Individual and Team Skill Development

with Phil Martelli,
2025 NABC Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award;
2025 Joe Lapchick Character Award;
University of Michigan Associate Head Coach from 2019 to 2024;
2025 NABC Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award;
2020-21 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Guardians of the Game Award for Leadership;
St. Joseph's University Head Coach from 1995 through 2019;
2016, CollegeInsider.com Gene Bartow Award;
2004 NABC, Chevrolet, AP & Naismith National Coach of the Year;
2004 Henry Iba Award, 2004 Jim Phelan Award, 2004 Adolph Rupp Cup;
4x A-10 Coach of the Year;
2005 USA Basketball Under 21 World Championship Team Head Coach

Witness skill development at its finest!

If you want to improve your team, the surest way to see results is improving the ability of your players. No matter what type of offense or defense you run and no matter what your level of play, this concept holds true.

In this video, 2004 National Coach of the Year Phil Martelli shows you his approach for player development with an entire practice devoted to skill development drills. Watch and learn as he runs his team through more than 25 drills in the following categories: ball handling, layups, finishing, foul shooting, 1v1, position shooting, and 5v5 transition drills.

Ball Handling

Watch a dribbling segment that keeps players on the go. Your players will constantly change up dribble moves and switch between stationary and movement dribbling. You'll learn a variety of moves with one and two basketballs that will help your players develop tighter handles, a greater range of motion, and more power in each bounce of the ball.

Layups

Train your players to attack the rim and finish in a variety of ways through multiple drills that prepare your players for different game conditions. Drills range from breaking down a defender with dribble moves in your half court offense to passing and making moves at full speed in transition.

The Swing and Rip drill series trains players to make strong moves to the basket off quick ball reversals. This series also teaches players how to space and play off that initial dribble penetration to stretch and re-attack the defense. Through position-specific work, you will see post players work on floaters, attack moves from the mid-post, and exploding to the rim from the top of the key.

Shooting

See how St. Joe's uses the Princeton drill to teach players how to shoot on the move. Players learn how to shoot on flashes towards the ball, flares, off shot fakes, and pull up jumpers off the dribble. The Spot Shooting drill is a great way to get maximum repetitions through short practice segments.

An often-overlooked aspect of skill development is foul shooting. Martelli has two competitive free throw shooting drills that players use with a scoring system based on a swish, one bounce make, and five or three in a row for bonus points. Every drill has a consequence that will put pressure on your players to make their free throws.

In position-specific drills for the guards, you will see how to practice getting different shots from using a ball screen. These drills will not only make your players better shooters, they will also help to expand the number of ways athletes can find their shot in games.

Competitive Drills

If you want to develop your players into effective scorers, you need to consider implementing 1-on-1 drills every day into your practices. Coach Martelli shows five ways to change up the competition.

The Drexel Drill 1-on-1 incorporates defensive skill development by working on lateral slides and having to contain the dribbler from half court. These drills simulate attacking off the catch in your half-court offense, pushing the ball on a fast break, reading a defender on a close out, and more! You will also see two 5-on-5 drills that control the scrimmaging into bursts of action between opportunities to teach.

This is a rare opportunity to see a D-I team and elite coach prepare for the upcoming season by putting players through a skill-specific practice. The structure of the practice can be adapted to any level of play and help you get the most out of your players!

122 minutes. 2017.