Building an Elite Defense: Greg Gard's Favorite Practice Drills

with Greg Gard,
University of Wisconsin Head Men's Coach;
2x Big Ten Coach of the Year (2020, 2022);
2x Big Ten Regular Season Champions (2020, 2022);
Sweet Sixteen appearances in '16 and '17;
2016 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year;
from 1993 to 2015, was an assistant or associate head coach with legendary coach Bo Ryan

Great defense starts with fundamentals, discipline, and the right drills. In this outstanding video, Wisconsin’s Greg Gard shares his most effective practice drills to build a tough, well-organized defensive unit.

Coach Gard kicks off his session with full court passing & finishing drills, including the “Full Court Lay-Up” drill, where players execute lay-ups after 3, 4, or 5 passes. These drills enhance offensive flow, decision-making, and conditioning - key elements for a high-level team.

The focus then shifts to post defense, where Gard demonstrates the “Deny Post Entry from the Top” drill, a crucial technique for preventing easy interior scoring opportunities. He also introduces essential blocking-out drills to help teams control the boards and limit second-chance points.

Taking his instruction to the whiteboard, Coach Gard breaks down key defensive principles, including 1v1 Closeouts, 2v2 Seal the Gaps, and 3v3 Ball Side Triangle. He then reinforces these concepts with on-court application, ensuring players understand proper positioning and rotations.

To cap off the session, Coach Gard’s “4v4 Ball Screens” drill provides a game-realistic approach to defending the various ball screen actions opponents use to create scoring opportunities.

What Will I Learn in this Video?

• Proven drills straight from Coach Gard’s practices
• Master defensive positioning, rotations, and rebounding fundamentals
• Enhance team communication and execution on both ends of the floor
• Develop a defensive identity that stifles opponents and wins games

With detailed explanations, fast-paced instruction, and real practice footage, this video is a must-watch for any coach looking to build an elite defensive team.

Start implementing Coach Gard’s system today!

89 minutes. 2025