Championship teams are also great defensive teams, and a big part of being a good defensive team is knowing that each player can individually move their feet and guard their man/woman. So it is important to spend time working on the fundamentals of being able to slide your feet and quickly change directions as a defender. If your team can keep the ball out of the paint, you will have a good chance of winning.
This defensive basketball drill will allow your players to work on their defensive slides in a competitive environment. It is a great basketball drill to get players out of their comfort zone and work on getting better against each other.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: Follow the Leader Defensive Slides Basketball Drill
Equipment Needed: 2 players and 1 basketball per player.
Similar Basketball Drills and Resources
- 4 Cones Defensive Basketball Drill
- Cone Drop Defensive Slide Basketball Drill
- Lane Slides Defensive Basketball Drill
Goals of the Drill
- Work on a defensive stance, lateral quickness, and staying low when sliding.
Coaching Points
- Keep your butt down and stay in an athletic stance the whole time.
- Don’t allow yourself to cross your feet over.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- Each basketball player will start with a basketball in front of their feet and face each other about 5 feet apart.
- One of the players will be the leader, and the other follower must do their best to mirror the leader.
- When the drill starts, the leader will defensive slide to their right or left, and the follower must follow them.
- At any time, the leader can change directions.
- The leader is looking to shake the follower, and the follower is looking to mirror the leader.
- The distance that the leader is allowed to use is roughly 20 feet.
- If there are volleyball lines on the court, they can be used for the boundaries.
