Basketball Practices: What you should emphasize! by Ignacio Aguilo!  Check out what you should be doing!

Many times coaches, complain about the lack of time in our weekly basketball practices. But, what happens when we effectively can have the time we want to train and teach what we want? Are we taking maximum advantage of every potential situation happening on the basketball court? Physical Education teachers refer to this as Motor Commitment. This concept means the time in wich every player is participating (moving, running. jumping) in activities directly connected to the main objective; so, this definition doesn´t take into account the time we are waiting in line, or under the hoop rebounding the ball to the shooter. I strongly believe in thinking and creating drills or situations where coordination, developing the weak hand prevail, promoting permanent attention and focusing. I hope this idea triggers creativity in your basketball practices.

The next important thing is the teaching point we emphasize or the evaluation / correction we make about the execution of our players: the feedback and information we give is the cornerstone of every drill, because everything is achievable if everything has a foundation.

So, in this article I will introduce some drills you can use to develop some offensive technical skills such as the dribble, shooting or passing, and, at the same time, comply with the Motor Commitment regarding the offensive fundamentals in basketball practice.

The first detail I include in individual technique in basketball practice  is oriented to enhancing coordination. Let me explain this by applying it in the penetrate and pitch series as an example. In the diagram below, two must drive to the lane using two balls, and pass it to 1. The next requirement is the passing, using his weak hand. Anyway he wants (behind the back, over the head, hook pass, etc.)

Technically, for the dribbling, we could resume it as follows: “least is a lot.” By saying this I mean that the least amount of dribbling will mean a lot of advantage (other important detail, often unnoticed, is to maintain the dribble on the on – passing hand meanwhile we are passing the ball); for the passing, kicking the ball to the shooter favoring its rhythm and momentum is essential, and the only way we can keep those two elements is by aiming our pass to the outside or strong shoulder of him, with tension and focus in our basketball practices.

After the pass to 1, two is still dribbling the ball using his strong hand, so he will take two retreat steps and shoot the ball, always after his teammate has.
Another drill I have designed to develop the concepts previously explained is shown in diagram 2. Here, the post player 5 V-cuts inside the lane by simulating he received a screen and posted up on the right block, while 1 dribbles two balls in the wing:

In the first place, five is only allowed to catch the ball and finish with one hand (inside hand or outside hand). He also must catch the ball after his shot and make another basket
In the second place, the dribbler must take into account the following: he will feed 5 using the three levels of the pass (low, middle or high) with proper footwork (open o cross step). After this, he will take the remaining ball with both hands, tap the floor with it in front of his right or left foot, then execute a jab step or drive step, and finish with a jump shot

In second place, the dribbler must take into account the following:  he will feed 5 using the three levels of the pass (low, middle or high) with proper footwork (open o cross step). After this, he will take the remaining ball with both hands, tap the floor with it in front of his right or left foot, then execute a jab step or drive step, and finish with a jump shot