Rick Majerus: Drills and Ideas for the Off-Season

with Rick Majerus,
In 2023, Saint Louis University dedicated the 'Rick Majerus Court' in the Chaifetz Pavilion;
2019 College Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee;
University of Saint Louis Head Coach from 2007 to 2012;
2x MWC Regular Season Champions;
University of Utah Head Coach from 1989 to 2004;
1998 NCAA National Championship Runner-Up;
1991 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year;
1991 UPI National Coach of the Year;
1991, 1992 Playboy Magazine Coach of the Year;
1992 & 1997 Utah Sports Person of the Year;
6x WAC Regular Season Champions;
5x WAC Coach of the Year;
3x WAC Conference Tournament Champions;
7x NABC District Coach of the Year;
Ball State University Head Coach from 1987 to 1989;
1989 MAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions;
1989 MAC Coach of the Year;
Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Assistant Coach from 1986 to 1987;
Marquette University Head Coach from 1983 to 1986;
Marquette University Assistant Coach (with Al McGuire) from 1971 to 1983);
1977 NCAA National Champions;
played college basketball at Marquette University

This clinic gives you the rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest basketball minds of all time in Rick Majerus. The Hall of Fame coach shares his insights into numerous facets of the game by detailing what he asked his players to do during the summer months. If your players honor these same rules that Coach Majerus established with his teams, they will become better defenders, more fundamentally sound, and play with greater basketball intelligence.

It's not necessarily the drills you use, but how you teach within those drills. This is where Coach Majerus is one of the all-time greats. In this video, you will learn the details to everything that Majerus asked of his players in order to make underdogs into championship-caliber teams over his great career.

Defense

Make your expectations for defensive play more challenging than what players will see in the season. Coach Majerus emphasizes a demanding style of defense in the summer that is intentionally designed to challenge players into refining their defensive techniques while also crafting a mindset that they can defend anyone through any game situation.

Learn how to play aggressive denial defense, contest shots without fouling, increase your ball pressure, and maintain an impeccable stance and court vision. Coach Majerus also discusses how to deny flashes from the help side, close out on the ball to avoid breakdowns, and defend great post players by fronting them and additional measures through help support by teammates when the ball is entered down low.

Skill Development

Majerus shares five development drills that can be used to improve the ball handling and scoring ability of your players in realistic game situations. Rather than focusing on flashy moves with limited application, Coach Majerus gives you drills with the teaching points to develop winning players.

You will see the "12 Shots" shooting drill that was regularly used by Reggie Miller, one of the all-time great shooters in basketball history. This drill will teach your players to get open for shots off different offensive actions and challenge them to work on their shot preparation, change of pace and direction while performing at game speed.

Develop a change of speed with your ball handling through the "Hesitation Lay-up" drill. Majerus also discusses how to improve the back dribble in order to create separation, avoid traps, and find passing angles. You will also see two drills to develop the coordination and finishing ability of your post players.

Success isn't going to happen during the season unless your players put in the work during the off-season. Let Coach Majerus show you how to maximize the development of your players with clear expectations developed from a lifetime of coaching basketball.

67 minutes. 2020.