These basketball quickness and speed drills have something for every age and level of competition. So whether you are looking to learn the basic techniques of running or trying to improve your footwork and explosiveness, there are basketball workouts for you. Our goal is to provide you with the exact training that you need as a basketball player or coach.
Every one of these basketball quickness and speed drills are in high-quality video and text format. The reason for both types of information is to speed up the learning and skill development process. Each basketball training video is instructed by a professional trainer and is instructed by a high-level player.
So if you are a basketball player trying to train on your own, you will be able to watch the training video and then do the drill yourself. If you are a basketball coach looking to teach their players how to be faster or quicker, you can watch the videos and then teach your players how to do the different basketball drills and then instruct them as they do the drill.
There are some excellent training tools out there that will help you execute some of these different drills. Make sure that you check out our list of the best basketball training equipment to find the tools you need.
The Importance of Basketball Speed Drills for Coaches
Quickness and speed translate into the game of basketball more than it does for most sports, and having your basketball team maximize their ability to be fast can add a lot of value. On defense, if your team can be quicker, it will help prevent the other team from getting the ball in the paint, and on offense, the faster your team can get up the floor, the more chances they will get at easy baskets.
The only way that your basketball team is going to be able to play faster, though, is for you to take time to help your players learn how to be quicker/faster in your basketball workouts and practice.
Must-Use Basketball Speed Drills
These basketball speed drills will allow your players to become faster, which will translate to the court. This will lead to a faster transition, better defenders, and so much more!
Drill #1: Zig Zag Cone Basketball Drill
Being able to plant and change directions quickly is used so often during the course of a basketball game. Whether you are making a move off the dribble or sliding to cut a man off on defense, you are planting and changing direction. A lot of younger basketball players struggle to do this efficiently. This basketball quickness and speed workout will help to train and develop a player’s change of direction quickness.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: Zig Zag Cone Basketball Drill
Equipment Needed: 6 cones.
Goals of the Drill
- Improve Change of Direction quickness
Coaching Points
- Have bend in your legs when you change direction, try to get to full speed in between each cone, and still be under control
Basketball Drill Instructions
- Set up the 6 cones staggered across from each other about 4 yards apart.
- Then have the athlete start at one of the ends of the cones.
- This drill can be done with lateral shuffles, sprint/back peddle, or foot crossovers.
- The athlete goes from one cone to the other in a straight line all the way down and all the way back.
- This drill can also be done with a basketball.
Drill #2: W Change Direction Basketball Drill
This is a great basketball speed and agility workout for working on change of direction. As a basketball player, you want to be able to move laterally, forward, or backward at a moment’s notice. When you do this basketball workout, you want to be as athletic as possible and really stay low on your cuts. It is also important that you watch the footwork and do your best to be as efficient as you can on your movements.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: W Change Direction Drill, Speed Training
Equipment Needed: 5 cones.
Goals of the Drill
- Improve Change of Direction quickness and footwork
Coaching Points
- Be light on your feet and have a bend in your knees when you go to change directions.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- Set up the 5 cones in the shape of the letter W and have the athlete start at one of the ends of the cones.
- This drill can be done with lateral shuffles, sprint/back peddle, or foot crossovers.
- The athlete goes from one cone to the other in a straight line all the way down and all the way back.
- This drill can also be done with a basketball.
Drill #3: Rolling Starts Speed Training Drill
The goal of rolling starts is to teach you how to sprint effectively. When sprinting, too many players take a step back before they move forward, or they don’t really use all of their momentum to get themselves going. If you are trying to develop your speed and quickness, this is a great basketball workout to start with because it breaks down the essential steps of starting.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: Rolling Starts Speed Training Drill
Equipment Needed: None
Goals of the Drill
- Be able to start quicker.
Coaching Points
- Don’t overextend your lead leg, quick turnover on the back leg, keep your head up, pump your arms, roll on to your toes.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- Start in an athletic position, and just as in Wall Explosions, you are going to roll on to your toes, and at the last second, before you are about to fall, you are going to shoot your leg out and sprint forward.
- Once you have done this a few times, you will place a row of cones in front of the athlete a few feet away, depending on their stride length.
- When the player does the rolling start, he must get his first leg over the row of cones.
- Another row of cones may be added past the first set of cones for the second foot to step over.