Open Practice: Defensive Strategies & Drills

with Fred Hoiberg,
University of Nebraska Head Men's Basketball Coach;
2026 Big Ten Coach of the Year;
2025 College Basketball Crown Champions;
2024 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year;
2024 Big Ten Coach of the Year;
Chicago Bulls (NBA) Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Iowa State University Head Coach from 2010 to 2015;
2x Big XII Tournament Champions (2014, 2015);
2012 Big XII Coach of the Year;
2012 National Federation of State High School Associations National High School Hall of Fame;
Minnesota Timberwolves VP Operations from 2005 through 2010;
Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) - (shooting guard) - from 2003 to 2005;
Chicago Bull (NBA) - (shooting guard) - from 1999 to 2003;
Indiana Pacers (NBA) - (shooting guard) - from 1995 to 1999;
2nd round NBA pick (52nd overall) by the Indiana Pacers;
played college basketball for Iowa State University;
his number (32) was retired;
1995 All-Big Eight First team selection;
1994 All-Big Eight Second team selection;
played high school basketball for Ames HS (IA);
1991 Iowa "Mr. Basketball"

In this dynamic presentation featuring five live practices, Fred Hoiberg focuses on defensive concepts that help his team shut down their opponent's offense.

He explains his transition defense philosophy, including who is sent to rebound offensively, who gets back on defense and how he builds a wall to take away key scoring areas on the floor. Coach Hoiberg illustrates several drills on the whiteboard and demonstrates the Line Transition drill on court.

Coach Hoiberg explains how he uses 3-on-3 drills to improve defensive skills to guard ball screens and dribble hand-offs. Each drill focuses on important details like hand position, staying active and communication. Drills are diagramed and demonstrated on court.

The presentation also includes a segment on defending the post with undersized players. Coach Hoiberg shares key points on how to force post players into turnovers by using high, active hands and taking away baseline moves to force post moves to the middle of the floor.

Coach Hoiberg's offers an in-depth look at his unique NBA-style of defending ball screens to keep them on one side of the floor using weak side help and rotation. Different calls are used to communicate how the defense plays the screens. Two drills for defending ball screens are shown.

Finally, everything is put together in Coach Hoiberg's "Down-Back-Stop" drill. In this full-court game simulation between two teams, players start with the ball on one end of the floor and play the offensive possession. They transition down to the other end on defense, come back on offense and stop. Between each Down-Back-Stop drill players huddle with a coach to discuss the previous repetition and the emphasis of the next rep.

This video will help the undersized team prepare for opponents, learn to defend the ball, defend screens, create turnovers in the post and stop teams in transition.

77 minutes. 2014.