Origins of the Unstoppable Dribble Drive Offense + Breakdown Drills

with Vance Walberg,
Fresno State Head Coach;
Creator of the Innovative Dribble Drive Attack Offense;
Clovis West (CA) High School Head Coach from 2016 to 2024 & 1989 to 2002;
9x Conference Coach of the Year;
6x Section Coach of the Year;
2001 Cal-Hi State Coach of the Year;
1999 West Region (Section 7) Coach of the Year;
Sacramento Kings (NBA) Assistant Coach from 2015 to 2016;
Denver Nuggets Assistant Coach from 2012 to 2013;
;UMass Assistant Coach from 2008 to 2011;
Pepperdine Head Coach from 2006 to 2008;
Fresno City College Head Coach from 2002 to 2006;
2005 California State Community College Champions (Undefeated);
2x California Community College Coach of the Year (2003, 2005);
played college basketball at De Anza & Cal State Bakersfield

"In the dribble drive, you're teaching your players how to play basketball, not to run plays."

That's the philosophy of Vance Walberg, the creator of the dribble drive offense, and is exactly why his teams have been known to consistently get better as the season goes on. In this video, Coach Walberg covers many of the concepts that have turned the dribble drive into a popular offensive system, and he shares countless coaching nuggets that are invaluable to coaches who already run the dribble drive or are thinking about implementing it.

Offensive Tactics

Coach Walberg begins by offering the numbering system that he uses with his team at Clovis West. You'll see where he wants his players to get to on the floor to optimize spacing, as well as why he calls his traditional "5-man" a 4-man instead, and vice versa. Additionally, Walberg shares many of the details that coaches often overlook when teaching the dribble drive.

Next, you'll learn the three things that will never change about the dribble drive offense according to Coach Walberg, no matter how much it evolves over time:

• Attack Mentality - Every time a player touches the ball, they need to think "score"
• Open the Gaps - After passing the ball, players need to cut to open up space to score
• Spacing Off Penetration - Once the ball has been taken inside, athletes need to make sure they space the floor to provide additional scoring opportunities

Dribble Drive Actions

Throughout the video, Walberg runs through a number of early-offense actions for the dribble drive. He details how to attack the defense depending on how the opposing team likes to guard off-ball players, including when they face-guard, deny high side, or play flat along the baseline. The idea of reading the defense and attacking where it's weak becomes central when Coach Walberg shows how to get an easy bucket when a post defender steps up to help on drive, allowing the attacking player to lob to the defender's man or convert on a contested layup. The layup can be tough to make, but often results in a trip to the free throw line or an easy cleanup bucket for the vacated post player.

Daily Drills

In order to convert more quick buckets inside, Walberg shares a drill that requires post players to finish three layups in quick succession. The more comfortable athletes become with making close baskets quickly, the more likely they'll make them during a game. He also gives you a 5-man drill designed for the dribble drive that mimics an action often utilized in the offense.

To close, Walberg demonstrates his "Drop Layups" drill as well as a few of his favorite shooting drills. Drop Layups adds purpose to finishing practice by tasking players to focus on the little things that are important for the dribble drive, including passing, timing, attacking the correct spots on the floor and relocating. Finally, you'll get the Olympic Shooting, 5-Spots and Star drills, which are great shooting drills for the beginning of practice.

There's no one better to explain the origins and insights of the unstoppable dribble drive than Coach Walberg. This video serves as a great example why the offense has proven effective at multiple levels and is a fantastic resource for you to reference as you build your own dribble drive system.

71 minutes. 2018.