Todd Phillips: Skills & Drills for a Winning Program

with Todd Phillips,
Utah Valley University Head Coach;
2025 WAC Regular Season Champions;
2025 WAC Coach of the Year;
Utah Valley Associate Head Coach from 2021 to 2023;
2023 WAC Regular Season Champions;
2023 NIT Semifinals;
2021 WAC Regular Season Champions;
Utah Valley Assistant Coach from 2019 to 2021;
Salt Lake Community College Head Coach from 2011 to 2019;
2016 NJCAA Division I National Champions;
3x SWAC Coach of the Year;
played college basketball for Snow College and Lewis-Clark State College

This video from 2016 National Junior College Coach of the Year Todd Phillips will get your creative juices flowing as you consider future practices, seasons and teams!

Coach Phillips has fine-tuned his philosophy from some of the best in the game of basketball. You'll see him break down how a practice can develop players and the details that coaches need to emphasize to make sure players develop not only skills, but the confidence and positive culture to build a successful team.

Pre-Practice: 7 Minutes of Skill

The most important aspect in today's game is developing your players day after day; working to improve their overall game will only make your team better. Coach Phillips demonstrates several drills that he utilizes on a daily basis to develop athletes within his offensive system.

Every player will get the opportunity to work on both perimeter and post skills. They must be able to execute proper footwork and change directions. Example: The 'pro hop' focuses on players' ability to change speed and direction while attacking the rim.

Practice Sessions

Phillips explains how his practice sessions are organized to better serve his athletes. Through a variety of full- and half-court drills, players get moving and motivated; attacking the rim, competing at a high level and refining their outside shot.

You'll get three team shooting drills that contain a lot of reps with timed goals. Players are 'put to the test' and given a shooting license, allowing them to better understand their role on the team and how they can improve.

X-Men Drill

In this drill, Phillips is able to teach multiple concepts and skills at once. He demonstrates how his team uses the drill and provides examples for how you can creatively change the drill to fit your program's needs. Using the entire court, players apply speed dribbling, dribble hand-offs, backdoor cuts and pick & roll situations - all while improving the ball handling skills needed to break down opponents.

Coach Phillips knows and understands how enthusiasm and energy can help build confidence in players. Learn how Coach Phillips prepares his teams to take the next step in their development at every practice!

Produced at the Nike Championship Basketball Coaches Clinic in Indianapolis (IN) Fall 2016.

70 minutes. 2018.