Basketball: What's Your Guard Development Program? A Dozen Specific Suggestions

What's your guard development program? "Not exactly a soup question."

That's like asking, "what's your philosophy about gardening?" 

1. "There is no ability without eligibility." Dawn Staley fit in at UVA when she understood she needed the same intensity in the classroom as on the court.

2. Excellent players make everyone around them better.

3. Strong players excel at decision making. 

4. Performance flows from the triad of vision (perception), decisions, and execution. 

5. Possession and possessions. Value the ball (avoid turnovers) and work to optimize possessions. 

6. Everyone, but especially guards, must contain the ball. No direct drives...

7. The point guard must bring energy and energize teammates every day. 

8. Because basketball is a game of separation, guards must separate. Find dominant and non-dominant hand separation. 

9. What are your "go to" and "counter" moves? 

10."The only shortcut to excellence is mentoring." As players and coaches, we need mentors. We may not know them personally, but learn from their "paper trail," trainers like Drew Hanlen and Don Kelbick. We stand on their shoulders. 

The Rubber Meets the Road

1. Warmups - e.g. Dribble the lines and Villanova "Get 50" (Form, Mikan, Reverse, Bradleys, 1-2s)

2. Curry shooting range builder warmups

Make 5 at each spot

3. Footwork (front and reverse pivots), Tates Locke box drills (add defense)

4. Competitive individual shooting

- Elbow to sideline (1 minute, take free throws)

- Championship 37 drill

5. Wing series off the catch - drive, pullup, step back, drive baseline/spin back

6. Three-point shooting (off the catch, off the dribble, side dribble) 

7. Shooting off screens

8. Attack off the catch (off screens)

9. Quarterback layups (no contact) 

10.Layup finishing from elbow (R hand R side, L hand L side, reverse layups from both sides alternating dominant and non-dominant hand 

11.Dribble into shot pocket (one hand pickup, crossover, crossover-between the legs, crossover-between the legs-behind the back)

12."Game winners." What's your closeout the game winner? 

Lagniappe...from Basketball Immersion

Add a flare pin screen to a 5-out ball screen action like this example. pic.twitter.com/l3GHCr4A0b

— Chris Oliver (@BBallImmersion) June 17, 2021

Lagniappe 2. "Every day is player development day." Hesitation/stop and go (old school)