Open Practice: Player Development Drills for the Ball Screen Offense

Bruce Weber runs a multi-dimensional ball screen motion offense that incorporates a variety of screening actions to keep the ball and players moving. To establish the skills and instincts needed to run the diversity of options in this offense, he has tailored his skill development to strictly reflect the methods of scoring his players will use in games.

In preparation for a summer trip to play in Europe, Coach Weber takes you inside basketball practice at Kansas State. This open practice demonstrates an expansive list of breakdown drills that will teach players how to operate off ball screens, dribble penetration, wide pin downs, flare screens, and more. Additionally, Weber includes a lecture segment to give you detailed insight into his philosophy regarding structuring practice plans.

Ball Screen Drills

See how Kansas State trains their post and perimeter players through multiple pick & roll scenarios with the use of breakdown drills. Posts train their scoring options against different tactics that opponents might use to defend side ball screen and middle ball screens. Within these breakdown drills, you'll learn strategies for teams that try to "ice" side ball screens, and switching defenses. You will see five scoring options for posts off middle ball screens by using either the pop or short roll that range from long distance jumpers to post-ups at the rim. Guards work on making the next pass off middle ball screens for open jump shots or drives against closeouts.

Finishing Drills

Post players go through a segment of drills to help them finish at the rim through different situations. Several variations of the classic Mikan drill are demonstrated to help players develop touch on their layups. Posts learn three different finishes to score from the "Room" position along the baseline. Three additional scoring moves are taught for finishing strong on offensive rebounds. You will also learn drills for teaching your bigs how to space off baseline penetration and score from the high post.

Closeout to 1-on-1 is a competitive drill that challenges your players to quickly react on a baseline drive by lifting off the block and then attacking a closeout to score. Your posts will also learn how to use leverage to find a scoring advantage in the low post with the 7 Second Booty Ball drill.

Dribble Penetration

Guard-specific skill drills focus on the drive and kick game. You will work on the technique to make your players' drives lower and more explosive for either pull-up jump shots or strong finishes at the rim. Players also learn how to space off dribble penetration to create their own scoring advantages. The 3-on-0 Step Off Passing Drill teaches players how to coordinate their movements with baseline drives and middle drives to find open shots. Five layers of the attacking closeouts drill will show you how to create space and score off drives down the lane. You will also see drills that show guards how to apply their drive and kick concepts to zone offense by attacking gaps and using the misdirection dribble.

Transition

Six skill development drills help both your post and perimeter players score to their strengths in transition. Breakdown drills will help post players develop the hands needed to catch over-the-top passes while rim running. Your inbounder can also become a scoring threat with drills that teach them to pull up into jump shots on the run or rip into aggressive drives to the basket. Bigs learn how to create seals for early post feeds from the wing or high-lows from the trailer. Two drills will help your guards learn how to play off advance passes that afford them open shots or space to drive.

Offensive Actions

The ball screen motion is dissected into the fundamental scoring actions that fuel this offense. These snap shots demonstrate how you can sequence multiple screening actions into highly effective scoring opportunities. Coach Weber teaches post players to change the angle of their screens in a two-man game. You'll see how you can connect back screens, wide pin downs, or flares into ball screens to arrive without the screen defender. The Floppy to Florida breakdown shows you how this offense can reverse the ball into immediate screens that don't allow the defense any chance to recover.

Over nine different combinations of off-ball screens and pick & rolls are given through post-specific breakdown drills. Perimeter players also demonstrate the effectiveness of wide pin downs and flares. The combination of these two actions, along with the multiple opportunities for the cutter created by each screen, can leave even the best defenders trailing in your dust as they are caught taking the wrong step.

Improve your players' skills with Coach Weber's skill development today!

141 minutes + Bonus material (2 videos). 2017.