Top Basketball Drills:
The Zipper
The Zipper Drill is one of the faster top basketball drills, developing good passing skills, quick reaction time, and the ability to finish the fast break. Players are sprinting the length of the court while passing, so conditioning comes into play as well. A great warm-up and a great way to focus on passing skills.
Instructions to Players
- Strong chest passes throughout
- Runners are moving fast, so passes need to lead them appropriately
- Passers need to catch and then return the pass very quickly - no time to readjust. Passers should practice catching with hands in position to pass immediately - i.e., one hand directly in line with the ball, one hand to the side.
- Passers need to move quickly from one position to the next, and be watching behind for the next runner, not ahead at the runner who has just gone through
- Passers cannot fade up court, out of position - they must be reminded not to move away from the pass, but rather to move to the pass. If players begin to slide up court, everyone begins to bunch together and the passing quickly deteriorates.
How this Top Basketball Drill Works
- Passers take up three positions - one at outlet (#2), one at middle (#3), one at the far outlet (#4) - as indicated in the first diagram below
- Players not initially in the drill line up behind the first outlet, out of bounds - they will enter into the drill at this outlet position
- The runner (#1) begins under the basket with the ball. He outlets to the first outlet passer (#2), and sprints up court
- #2 receives the pass and immediately passes back to #1
- #1 receives the pass from #2 and immediately turns and passes to the passer at half (#3)
- NOTE: While this happens on one side of the court, the same is happening on the other side, moving in the opposite direction
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- Immediately after passing back to #1, #2 begins moving to the center passer position - where #3 is
- #3 returns the pass to #1; #1 passes to the far outlet (#4)
- #3 immediately begins moving to the far outlet where #4 is, and #2 takes his vacated place at half
- #4 passes back to #1 who takes the ball to the hoop - he should be close enough when he receives the pass that he doesn't need a dribble
- #3 takes the position of #4; #4 follows #1 in to the basket and grabs the rebound
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- #4 outlets the ball to the near outlet (#11) and sprints down court (#4 becomes the runner on the other side)
- #1, after making the basket, moves to the back of the line behind #11
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The Zipper Drill is a quick drill that forces players to work together and to learn how to react to changes at high speed. Players do not have much down time in this drill - the time they are in line up out of play is mere seconds, as this drill moves fast. And focus is a necessity - it is not uncommon for players to not be paying attention and get the ball off the back of the head.
I use this top basketball drill for warm-ups in the practices immediately after reviewing proper passing technique, and anytime throughout the season when I feel our passing needs work. But because it is such a fast drill, it does much more than enforce passing skills - it is conditioning and fast break preparation as well, and good practice for the give and go.
More Top Basketball Drills here
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