Summer workouts should reinforce our core principles so that every player understands what is expected. This is WHO WE ARE. This is HOW WE PLAY. We have to learn how to help each other every day on every play.
How do we partition individual versus team skills? Ideally, players are working independently on their athleticism and skills. But in today's world, most parents don't want to send their child off alone to the playground. So we have an arbitrary divide. You can't learn zone offense alone in the driveway, but if you can't shoot or finish then what difference does it make?
Whenever practical, provide individual attention. During our first summer workout, we had six players, which allows more repetitions. Four players had to leave a little early, so that gave the two remaining (one big, one small) opportunity to work one-on-one with instruction. Footwork principles, facing the basket, protecting the ball, reading defenders (in the post and perimeter) all get attention.
We have to emphasize proper defensive techniques but limit defensive time. We want to allow NO EASY shots. We want NO MIDDLE (no paint) and NO LAYUPS. We want to limit the POINTS PER POSSESSION, meaning limit transition, putbacks, and uncontested threes. Ball pressure drills, closeouts, and pick-and-roll defense belong in every practice. As players understand the difficulty of playing excellent defense in those situations, they grasp the advantages available offensively.
One simple drill is placing a defender on the block and offense on the perimeter. The coach passes to the player and creates a closeout situation. You can station players on each block and under the basket and have 'rollouts' to the perimeter (corners/top of key). Closeout and each offensive player gets one dribble to score.
Everything must translate to game activities. If the drill doesn't simulate something that can happen real-time, how does it add value? McCormick's "Fake Fundamentals" series of books illustrates this.
Excellent teams can apply and withstand pressure in the full and the half-court. Advantage-disadvantage situations (2 on 3 full court, 3 on 4 half-court, 5 on 7 full court) have particular utility.
Small-sided play (2-on-2, 3-on-3) played in the quarter court (half-court to the split) teach players actions in limited space.
Scoring drills (note not equal to shooting drills) emphasize finishing. We work on layups, finishing off two feet, and reverse layups on both sides with both hands. "Can't" and "Try" are failure words disallowed.
Transition drills provide benefits of conditioning, in addition to better ball-handling and decision-making.
We scrimmage from game situations, most commonly three possession games (offense-defense-offense) with side out, free throw, "artificial" (e.g. 'change' - drop the ball on a whistle, etc.)
Special situations get limited attention in the summer. I have a few players from charter or private schools who show up for workouts might benefit from end-of-game situational plays (BOB, SLOB, half and full-court) but concepts are more important than specifics.
Zone offense has become increasingly important because the priority for many coaches is winning over development. Players need some exposure to DRFLAPS. Dribble into gaps looking to pass, Reverse the ball, Flash into open spaces, Postup. and use Screens.
Summer yields great opportunities for player development and relationship building. Let's use it well.
