Basketball Offense Drills

Playing offense and scoring easy points in basketball requires training in a variety of skills. Good offensive players run practice dribbling, passing, shooting and other skills on a regular basis. There are a variety of team and individual drills that can refine skills and help athletes become better offensive basketball players.

  1. Full-court shooting

    • This drill will help players practice shooting and dribbling, while also aiding endurance and stamina. Take the ball and start at one basket. Dribble to the other basket at full speed and make a layup. Rebound the ball, dribble to the other basket at full-speed and make another layup. Rebound the ball and dribble to the other end of the court, but this time shoot a jump shot. Rebound the ball, dribble to the other end of the court and shoot a jump shot. This drill can be done with up to two people with one person playing defense. If practicing alone, work on ballhandling before taking a shot or layup.

    Three-person weave

    • The three-person weave is one of the oldest and best offensive drills. The three-person weave practices running fastbreaks, passing and timing among teammates. To start, assemble players in three lines under one basket, spread the length of the baseline. The player in the middle starts with the ball and passes it to the person on the right. The players start running toward the other basket. When the player passes the ball, they run behind the person they passed to. The second player then passes the ball to the person on the left. This continues down the court until the players make a layup. The three players can then turn around and go back to the other basket. This drill is especially good for practicing quick passes.

    Around the world

    • Around the world is a good drill for practicing a variety of offensive shots. The game is played with a set number of stations to shoot from around the lane area in front of the basket, or behind the three-point arc. A player begins near the baseline, and must make a shot before continuing. To win, the player must make a shot at every station consecutively without missing. A player who misses must go back to the beginning. The game can last for long periods of time, so accuracy is key. To spice up competition and help with conditioning, the losing player could be forced to run a few sprints to the other end of the gym.