Some basketball drills develop an individual skill, such as shooting, or passing; others focus on improving a team element, for example, executing a pick and roll. But some drills offer practice of so many elements that they are absolutely necessary for any basketball practice.

Top basketball drills are used often, practically in every practice. You may switch up which drills you use on any given day, but you will likely be using at least one or two of them every practice if you are coaching high school basketball.

I use most of them as warm up drills, after my players have finished a light warm-up and some dynamic stretching. These drills make the players run, execute several skills in game-like conditions, and reinforce previously taught skills while at the same time preparing them for the new skills to be introduced that day.

A few of these drills I sometimes use at the end of practice, as an immediate reinforcement of skills introduced or focused on that day, and as a way to finish practice on a high energy note, giving players a chance to run and compete in game-like situations without the structure and restrictions of a full game of basketball.

The Top Basketball Drills You Need to Know

Exceptional Warm-Up Drills

• 3 Man Weave (passing & receiving skills, finishing the fast break)
  
  
• 3-on-2 to 2-on-1 (defending when outnumbered, scoring aggressively on the fast break)
  
  
• Lakers Drill (speed dribble and fast break finish against pressure, defending against a fast break)
  
  
• Zipper Drill (passing & receiving skills, finishing the fast break)
  
  
• Piston Drill (fast break dribbling, catch-up defense against fast break)
  
  
• 90 Shot Drill (shooting off the fast break pass, finishing the fast break)
  

Combination Drills To Work into Practice

• Pass & Break (fast break dribbling and conditioning)
  
  
• Give & Go to Break (give & go, fast break dribbling and finishing fast break lay-ups)
  
  
• The Circuit (control dribbling moves, conditioning)
  

Excellent Drills to Finish Practice With

• 11 Man Drill (my favorite drill - develops everything, but especially aggressive rebounding)
  
  
• 2 on 1 Fill-In (passing, finishing fast break quickly, catch-up defense against the fast break)
  

Why They are Top Basketball Drills

These are excellent drills that are essential when you are coaching high school basketball, because they do so many things:

• All require players to run full out, so they are sport-specific conditioning
  
  
• Each requires the players to execute at least 2 skills – maybe passing and dribbling, or passing and scoring – while moving at full speed, or in game situation
  
  
• All require team work and strategies
  
  
• All are fun – like I said earlier, they offer the excitement and competition of a game without the restrictions placed on players during an actual game. They’re like 10 minutes of fast breaks. Players love them and they are all really effective basketball workouts.
  

Be sure to integrate these drills into your basketball training. Don’t change them up too often – we don’t want to confuse the players too much – but mix them up every now and again for variety and perhaps a slightly different skills emphasis. They make for a great beginning and an exciting finish to any basketball practice.