The amount of rebounds your team grabs during a game can be a deciding factor in the game’s outcome. If you’re team rebounds every miss on defense and crashes the boards on offense for second chance opportunities then you’re giving yourself more possession and limiting your opponents’ over the course of the game - and winning is all about possessions.

To be a strong rebounding team you need to have a rebounding mentality, know the proper rebounding technique, and practice rebounding with drills every day. A great teaching tool is Will Rey’s Cleanin’ the Glass DVD. He covers the mentality, techniques, and gives you many drills to add to your team’s practice plan.

In this article, we’re going to cover the strengths and weaknesses of rebounding, how to box out and create space, and give you some excellent drills to use during practice. By the time you get done reading this article, every rebound should be yours!

The definition of rebound the basketball means when a player gains control of the basketball after a missed shot. Rebounds can be Defensive meaning the team on defense gain control of the ball. Rebounds can also be classified as Offensive meaning the team in possession of the ball shoots, misses and an offensive player gains control of the ball or rebounds it.

• 2nd chance points. Second-chance points are offensive rebounds that give a team another chance to score points.
  • Defense: If you’re on defense then your team needs to secure the rebound after every missed shot. By only giving your opponent one shot then you take away their second-chance points which can help you win. Give up a defensive rebound? Your opponent will score a second chance point and that could cost you the game.
  • Offense: If you’re on offense then your team needs to crash the boards and be aggressive after every shot. If your team can get an offensive rebound then you get more chances to score points which can help you win. No offensive rebounds? You better have a great shooting night and not need more chances otherwise one shot per offensive trip could mean you take home a loss.

Essentially: giving up second chance points when you’re on defense is bad and scoring second chance points when you’re on offense is excellent.

More possessions. More rebounds translates to more possessions. Every defensive rebound and offensive rebound means you’ve got another chance to put points on the scoreboard. More possessions can lead to more scoring which ends in victory - - less possessions means possibly less scoring and could result in a loss.

Every team can benefit from being a good rebounding team. You don’t have to have the tallest players or highest jumpers to be a good rebounder. All you need is a rebounding mindset and a good foundation of fundamentals on the right way to box out your opponent and rebound the ball.

Coaches need to teach their team early on how to have a rebounding mindset. You need to make your team tough-minded, ready to rebound in a crowd, and compete each shot that goes up whether you’re on offense or defense.

Here are a few pointers for rebounding on both ends of the court.

Defensive Rebounding

1. Man First-Ball Second. Make contact with the person you’re guarding first then find the ball.
2. Create Rebounding Space. Once you’ve made contact give yourself room to get the ball.
3. GO AFTER THE BALL. Now go get the ball!

Offensive Rebounding

1. Anticipate Shot-Assume Miss. You’re not going to make every shot you take. For every shot assume it’s going to be a miss and don’t wait to see if it’s a miss.
2. Take Space Away. Don’t allow the defender to push you back or create space.
3. GO AFTER THE BALL. Now go get the ball!

7 easy steps to rebounding the basketball:

1. As a shot is taken yell “shot” to make sure your teammates know that a shot has been taken.

2. As you’re yelling “shot” locate the person you’re guarding. You can’t block out without knowing where your player is so make sure you’re aware of where they are at all times.

3. Get your hips low, make a wide base, and make contact with your player.

4. Do a reverse pivot into your player and push them away from the basket with your bottom and legs to create space.

5. Have your arms straight out to your sides to make it hard for your person to get around you and so you can feel where they are going if they move.

6. Move your feet to stay in front of them and then at the right time release to go after the basketball.

7. Once you rebound the ball, bring it to your chin (“chin the ball”). This makes it harder for anyone to steal it from you.

Rey provides a number of great drills, but remember to focus on these certain points with every drill below:

• Wide base - elbows out - hands up
• Create space from your opponent
• Right timing on release to basketball
• Gather rebound between shoulders and be strong

Burst Drills

These are short 1-2 minute drills that focus on executing the fundamentals of rebounding.

Form Rebounding Drill

• 2 lines at the free throw line. Every player has a ball.
• Each player throws their own ball off the backboard.
• Go rebound your ball.

Creating Space Drill

• 2 lines at the free throw line. Player in front of the line has ball.
• Player with ball throws it off the backboard.
• As player throws ball, they block out player behind them.
• Deferders blocks out then goes after the ball. (Person being blocked out tries to get ball.)

1 on 1 Shadow Block Out Drill

• Pair players up at the top of the key and use a rebound bubble to make sure no shots are made
• Defender starts with the ball and offense is ready for a pass
• Defender hands the ball to offense who shoots the ball
• As offense is shooting defenders gets a hand up and yells “shot!”
• Then defense uses correct rebounding form to rebound the ball as the offense tries to get the rebound as well

Drills & Situations

1 on 1 Half Court: This drill is used to develop fight and competitiveness for rebounding the ball.

• Line at half court with a basketball who is on offense
• 1 defender at the free throw line
• Player in front of the line at half court dribbles up and takes a shot
• Defender must block out and get the rebound
• Once defender either rebounds the ball or offense rebounds the ball, play is dead
• Next offensive player will then dribble up and shoot
• Defender must get 2 consecutive rebounds in order to move positions
• When defenders gets their 2 consecutive rebounds the person on offense on the second rebound goes to defense and defender takes ball and goes to offensive line

Minute Marker 26-27:11

Rebound Recognition: This is not a live drill and is used to make sure players know who to block out.

• 4 players on offense and 4 players on defense
• Coach gives the ball to one of the offensive players and they start running the offense
• Once the coach sees the defense is guarding well they blow the whistle
• When the whistle is blown offense shoots an imaginary shot
• Defense finds their player and blocks out shot
• It is up to the Coach to decide when to switch teams around from offense and defense

Minute Marker 41:56-42:14

If you’re trying to improve your team’s rebounding take a look at some of our recommended products that can help.

• Basketball Grab & Control Rebounding System  - this device allows you to get up a lot of rebounding reps without chasing the basketball. You simply put the basketball in the straps and attach the stretch band to the basket or wherever you want and players can jump up and grab the basketball. They let go of the basketball and then the next player can go right after. Good way to work on jumping for the ball and securing the ball on the rebound.
• M.V.P. Vertical Jump Trainer  - these resistance bands will help rebounders improve their vertical jump so they can get more rebounds. The bands can also help players who have trouble jumping because of mechanics improve in that area as well.
• HoopsKing Toughness Training Pad - this basketball training pad is very useful to provide contact during rebounding drills. Players have to learn how to land on balance, protect the basketball, pivot against pressure and more. This training pad when used in practice will toughen up your players and make them the aggressors in games.
• P.R.O. Resistance Bands- these resistance bands can go around a player's waist during rebounding drills giving them resistance when jumping and you can quickly have a new player put the band on for multiple rebounding reps. There are many more uses for the P.R.O. Bands as well making them a very good value.

There’s so much to gain from being a strong rebounding team. If you want to learn more about rebounding and how to use drills to emphasize rebounding on a daily basis with your team, check out Will Rey’s Cleanin’ the Glass DVD. It goes into incredible detail with excellent demonstrations to help you instruct your players on the court and provides plenty of drills to make difference.

Basketball Rebounding Rental DVDs - you can rent all the rebounding DVDs you want and become a rebounding master very quickly. You'll learn all the best rebounding drills to do as taught by top college coaches. Make your team the best rebounding team quickly. Start renting today!

Basketball Rebounding Videos - we also have rebounding videos that you can purchase and keep.