Shaka Smart's Winning Offensive Drills & Culture Tips to Put Your Players in the Best Situation to Succeed!

with Shaka Smart, Marquette University Head Men's Basketball Coach;
2023 NABC Coach of the Year;
2023 AP Coach of the Year;
2023 Henry Iba Award;
2023 Big East Coach of the Year;
University of Texas Head Coach from 2015 to 2021;
2021 Big 12 Tournament Champions;
2019 National Invitation Tournament champions;
2016 USA Basketball U18 National Team Head Coach;
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Head Coach from 2009 to 2015;
2012 CAA Tournament and 2015 A-10 Tournament Champions;
2011 NCAA Regional Champions - Final Four;
2010 CBI Champions;
2011 Clarence Gaines National Coach of the Year;
in each of his six seasons at VCU, Coach Smart led VCU to over 26 wins;

Throughout his coaching career, Shaka Smart has been a transformative coach who builds success while keeping the best interest of his players in mind. In this instructional coaching video, Coach Smart takes to the court to showcase some of his very best offensive drills and shares key tenets that he's developed as foundational staples of building a winning basketball culture that doesn't cut corners.

The video begins with Coach Smart sharing valuable information on developing your culture within your program. He talks about early season, individual meetings with his players where the player along with Smart identify advantages the player has when walking onto the court for every game. These discussions help to identify the role the player plays on the team and clearly helps the player know where he or she can be most confident within the coach's system.  

Shooting Drills Featuring 'Multitasking Behaviors'

Coach Smart shares his favorite shooting drills designed to push the players' conditioning with valuable repetitions of game-speed shots. As players demonstrate drill, Smart points out how he also looks for opportunities to incorporate 'multitasking behaviors within each drill in practice. As an example, the shooting drills demonstrated are also 'communication drills' and designed with components that serve to help establish leadership skills, as well as include several key defensive concepts. Each multitasking aspect of the drill is as important as the next, and when run correctly, these concepts work together to make his practices higher energy while also an effective use of time. 

The shooting drills also include actions that require the players to shoot while tired. Smart's 'Full-Court Three's Drill' is designed to wear players out while simulating the fatigue that will develop in every game.The '30 Baskets Drill is another drill that offers a fun, competitive atmosphere while also getting up a high number of critically important, competitive shots. 

Many of Smart's shooting drills shown within this video feature competitive elements - such as a set goal number or time limit that the players are always trying to beat. In fact, in one of these drills, the demonstrator breaks the drill record in this video.  

Drills Featuring Offensive Concepts & Skill Development

Next, Coach Smart points out how and why he always looks for opportunities to fit offensive concepts into drills that focus on building skills. In the 'Knife Drill,' for example, Smart showcases how the drill simulates the downhill cuts and finishes that you would see his players execute in his offense game day.

Coach Smart then builds upon 'knife action' by adding a defender and another offensive player into the drill. With these additions, a simple finishing drill also becomes a decision-making drill. Multiple concepts in the drills demonstrates efficient, effective use of valuable practice time! 

There are 11 different development drills shared in this video, including the 'Cutters Drill,' which works multiple offensive actions, includes a defender and also features key decision-making opportunities for the players.  

Shaka Smart is a name synonymous with basketball success and doing things the right way. Coach Smart's contagious energy and passion both for the game of basketball and his players is evident throughout this video.Coach Smart delivers another great one in this video - including the terrific skill development drills to keep your players engaged and improving - as well as plenty of new things to think about as you work through your season to build a culture of success with your own program!

51 minutes. 2024.