plays and strategies win basketball games, it can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Without the proper basketball plays your team will not do well in any level of competition. No matter how talented they may be at shooting/dribbling etc…

Tips to Improve Your Basketball Knowledge

The above are just some basics that one must know about to learn more advanced strategies. However, there are many other things that you can do on your own! Here we will give a few tips and suggestions as well as links where you can find this information online:

Watch & Study Professional Players’ Moves (and how they work)

This is something I highly recommend doing – watching professional players and analyzing their moves (and why those moves work). You might wonder “how does it help me?”. But understanding specific basketball plays such as pick n rolls or back screens will help you figure out how to defend these basketball plays. Watching basketball games live or on television is also helpful. But it can be difficult for some people who do not have cable/satellite TV access. If this applies to you then I would recommend watching basketball videos online that are posted regularly (e.g., youtube).

Attend Basketball Camps and Workouts

This goes hand in hand with the previous tip. Attending basketball camps and workouts gives one a chance to watch players practice their moves under the supervision of professional coaches! The coaching staff there has years of experience helping young players improve & learn new strategies. So they may apply them during future games/practices etc… There’s no way around it – if you want to improve your basketball knowledge then you should attend basketball workouts and camps.

Learn from the Best!

If attending basketball camps/workouts is not an option for you. Another alternative would be to learn basketball strategies online through video lessons (e.g., youtube). There are many different providers of this service. So it’s best if you do some research on the internet before deciding which one will suit your needs best. I recommend doing a search for “how to learn basketball”, or something similar such as that. There should be enough options available online where people can choose what works best for them depending on their budget, etc…

Strategy Plays in Basketball

Screening

This basketball play is very common and it involves the player who has the basketball setting a pick on his/her defender. The objective of this basketball strategy is to free up another player (usually one that is not guarded). So they can get an open shot or drive into the paint for a layup.

Screens are important basketball plays. Because if set properly, they will allow your teammate with possession of the basketball more time & space. With which he/she may shoot, pass, or drive to the basketball hoop. This basketball strategy is probably one of the most common basketball plays you will see. It can be run out of many different set plays such as a pick n roll (with two players), side ball screen (with two players), etc…

The goal here is for your basketball player with possession of the basketball to dribble towards their teammate who has set themselves up for an open layup/dunk opportunity once they receive a pass from their teammate! This play works best if there’s another shooter on your team. And someone else setting screens for them so that way everyone benefits & scores points during this play. Because all players involved in this basketball move touch the basketball before finally ending at either shooting or dunking.

This basketball strategy can also be used as a defensive tactic if players switch defenders or just leave their original defender to go double the basketball player with possession. This basketball play works best when teams have shooters on them. But it is still effective even without. You will simply give your opponent more time and space to shoot/dunk so do this at your own risk!

Cutting

This basketball move is similar to the previous basketball strategy. It involves players “cutting” through screens and freeing themselves up for an open shot/layup. The difference between this basketball play and above basketball plays (pick n roll & back screen) is that cutting does not necessarily require another player on your team with possession of the basketball. You may cut into a defender’s path without having anyone else passing you the ball! This cut works best when defenders are overplaying or slightly distracted. So they do not notice someone quickly moving behind them. But even if no one cuts then at least there will be more space given for shooters.

The objective here is simple: wait until your opponent turns around or gets out of position momentarily before diving behind them for an open basketball shot/layup. If you are playing basketball defense, the best way to stop this basketball play is by watching out for players behind your back. It sounds easy but if done properly then cutting can be one of the most effective basketball strategies used in actual games!

Different Types of Offense Strategies in Basketball

A basketball team would normally practice offense to come up with new plays that they can use in an actual game situation. This means they are trying to score baskets by passing around the basketball court. While their opponents try stopping them from scoring any points!

Zone Offense

Zone offense is a basketball strategy where the offensive team aims to get open shots. By passing and moving within their predetermined locations on the court. The objective of this basketball play is to cut off all possible angles for defenders. So that they cannot stop any pass made. While at the same time preparing themselves for an eventual shot if there’s enough space available.

Motion Offense

Motion offense is a basketball play where the offensive players move around freely within their predetermined paths on the court. This basketball strategy works by creating passing lanes for open shots. Which results in increased scoring opportunities because of this dynamic movement.

Transition Offense

Transition offense refers to a basketball strategy in which the offensive team tries to move quickly when they get possession of the basketball. Aiming for an early shot at a high percentage. This tactic works by catching your opponent off-guard. If you can play faster than them then it’s likely that one or more players from your basketball team will be open for easy shots. Even before the defense has been able to set up their positions!

Set Offense

Set offense basketball strategy is one of the most common basketball plays that you will see in every game. This basketball play involves running a sequence of screens (i. e., pick n rolls) until someone gets an open shot. While this may seem simple enough, it can be very tricky to stop because there are so many options available – if defenders try guarding against only one option then another player becomes open for an easy basket!

Different Types of Defense Strategies in Basketball

Defense on the other hand is quite different as they do not care about scoring at all – instead what matters most for these players is preventing others from shooting or putting it into their basket too easily.

Zone Defense

Zone basketball defense is a basketball strategy where the defensive team aims to clog all passing lanes and force their opponent into difficult shots. The idea behind this basketball play is that an offensive player will be less effective if they are not able to pass the ball around easily. So defenders should stay between them and the basket as much as possible.

Press Defense

Press basketball defense is a basketball play where the defensive team tries to force their opponent into errors by pressuring them when they have possession of the basketball. If executed properly, this basketball strategy will make it very difficult for the offensive basketball players to pass or dribble past defenders which in turn results in turnovers and steals! While this may sound simple enough at first glance, you need to be physically fit if you want to use press defense due to all that running required throughout each game/practice, etc…

Man-to-Man Defense

Man-to-man basketball defense is a basketball strategy where the defensive team aims to guard an offensive player closely to prevent them from shooting. This basketball play works by matching up against another player on your opponent’s basketball team, which makes it easy for both teams to keep track of who is guarding whom.

Conclusion

In summary, there are many different types of basketball strategies and plays out there but these should give you a good idea about what basketball is all about. Remember: successful teams win games – why not learn how to improve yourself as a player AND help your teammates do better too? If this interests you then I would recommend using basketball strategies to your advantage.

Good luck basketball players! I hope this blog post helps you learn basketball strategies and improve as a player/team coach etc… If it does then please feel free to send us an email with your thoughts – We’d love to hear from readers of our basketball blog posts. Thanks for reading, have a great day everyone!

Here are Some of our Favourite Basketball Sneakers

Here we will be giving more of an opinion, rather than facts. Are the sneakers worth the price that they are being sold at? Should you upgrade from your current sneakers, depending on what boots you own? What features stand out on these sneakers? If any. Does it do the job? Speed, control, stability etc. Depending on your needs/preferences. We can also mention its durability, if we have collected enough data on the specific sneakers.

What did we expect vs. what we got. Is it maybe overrated/underrated?

Elite

Here’s our pick from the very best of the bunch.

Pro

On your way to the pro leagues? Here’s our pick.

Beginner

Want something to start with? Have a look at our pick.

How to learn to play basketball from scratch

"School 2.0" - the best educational project in the history of Russian basketball, has collected in one material all the basic skills that are needed for those who want to jump like Michael Jordan and throw a three-pointer like Steph Curry . We literally chew on you how to play basketball and become cool. Lots of videos are included.

Passion for basketball usually begins with the ball hitting the basket. Do not deprive yourself of this pleasure, learn to score from under the basket, then from two steps ... But after that, you should think about what elements to master in order to become a “correct” basketball player. We won't let you get bored - we won't fill all basketball practice with boring stops and turns. But in general, you can’t do without it, because the correct work of the legs, the habit of standing firmly, not mincing, not taking extra steps, quickly and correctly changing the direction of movement is an absolute must for a basketball player. Plus, of course, dribbling and passing.

In general, to start the basketball path, “School 2.0” recommends exercises to develop the following skills during basketball training:

1. Throw
2. Footwork
3. Transmission
4. Maintaining

Do two or three dozen workouts, combining the exercises from the following list, and you will notice real progress. Start each workout with 2-4 minutes of quiet running and such a joint warm-up:

Exercises are performed one after the other without stopping.

1. Shoulder warm-up. Stand up straight and stretch your arms out to the sides. Make circular movements with straight arms 10 times forward, then 10 times back.
2. Pelvic warm-up. Put your hands on your belt, feet shoulder-width apart. Perform rotations in the hip joint, as if twisting a hoop, 10 times in each direction.
3. Back workout. Bend your elbows and press to your chest, feet shoulder-width apart. Do rotations in the lower back 5-10 times in each direction.
4. Knee warm-up. Stand up straight, feet together. Squat down a bit and put your hands on your knees. Then perform rotational movements with your knees, helping yourself with your hands. Do 10 times in each direction.
5. Ankle warm-up. Put your hands on your belt. Place one foot on the toe slightly behind you. Resting on your toes, do 10 rotations in the ankle joint in each direction, then change legs.
6. Squats. At the end, do 5 deep squats, keeping your heels on the floor and extending your arms in front of you.

Throwing

Get used to throwing correctly right away - with one hand (the other can only hold the ball), with reverse spin. The forearm is perpendicular to the floor, the arm straightens completely, the hand “closes”. Listen to how the ball blows up the net - it's a thrill.

1. Shooting stand

1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, ball in hand.
2. At the signal, take a throwing stance, and at the next signal, return to the starting position.
3. Ready to throw: legs bent, back straight, slightly tilted forward. Throwing hand behind the ball (not sideways!), the second hand holds the ball in front-side.
4. Raise the ball to shoulder level.
5. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

2. Single handed throw on the spot

1. Get into the throwing position. The ball lies in one hand at the level of the head, the elbow is directed forward, the second hand does not help.
2. Squat down a little and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and elbow, throw the ball up in front of you. Stay in the final position until the ball hits the floor.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

3. Throw with one hand into the hoop from one meter

1. Stand under the hoop with the ball in your hand at shoulder level. The other hand does not help!
2. Squat down and at the same time extend your legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
3. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield, then the ball will be in the ring.
4. Throw from different positions. 10 times with the right and left hand.

4. Medium throw

1. Stand at a distance of 3-4 meters from the ring and take a throwing stance. Sit down and with the simultaneous extension of the legs and arms, make a throw around the ring. Keep the final position of the straightened arm and closed hand until the ball hits the floor.
2. Throw from different positions.

1. Stand a few meters from the ring. Make yourself an autopass, take a small jump forward, catch the ball, take a shooting stance, and hit the basket.
2. Perform the exercise 10 times with your stronger arm.

5. Two steps - throw

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring.

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw the ring.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

6. Two steps - low shot

1. Get on the three-point line. Take a couple of hits with the ball, then two steps and throw from the bottom of the ring.

1. Stand three meters from the ring. Take two steps from the spot and throw the ring from below.

1. From the three-point line, make yourself an autopass. Then catch the ball, take two steps and shoot the ring.
2. Try to hit the ball in the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.
3. Repeat 10 times with right and left hand.

Footwork

Glue your feet to the floor. No extra steps! Otherwise - "jog", whistle, give the ball to the opponents.

1. Jump stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with two hands and at the same time do a two-foot jump into a basketball stance.
2. Determine the axial (supporting) leg and perform turns on this leg forward and backward.
3. Then imitate the following sequence of actions:
   take the ball in your hands, being completely in the air;
   land on both (!) feet at the same time;
   do turns around the same (!) leg.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 times: 5 times turning on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

2. Step stop

1. The exercise is performed on the spot. Make yourself an autopass, catch the ball with both hands and stop at the same time with two steps into the basketball stance.
2. The axial (supporting) leg will be the one with which you took the first step - on this leg, perform turns forward and backward.
3. Repeat the exercise 10 times: turning 5 times on the right foot and 5 times on the left.

3. Zigzag without a ball with a jump stop

All changes in the direction of movement are made by a clear turn around the near leg - even through the “face”, even through the “back”. This is very important in basketball!

4. Zigzag without a ball with a stop in steps

It is performed in the same way as the previous exercise, but the stop at the cone is one-two, not a jump.

Transmission

Mastering the culture of passing will not only earn you the respect of your playmates, but it will also give you a lot of fun. Maybe even more than hitting the ring.

1. Passing with two hands into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with both hands from the chest.
2. Hold the ball with both hands from the sides and direct it to the wall with a wrist movement. As a result, the arms at the elbows should straighten, and the hands should “close”.

1. Move further back to make longer passes. At the moment of such a transfer, one leg takes a step forward. Catch such a transmission from the floor.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.

2. Passing with one hand into the wall

1. Stand 3-5 meters from the wall. Pass the ball into the wall with one hand from the shoulder.
2. Hand behind the ball, thumbs up. Carpal movement.
3. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

3. Lying One-Hand Pass

1. Lying on your back, pass with one hand up.
2. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times for each hand.

Dribbling

Great basketball dribbling is the key to all doors. Not to mention how effective it is.

1. Palms on the ball

1. Take the ball in your hands and move it from hand to hand, hitting it with your palms.
2. Start slowly and then speed up. 15 seconds slow, 15 fast.
3. Repeat 1-2 times.

2. Ball on fingers

1. Quickly toss the ball with your fingertips from one hand to the other: raise and lower in front of you;
   sit down and get up;
   raise and lower in motion.
2. Perform each exercise 2-3 times for 15 seconds.

3. Ball around the body

1. Move the ball from one hand to the other as quickly as possible: around the body;
   around the head;
   in the round-leg basketball stance;
   in a basketball stance figure eight around the legs.
2. Do 5 reps each side.

4. Low dribbling on the spot

Low ball dribbling in different positions:

1. Basketball stance, feet parallel. Dribble to the side of your foot. Free hand in defense position.
2. Sit on the floor and dribble the ball from your side, bringing the ball closer or further away.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

5. Medium dribbling in motion

1. Medium dribbling of the ball (height - to the waist) in motion. Do it at speed.
2. Make a turn leaving the ball in place and picking it up with the other hand.
3. Dribble two courts with each hand.

6. V-dribbling in front of you

1. Stand in a basketball stance.
2. Dribble with one hand in front of you in a V, with your right and left hands in turn.
3. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

7. Crossover

1. Move the ball in place in front of you from one hand to the other.
2. First do the exercise for each stroke.
3. Then - for every third hit.
4. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
5. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

8. Underfoot transfers

1. Transfer the ball between the legs from one hand to the other.
2. Translate every third hit with the ball.
3. After translation, touch the floor with your free hand.
4. Repeat 15 times with each hand. Do 2-3 sets.

That's it for starters. Of course, it would be nice to learn how to fly - in the sense of jumping high without a trampoline. But that's another story. If you only jump, you are a jumper. And if you have mastered these exercises, you are almost a basketball player. Then you can already learn to play in a team, in real contact conditions.

Why Andrey Kirilenko created School 2.0:

And remember,

"School 2.0"

will introduce you to people who you want to follow an example from: winners in whom at first no one believed; music and film stars going crazy about basketball; heroes who, thanks to sports, managed to overcome themselves.

School 2.0 will recommend movies and books, and they will help you move mountains. With us you will be in trend and understand that success breeds success.

School 2.0 has no entrance exams. Do you want to be beautiful, healthy and smart?

You are already accepted.

BTW, WE ARE DOING FREE OPEN TRAININGS TOGETHER WITH THE GREATEST GROUND #HARDCOURT. ON THIS WEDNESDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, VICTOR CHEIRU WILL TEACH EVERYBODY TO THROW THE BALL.

FOLLOW ALL OUR TRAINING HERE

If you liked this material, you can subscribe to our Facebook page or "

Vkontakte

". With us, you will know how to take care of your health and become so beautiful that everyone around you will simply envy you.

Our juicy Instagram is here.

Subscribe to The Challenger!

Share

How can I learn to play basketball on my own?