Table Of ContentFourth Edition
BASKETBALL
Skills & Drills
JERRY V. KRAUSE
CRAIG NELSON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Krause, Jerry, 1936- author. | Nelson, Craig, 1984- author.
Title: Basketball skills & drills / Jerry V. Krause and Craig Nelson.
Other titles: Basketball skills and drills | Basketball skills and drills.
Description: Fourth Edition. | Champaign, Illinois : Human Kinetics, [2019] |
Originally published: Champaign, Illinois : Leisure Press, c1991. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018020668 (print) | LCCN 2018023641 (ebook) | ISBN
9781492568353 (ebook) | ISBN 9781492564102 (print)
Subjects: LCSH: Basketball--Coaching.
Classification: LCC GV885.3 (ebook) | LCC GV885.3 .K68 2018 (print) | DDC
796.323--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018020668
ISBN: 978-1-4925-6410-2 (print)
Copyright © 2019, 2008, 1999, 1991 by Jerry V. Krause
All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information stor-
age and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
The web addresses cited in this text were current as of July 2018, unless otherwise noted.
Developmental Editor: Anne Cole; Copyeditor: Tom Tiller; Proofreader: Leigh Keylock ;
Indexer: Dan Connolly; Permissions Manager: Martha Gullo; Graphic Designers:
Sean Roosevelt and Dawn Sills; Cover Designer: Keri Evans; Cover Design Associate:
Susan Rothermel Allen; Photograph (cover): PhotoAlto/Sandro Di Carlo Darsa/Brand X/
Getty Images; Photographs (interior): © Human Kinetics; Photo Production Coordi-
nator: Amy M. Rose; Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen; Senior Art Manager:
Kelly Hendren; Illustrations: © Human Kinetics; Printer: Sheridan Books
We thank the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for assistance in providing
the location for the photo and video shoot for this book.
The video contents of this product are licensed for private home use and traditional, face-
to-face classroom instruction only. For public performance licensing, please contact a sales
representative at www.HumanKinetics.com/SalesRepresentatives.
Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Human Kinetics
P.O. Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61825-5076
Website: www.HumanKinetics.com
In the United States, email [email protected] or call 800-747-4457.
In Canada, email [email protected].
In the United Kingdom/Europe, email [email protected].
For information about Human Kinetics’ coverage in other areas of the world,
please visit our website: www.HumanKinetics.com E7294
Coaches often learn much from their players. One of my former players, Don Meyer,
spent his 40-year career at the small-college level and became an eight-time hall of fame
coach. We both had roots in the small town of Wayne, Nebraska; he grew up there,
and I graduated from Wayne State College. Years later, our paths crossed at Colorado
State College, where I was fortunate to coach Don as an assistant basketball coach. We
became lifelong friends and coaching brothers who shared a passion for the game as
well as for giving back to coaches and players through the sharing of knowledge.
For more than 30 years we collaborated on clinics, DVDs, and books to share basket-
ball coaching ideas with other coaches and players. Don and I shared the belief that a
coach’s good example as a role model isn’t just one way to teach players life lessons—it
is the only way. Here are three life lessons we learned together:
1. Always take notes. My “Never stop learning” mantra is based on Don’s belief
that we should “get all good ideas” (learn) but pick out those that are best for you and
your team. His rule is still true today, particularly thanks to the ease with which coaches
can share ideas in this age of technology. Learning is more effective with handwritten
note-taking compared to using electronic devices.
2. Always say please and thank you. This was his way to teach players civility and
kindness. I used this rule to develop my theme of respect: develop your own self-respect
and earn the respect of others.
3. Always pick up trash. This was Don’s way of making our world better. My ap-
proach to this lesson is this: Practice leaving your personal world better than you found
it on a daily basis. This can be accomplished even with the simple act of picking up
trash around your personal or business space.
Don, thank you for helping me model these values for others to learn. Your extraor-
dinary example set a high standard of excellence for coaching knowledge, and you
shared so much with so many. You were incredible! Thank you, my coaching brother;
you taught me well, and I learned with you as best I could.
In respect, love, and gratitude,
Your friend, Jerry Krause
Contents
Drill Finder vii Accessing the Online Video xiii Foreword xv
Preface xvii Introduction xix Key to Diagrams xxix
Chapter 1 Body Control and Fundamental Footwork . . . . . . . . . 1
Quick Stance 2
Quick Starts, Steps, Turns, and Stops 6
Quick Jumps 17
Basic Body-Control Drills 21
Chapter 2 Advanced Body Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Concepts of Moving Without the Ball on Offense 32
Basic Moves or Steps Without the Ball 34
Screen Moves 36
Drills for Moving Without the Ball 45
Chapter 3 Ballhandling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Passing and Catching 55
Principles of Passing and Catching 55
Types of Passes 58
Catching Principles 62
Communication in Passing and Catching 65
Dribbling 65
Basic Ballhandling Drills 77
Chapter 4 Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Field-Goal Shooting 90
Shooting Mechanics 96
Other Types of Shots 103
Free-Throw Shooting 116
Shooting Drills 122
Chapter 5 Outside Offensive Moves: Playing the Perimeter . . . 145
Fundamentals of Live-Ball Moves 146
Fundamentals of Dead-Ball Moves 155
Perimeter-Play Drills 158
Chapter 6 Inside Offensive Moves: Playing the Post . . . . . . . . . 169
Post-Play Fundamentals 170
Post Skills 172
Post or Inside Moves 175
Post Drills 187
iv
Chapter 7 Individual Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fundamentals of Defense 198
Essentials of Defense 199
On-the-Ball Defense 201
Off-the-Ball Defense 206
Post Defense 208
On-the-Ball to Off-the-Ball Defense 210
Off-the-Ball to On-the-Ball Defense 210
Special Defensive Situations 212
Pressuring the Shot 216
Defensive Drills 218
Chapter 8 Rebounding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Rebounding Tools 226
Motivating Players to Rebound 226
Rebounding Rules 228
Defensive Rebounding 230
Offensive Rebounding 240
Rebounding Assessment 244
Rebounding Drills 247
Chapter 9 Team Offense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
General Offensive Principles 256
Player Positions and Responsibilities 256
Offensive Team Tactics 258
Drills for Team Offense 272
Chapter 10 Team Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Defensive Court Levels 281
Defensive Categories 282
Drills for Team Defense 288
Resources 291 Index 292 About the Authors 297
v
Drill Finder
Warm-up Conditioning
Drill Level Specific focus component component Page
Basic Body Control
Quick-Stance Check Basic Basic stance 22
Quick-Stance Mirror Basic Basic stance 22
Mass Quick Moves Intermediate Basic stance
✓ ✓ 22
Line Drill: Quick Basic Starting, stepping, turning,
Starts, Steps, Turns, stopping, PPF footwork, and EPF ✓ ✓ 24
and Stops footwork
Line Drill: Quick Jumps Basic Jumping skills for rebounding
✓ ✓ 26
and shooting
Line Drill: Rebound Basic Jumping skills for rebounding
✓ ✓ 27
Jumping and Turns
Line Drill: Quick Stance, Basic Body-control movements
Starts, Steps, Jumps, ✓ 27
Turns, and Stops
Line Drill: Starts, Intermediate, Quick stance, quick starts, quick
Stops, and Turns advanced stops, quick turns, and passing ✓ ✓ 27
and catching skills
Full-Court Team Intermediate, Two-handed rebounding, tapping
✓ 28
Rebounding advanced ball on backboard
Advanced Body Control
Line Drill: Moving Basic Basic moves without the ball
✓ 45
Without the Ball
V-Cut Basic Basic moves without the ball in
46
2on-0 and 2-on-2 situations
2-on-2 Offense and Intermediate, All two-player scoring moves
Defense advanced (live ball, back cuts, pass-and-
✓ 48
cut, ball screen), plus varied
defense
4-on-4 Half-Court Offense Intermediate, Concentrated half-court team
✓ 48
and Defense advanced offense and defense
4-on-4 Defense-to- Advanced Half-court team offense option,
Offense Transition offensive and defensive
rebounding, controlled defense- ✓ 48
to-offense transition, offense-to-
defense transition
One-Minute Advanced Use of all offensive moves
Continuous Game without the ball and applying full-
court defense (no over-the-top ✓ ✓ 49
breakaway cuts allowed); one-
minute games
Pick-and-Roll Intermediate, Screening and cutting options for
✓ 49
advanced on-the-ball screens
3-on-0 Motion Advanced Scoring options on screens away
✓ ✓ 50
from the ball; two-ball shooting
3-on-3 Motion Screen Advanced Screening and cutting options for
✓ 50
off-the-ball screens
Ballhandling
Ballhandling Basic, advanced Controlling the ball, becoming
familiar with the ball, developing
✓ ✓ 77
an individual ballhandling warm-
up and skill-practice routine
Line Drill: Basic Passing and catching techniques
✓ 79
Passing and Catching (all basic passes)
(continued)
vii
Drill Finder (continued)
Warm-up Conditioning
Drill Level Specific focus component component Page
Ballhandling (continued)
Two-Player Passing Basic Passing and catching using a
and Catching one-handed push pass with ✓ 79
either hand after a dribble
Coach Beilein’s Intermediate, 2-on-2 half-court passing
Perfect Passing advanced and catching with correct
fundamental passing technique ✓ ✓ 80
(30 seconds, at least 10 passes
to score)
Gonzaga Team Advanced 4-on-0 pass–catch sequence
Pass–Catch performed correctly and quickly ✓ ✓ 81
(Around the World) (1 minute, layup numbers)
2-on-1 Keepaway Advanced Passing and catching between
Passing partners who must pass by a ✓ 81
defender
Moving Pairs Passing Basic, Partner passing and catching
intermediate skills while moving and against a ✓ 82
defender; spacing and timing
Wall Passing Basic Individual ballhandling skills of
✓ 82
passing and catching
Line Drill: Stance, Starts, Basic Selected footwork skills from a
✓ 82
and Skill Breakdown quick stance and a quick start
Line Drill: Starts, Basic, Combining footwork, dribbling,
Stops, and Turns intermediate, starting, stopping, passing,
✓ ✓ 83
advanced catching, and turning skills in
four lines
Mass Dribbling Basic, Basic ballhandling skills of
✓ 83
intermediate dribbling
Full-Court Dribbling Basic Ballhandling skills of dribbling ✓ 84
Wall Dribbling Intermediate, Ballhandling skills with one ball
advanced and two balls ✓ 85
Basic Ballhandling Intermediate, Individual and pair dribbling,
Drill advanced passing, and catching skills with ✓ 85
basketballs and tennis balls
Gonzaga Full-Court Basic, EPF footwork and two-handed
Footwork and Layup intermediate, passing and catching ✓ ✓ 86
(Peer-Pressure Drill) advanced
Shooting
Line Drill: Shooting Basic Shooting in a simulated game
Addition (Without Ball, situation ✓ 122
With Ball)
Layup Shooting Intermediate, Proper and quick execution of
Progression advanced game-type layups; dribble-chase ✓ 123
layups
Gonzaga Full-Court Team Basic, PPF and EPF options (peer-
Layup intermediate, pressure shooting drill) ✓ ✓ 124
advanced
Field-Goal Basic, Improved shooting through
Progression intermediate, feedback; self-teaching ✓ 125
advanced
Shoot-the-Line and Basic, Shooting mechanics and
Soft-Touch Shooting intermediate, confidence building ✓ 128
advanced
Groove-It Spot Shooting Intermediate Evaluating shooting
✓ 129
effectiveness and range
Pairs In-and-Out Intermediate, Shooting in a 2-on-0 game
Shooting advanced simulation (all shooting ✓ 130
situations)
viii
Warm-up Conditioning
Drill Level Specific focus component component Page
Shooting (continued)
Make-It-Take-It Row Basic, Self-testing of shooting skills
Shooting intermediate, ✓ 131
advanced
Individual Grooving Basic Mechanics of shooting hand and
the Shot balance hand; increasing shot ✓ 132
range
Field-Goal Correction Basic Troubleshooting 132
Coach Hutter’s Intermediate, Complete set of individual and
✓ ✓ 133
Competitive Shooting advanced team competitive shooting drills
Don Meyer’s Intermediate, Team competitive shooting drills
✓ ✓ 135
Competitive Shooting advanced
Gonzaga Competitive Intermediate, Competitive peer-pressure team
Shooting advanced pass–catch–layup drill; timed 136
goals
Free-Throw Basic, Free-throw shooting
Progression intermediate, fundamentals ✓ 137
advanced
Foul-Shot Golf Basic Free-throw shooting 138
Knockout Shooting Intermediate, Shooting in a competitive
✓ 138
advanced situation
Row-Plus Free-Throw Intermediate, Competitive shooting
✓ ✓ 138
Shooting advanced
Footwork and Field Intermediate, Competitive shooting
✓ ✓ 139
Goals (or Free Throws) advanced
Mental Practice Intermediate, Building shooting confidence
for Field-Goal advanced through automatic verbal
139
and Free-Throw Shooting prompts, shooting rituals, and
self-evaluation
Long Layup Attack Intermediate, Attacking basket from edge of
advanced free-throw lane with backboard ✓ ✓ 140
finish
Hop-Back (Step-Back) Intermediate, Practice hop-back (step-back)
Shooting advanced shooting inside and outside the ✓ 141
three-point arc
Gonzaga Full-Court Basic, Team field-goal shooting (layups,
Lay-and-J intermediate, jump shots); timed peer-pressure ✓ ✓ 141
(Peer-Pressure Drill) advanced drill
Gonzaga Scramble Intermediate, Team pass–catch–layup drill;
Pass-and-Catch Layup advanced timed peer-pressure drill ✓ ✓ 143
(Peer-Pressure Drill)
Outside Offensive Moves
Warm-Up for Perimeter Basic Warm-up for fundamental skills
✓ 159
Players
Line Drill: Live-Ball, Dead- Basic Live-ball and dead-ball moves;
Ball, and Completion review of dribble moves ✓ 159
Moves Addition
Outside Moves Basic Outside moves
✓ ✓ 160
Using a Spin Pass
Closeout: 1-on-1, Basic, All outside moves
2-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4 intermediate, ✓ ✓ 161
advanced
1-on-1 Basic, 1-on-1 competition for perimeter
intermediate, players ✓ ✓ 162
advanced
Partner Basic, Live-ball moves; passing
Penetrate-and-Pitch intermediate to teammate for score at ✓ ✓ 162
completion of dribble drive
(continued)
ix
