Making a difference

The concept that coaches "get what they accept" is so simple and so true. At the peak of any season, beyond a team sharing the ball and making their shots, coaches often comment that championships come down to aspects such as defense, rebounding, and ball protection.

That said, why are players allowed to come in to the gym and not work with a purpose, even if they are in for extra/leisure time? The small changes will make the big difference. Granted, the sport needs to be fun but consider the following:

• if a player walks in to an empty gym and sees a ball they will likely pick it up and dribble it - they would be more effective going through a short series of dribble moves
• if a player is simply taking shots, get them to move to new spots, move laterally or inside/outside, chart their progress, take a set number, don't just shoot
• emphasize footwork, don't simply shoot close to the rim, self-pass to imitate a post reception and then work on various moves to each shoulder
• throw the ball off the backboard, work on rebounds, catch above the head with two hands, protect the ball at the chin, work on strong wide pivots with a look downcourt
• pass the ball off a wall, practice good pass reception to strong ball protection - applies to post players and perimeter players, vary the body location of the catch (chin, overhead, hip, etc)
• work on slides, digs, loose balls, close-outs - these can be done without a partner