Description
University of Florida head coach Mike White, fresh from leading his team into the Elite Eight of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, is lending his vast knowledge of the game in this video presentation designed to improve the offensive skills of young ballers and subsequently, basketball teams.
With numerous drills focused on improving team offense, Coach White's instructional video can take your team's offense to Golden State Warriors-like levels.
Taking Care of the Ball
Basketball has evolved tremendously over the past decade. Gone are the days when only guards were tasked to bring the ball down the court. It has become important for everyone in a team, including centers and forwards, not only to handle the ball well but also to make good decisions with it.
This basketball fact is underlined in Coach White's dribbling and passing drills. One drill, Team Two-Ball Handling, has players dribbling using both their hands.
Passing is also developed in Coach White's exercises. In Camp Passing, players are tasked to accomplish various kinds of passes using alternating hands. Basketball players should be able to improve their passing ability with regular execution of this drill.
Legendary Marquette University coach Rick Majerus taught coach White a simple drill that develops the shake and bake moves of players.
Called Team Majerus handling, this drill requires ball handlers to push off with their front legs upon the execution of a pull-back dribble. It then progresses to the addition of an inside-out dribble, which when followed by a crossover dribble makes any player harder for any defense to guard.
There's also the so-called Majerus Closeouts which begins with three defensive players passing to their teammates and then pressuring them. Offensive players are tasked to shake loose their defenders using a combination of jab steps and ball fakes.
Emphasizing Shooting
Shooting is arguably the most important basic skill in basketball. After all, the object of the game is to put the ball through the hole and score the most points. This fact is not lost on Coach White as he emphasizes how to improve players' shooting fundamentals.
Coach White explains his drill called Shot Prep designed to teach the correct physical and mental approach to shooting the basketball. In this drill, players are trained to develop their footwork in setting up their shots. This drill is particularly important in eliminating bad habits like overdribbling and traveling. It also teaches players how to set up their shot immediately after receiving the leather.
There are other shooting drills worth mentioning. The Disadvantage Shooting drill can be a good way to teach younger players how to communicate with their teammates on the floor and use this in getting off a good shot.
Meanwhile, the Four Spot Shooting drill is designed to pit players against each other. Players are grouped into teams which need to make three consecutive shots from a certain spot before moving to another area on the court. There are four different spots assigned in this drill. Teams have two minutes to complete this drill.
Indeed, Coach Mike White's Team Skill Development instructional video is a great addition to your collection of basketball instructionals. It can help enhance the offensive skils of your players.