Gregg Popovich: My Favorite Individual and Team Drills

with Gregg Popovich,
San Antonio Spurs (NBA) Head Coach

All coaches have a group of favorite practice drills, and NBA great Gregg Popovich is no exception. He dedicates this presentation to drills that have led to NBA championships. He begins with a simple, yet fundamental 3-on-0 pass and cut drill, which is a staple for the Spurs and is run throughout the entire season. Full court 3-on-3 and 4-on 4 weave drills expose and develop passing, thinking and decision-making. An excellent drill to establish defense is the 4-on-4-on-4 drill. Without the pick away and post up options available, players must pass, cut and maintain good spacing while looking to score. Conditioning and communication are two key elements of this competitive drill. Later in the drill, the pick & roll is added to the offense to create difficulty for the defense. The down and back 5-on-5 drill incorporates all of the pieces of the game. To teach several defensive principles, the full-court one-on-one drill is used often. Technique, desire, and passion are required to be successful in this intense drill. Disc II includes a favorite shooting drill where points are given for makes and points are lost for misses. The rocker and jab step can be added to this drill. Popovich is committed to fundamentally sound offensive play. The 5-on-0 motion drill is run full court to improve offensive patterns. He introduces the gaggle, which is a two-man game on one side of the floor. Popovich closes by teaching the finer points of his motion offense. He does an excellent job of stopping play to explain and teach players his offense. Cornerstones of this offense are the 3-on-3 drill, the gaggle play and the 2-on-2 elbow look and are broken down often.

2006.

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