Formulating a Winning Team Defense

Bruce Weber is one of the top coaches in the country and is well known for his teams’ defensive efficiency. His Kansas State University Wildcats were the 2013 and 2019 Big 12 champs thanks, in large part, to suffocating defenses. In this video, Coach Weber gives you a taste of why he has been so successful on defense. You’ll see a number of drills that have helped him get there.

Team Defense Drills

While offering up his favorite team defense drills, Coach Weber emphasizes three things – the importance of technique, habits, and toughness. All drills focus on these three things. Closeout drills are first as Weber works on the technique of a good closeout. The 3-on-4 Scramble Drill instills toughness and intensity as the defense plays down a man and must finish with a box out and rebound. The Superman Drill helps you determine your toughest defender as one player attempts to get three consecutive stops against three different opponents.

Weber adds in working against the ball screen. The Mascot Drill is used to work on different ball screen coverages. Then, it’s on to transition defense where Weber shows his Rush Drill where the team goes three trips up and down the floor.

Shell Drills

The Shell Drill is a staple of defensive practices just about everywhere. Weber uses the traditional 4-on-4 Shell and then shows some variations that make the drill even more competitive. Gut Check incorporates the losing team running a sprint and then having to transition back to defense to get a set number of stops.

The final drill on the video is the Play Hard Drill. It’s a single-person drill where the player works on denial, jumping to the ball, taking a charge, and diving for a loose ball. This will get your team going for sure.

Defenses help win championships and these drills from Coach Weber will bring high intensity, energy, and toughness into your practices that will translate come game time.