Bryan Mullins: Mastering Modern Offense Concepts with Finishing, Spacing and Transition Drills

with Bryan Mullins,
DePaul University Assistant Coach;
Southern Illinois University Head Men's Coach from 2019 to 2024;
Loyola University Chicago Associate Head Coach from 2018 to 2019;
Loyola University Chicago Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2018;
Part of Porter Moser's historic 2018 season;
2018 Final Four and school record 32 wins;
Played collegiately at Southern Illinois;
Member of the 'Saluki Hall of Fame'
school record for assists;
2x MVC Defensive Player of the Year

For anyone who is looking to improve their team's execution of modern basketball offense concepts, Bryan Mullins shows how to use offensive concepts from ball screen motion, Princeton, and dribble-drive offenses. In this on-court presentation, Coach Mullins shows how your team can benefit from drills that increase understanding of the modern offense.

Finishing Drills
To execute any modern basketball offense, players must be proficient in executing fundamentals. Individual drills that are done during warmups in practice are an excellent way to better develop players.

The first of these drills is called "First Step Finishing." In working on finishing drives, the player will take three hard dribbles before taking a big first step and explode to the basket. A point of emphasis for this drill is that the body stays in and the ball stays out on all finishes at the basket.

Coach Mullins also demonstrates "Jab Step Finishing" as another way to get better at going to the basket. In two lines, the players take two hard dribbles up the lane line. The player then executes a jump stop and a reverse pivot to get into a low stance before exploding to score at the basket when the coach says "Go!"

"Celtic Drill"
"Celtic Drill" is presented by Coach Mullins to show how to initiate offense on a rebound and how to attack in transition. This drill teaches making good outlet passes to start the fast break and how to run the floor.

When the point guard gets the ball on the outlet, he has three dribbles to attack the basket, score a lay-up, and get the ball out of the net. The player who made the outlet pass will run the floor and run around a coach near the basket and return the other way.

The player who scored the first lay-up will then take one dribble and throw an outlet pass up the floor for a lay-up with no dribble. The passer will then sprint to get the ball out of the net on the lay-up. The emphasis for this drill is to get air underneath the pass and sprint hard to follow them.

Drive and Space Concepts
Coach Mullins presents the drive and space concepts in his offense using breakdown drills. These concepts are integral parts of modern offenses such as ball screen, Princeton, and dribble-drive offenses.

The first drill to teach this is "Downhill Drive Drill." From four perimeter spots, the ball is swung around the perimeter to work on drives and finishes at the basket off two feet and with shoulders square to the goal. A point of emphasis for this drill is communication by calling for the ball from the person who is passing the ball.

The shooting drill "20-In-1" is a variation of the popular "One-More" shooting drill that works on making the extra pass for catch-and-shoot threes. This drill requires perimeter shooters from four spots to make 20 three-point shots in one minute. A point of emphasis for the drill is that if passes are crisp and on target, more shots are possible.

"Spacing Drill" is a drill with three guards and a post that teaches rotations when the ball is put on the floor for a drive to the basket. This drill teaches post relocation for possible duck-ins and to open up drivers for shots. It also teaches how perimeter players can make themselves available for kick-out passes off of drives for open three-point shots.

67 minutes. 2024.