You will never see a headline praising an athlete’s footwork or citing good footwork as the reason for a victory yet it is a critical basketball skill. As a player learns skills and gains experience, they seek out higher levels of competition. They will quickly notice that a number of things change as the level of competition changes. The opponents have a greater variety of skills – moves and counter moves. They execute at a higher speed – and change speeds smoothly and efficiently. The movement of the players and the teams is more complex. And the game is more physical. Good footwork is one way players can level the playing field and even excel when competing. Those who worked on their footwork at an early age have an even greater advantage.

We frequently see young athletes take a small extra step or add movements when catching a pass, stepping into a shot, stopping, changing direction or playing defense. Those steps and movements are the player’s adjustment to being off balance. They need them to get on balance or get in rhythm. Unfortunately, those steps and movements are inefficient – they slow the player down!

At One Voice we work on balance and footwork. Some of the basic footwork actions are functional – they can, and should, be used in competition. Others are more advanced and are practiced to test a player’s current balance. The body learns to adapt when challenged and improves. When a player uses a footwork action and tries to finish the action on balance, she gets feedback – did I finish on balance or did I need an extra step to get on balance? With each improved rep the body learns. As the body learns the player eliminates the extra steps / movements and develops better balance. They become more efficient - they use fewer steps or movements to perform a basketball action. Efficient players are quicker players – that’s a good thing when playing basketball.

If you are committed to becoming the best player you can be, the time you spend on footwork will positively impact the development of every other fundamental basketball skill – shooting, passing, dribbling, defending, rebounding etc. As a player progresses in their skill development and increases her level of competition, balance and footwork separates the novice from the expert. Balance and footwork are the keys to efficiency on the court – and efficiency is often the difference between winning and losing.

Is working on your footwork as interesting or exciting as working on your Steph Curry jump shot or your Asia Wilson post moves – NO. But as coaches we often see players trying to execute complex skills before they have mastered basic skills. It is like trying to build a roof on a house before your build the foundation and walls – it’s not going to work. If you can buy into putting in the time on basic footwork you will build the foundation for mastering the other, more exciting, skills and accelerate your skill development.

When we talk about footwork in basketball we are talking about the way a player moves her lower body (legs and feet) to keep her body in balance. It all begins with a proper stance.

START WITH STANCE

The purpose of offensive footwork is to gain a position of advantage or create space, separating from the defender, giving the player a better opportunity to score, or assist their teammates in scoring. The purpose of defensive footwork is to re-direct or limit the movement of the offensive player, denying the space needed to score.

Basketball is a game of both anticipated and unanticipated actions. When a player works from a balanced and stable platform she can better control her body movements and coordination while performing both types of action. Establishing this platform, or stance, is the starting point for footwork development.

A player in a balanced stance stands with her head up, feet about shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and above the toes and shoulders slightly forward and over the knees. The player’s weight is loaded equally on both feet. Footwork that originates from a balanced stance is both efficient and effective.

PIVOTS

One of the fundamental footwork skills is pivoting. Players use pivots to get an advantage on their opponent. Pivots are used:

Ø  To maintain a strong, balanced stance.

Ø  To change direction and face the basket.

Ø  To change direction with a dribble.

Ø  To change direction with a counter move.

Ø  To create improved angles for passing.

When pivoting the player can use a high or low rip through to protect the ball. She should be low and balanced.

Forward Pivot –The “free foot” moves in front of the pivot foot into a balanced stance.

Reverse Pivot - The “free foot” moves behind the pivot foot into a balanced stance.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS - Balance and Footwork . Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

DRIBBLING

Change of Speed and Direction

No matter how fast you are, sooner or later you will be competing with a player who is just as fast, if not faster, than you are.  The good news is that, in most situations straight away speed is less important in basketball than the ability to change speed and direction. The ability to change speed and direction is an advantage in, not only dribbling, but creating space for a shot, getting open off a cut and anticipating and intercepting a pass.

If you are skeptical try this exercise. Stand on the baseline with a “fast” player standing behind you. Instruct the fast player to touch your shoulder and maintain contact with your shoulder as you both run, as fast as you can, in a straight line to the other baseline. The fast player will most likely be able to stay with you. 

Now try it again but this time stop, go, run fast, then slow and then fast again. Cut to one side and then back and repeat. You will find that the “fast” player had difficulty maintaining contact and probably lost contact several times.

Because her movements are unpredictable, it is more difficult to stay with a player who can change speeds and direction than it is to stay with a player running fast in a straight line.

To maximize the advantages of changing speed and direction the changes must be executed with proper footwork. Without proper footwork a player changing speed and direction can become off balance and out of control.

Compound Moves

Use a combination of dribble moves to create space. Against a tight defender the first move may be soft, followed by a sharper move. A good rule of thumb is – when you see the defender’s chest in front of you change direction. When you are outside the defender’s hip change speed and accelerate by her. A good defender will be able to defend the first move. An effective offensive player learns to develop counter moves in order to beat her defender.

The First Step

To beat your defender with the dribble a player must develop an effective first step. Technique is the key to efficiency here. The split and go technique, though counter-intuitive, helps the player load the back foot and stride, powerfully, past the defender. The player attacks the defender’s hip with a low, long stride and maintains the advantage using a veer step.

Split & Go – used to generate power on the first step.

High to Low – changing level from high (during a stop or pause) to low (while accelerating to change direction).

            Rip Throughs with -

Cross Steps – stepping across the defender’s body and accelerating past her.

Shoot Outs – stepping straight across the defender’s hip and accelerating past her.

            Pro Hops – using a jump stop to “hop” into space.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS  . Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

Lateral Movement

Glide Dribble – a change of direction move used to get outside the defender’s hip and attack.

Cross Over – a change of direction move.

Inside Out – a change of direction move.

Between the Legs – a change of direction move (when used as a cross over).

            Veer - A change of speed and direction move.

Stopping (Decelerating)

            Hip Swivel – a change of speed move.

            Hesitation – a change of speed move.

            Two Foot Stops (Jump Stop) – a deceleration / change of speed move (see Shooting below). 

Stride Stop – A one foot stop – one foot contacts the floor (heel / toe) followed by the other foot (heel / toe).

            Veer – A change of speed and direction move.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS - DRIBBLING. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

SHOOTING

It is a simple fact. Assuming the player uses fundamentally sound shooting mechanics, a shooter on balance is more accurate than a shooter off balance. Fundamental footwork allows the player to gather the ball and shoot on balance. Some shooting footwork examples:

Inside Foot Square Up – used to bring your body square to the basket when receiving the pass or stopping the dribble while facing away from the basket.

1:2 Step Square Up – Used to get your feet in order when receiving the pass or stopping the dribble while facing the basket.   

Jump Stop – A two-foot stop used to stop / decelerate. The jump stop is somewhat difficult to learn but has the benefit of allowing a player to pivot off either foot on landing. If mastered, the jump stop also allows players to create significant space when executing a pro hop. When used for a finish close to the basket the jump stop provides a stronger, more balanced finish than a one-foot finish.

Step Back Jump Shot – used to create space from a defender by jumping away from the defender and landing in a balanced position square to the basket.

Lebron James Drag Step – used to create space from a defender by stopping and stepping back into a balanced square up for a shot.

Kobe Bryant Pound Pivots – used to pivot away from a defender and create space for a shot; with two countermove pivots.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS – DRIBBLING and BALANCE and FOOTWORK. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

PASSING

Off balance passes are weak and inaccurate. Footwork / pivots get the passer in a balanced position. Accurate passing is the result of good technical passing and receiving skills performed from a balanced position.

Flex Fake Pivots – holding the ball in a fundamentally correct position while pivoting and passing.

Step Across (with a high or low rip through) – a pivot that protects the ball by positioning the body between the ball and the defender and reaching outside the defender’s hip.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS - PASSING Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

CUTTING

Players have to help the passer by getting free from their defender, moving towards the ball and catching the pass. Sometimes this is done with the help of a screen or pick. Other times the player must get open by using her change of speed/ direction skills.

            Curl Cuts – plant the outside foot and push across the screen.

            Fade Cuts – plant the inside foot and step back with the outside foot and square up.

V Cuts – walk the defender towards the lane, plant the inside foot between the defender’s legs and cut out to the wing.

            Bump Cuts – if a defender is trailing you, stop, let her bump you then accelerate into space.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS – SCREENING. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

DEFENDING

A good defender has to stay with the offensive player while she changes speeds and direction and also move to help and get in legal guarding position. As shown earlier this is not an easy task. Developing good defensive footwork helps the defender keep her position and balance.  

            Basic Slides – used to move laterally and stay in front of the ball handler.

            Drop Steps – used to change direction and recover when a ball handler move by her defender.

            Pivot & Sprint – used when a slide or drop step is not sufficient and a quick recovery is needed.

            Deny & Front – used to counter a size / strength advantage when behind a player posting up.

            Taking a Charge – used when moving to help and establish legal defending position.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS - DEFENDING. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

POST PLAY

Footwork in the post is probably the most easily recognized. It is here where the benefits of sound footwork pay off most consistently. This is, in part, because of the player’s proximity to the basket – there is a greater likelihood of success due to sound footwork.

The successful execution of one of the many post moves used by contemporary players relies on good footwork. Some common post moves:

            Drop Step (baseline or middle)

            Up and Under

            Dribble Drop Step

            Jump Hook

            Pro Stance

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS – POST PLAY. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

REBOUNDING

Although rebounding is mostly about effort and desire, the player with the best position begins with an advantage. Footwork can help a player get in position and / or take good position away from the opponent.

            Reverse Pivots – used to turn and face the basket after initiating contact.

Box Out – used to maintain position once gained.

            Swim Move – used to gain inside position when boxed out or out of position.

            Spin Move - used to gain inside position when boxed out or out of position.

            Backpedal – used to release from contact when boxedout

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS - REBOUNDING. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

TRAPS / TRAP ESCAPES

Traps are employed to take away offensive space, create out of control tempo and force errors – bad passes, violations etc. Good footwork can allow an offensive player to escape from a trap or re-claim space when needed.

Step Back / Step Through - used when trapped without an escape option (dribble or space).

            Escape Dribbles – used to move away from a potential trap.

            Pivots – used to move away from pressure and protect the ball.

Specific description and video demonstrations can be found on our website – onevoicebasketball.com under DRILLS – TRAPS & TRAPPING. Open the related Drill Categories and / or search the topic.

INTANGIBLES

Ø  Move with a purpose.

Ø  Maintain proper spacing to make it more difficult to defend and support “on the ball” defenders.

Ø  Accurate and timely passing.

Ø  Make the extra pass to defeat defensive pressure.

And….

EVERY TIME YOU CATCH THE BALL AND SQUARE / FACE UP, GETTING YOUR FEET RIGHT–

Ø  Bring your eyes to the rim.

Ø  Allow your peripheral vision to read the situation.

Ø  If the defender’s hands are down – shoot (if you are in your range and there is not a better option – like passing to an open teammate).

Ø  If the defender’s hands are up – attack the top hand with a cross step or shoot out. This is just like attacking the top foot (the top hand will also be the top foot).

3 WAYS TO MAKE SPACE

Ø  Create space – footwork, for example a step back.

Ø  Claim space – step in to a defender or bump a defender off of a post move.

Ø  Keep space – once space is created keep it by using footwork.