PRACTICE PLANS SKILLS CHECKLIST

Rookie Practice Plans

Welcome to the Rookie Level practice plans. The Rookie level focuses on having fun, being active, and learning the basic fundamental skills of basketball. There are three options for viewing these practice plans.

  • Download a full practice plan to review and study
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  • Review the interactive plan below complete with videos

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Rookie Practice Plan 1

Cultivating Values & Developing Wellness

5%
5%

Have Fun!

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Share with the players the importance of having fun and remind everybody that the Jr. NBA is all about enjoying the game of basketball!

Remember, coaches should model this value by smiling, giving high-fives, and running practice with positive energy.

The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) reminds us that keeping basketball fun for players is key to their success as players and as people. After all, if the sport is not fun players may stop playing, miss fully developing their athletic potential, and ultimately miss out on learning life lessons through basketball. However, as long as we keep the game fun, their love of the game will grow and they will develop as players and people.

Warm Up

5%
5%

The Escape Game

(3 times each partner)
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  • Have the players partner up and designate a partner “1” and a partner “2.”
  • All 1’s will go to the center of the gym, face the center, and cover their eyes. Have all 2’s stand next to their partner (1).
  • The coach calls out “Partner 2’s Skip!” and partner 2’s skip away. Note: coaches can substitute skip with various actions such as hopping on 1 foot, hopping on 2 feet, lateral slide, running, running sideways, running backwards. To keep it fun, include movements like crab walk, frog hops and lion leaps.
  • When coach says “Tag your partner!” partner 1 looks for partner 2 and skips to tag them as partner 2 tries to skip away. Note: To keep the flow of the game, you may need to start a countdown. If the players haven’t been tagged at the end of the countdown, they should find each other.
  • Once tagged or the countdown expires, pairs start to return to center court. Partner 1 asks partner 2 questions to get to know their teammate until the coach has them switch roles and play again.
  • Here are a few suggested questions: “What is your name?” “What is your favorite color?” “What is your favorite basketball team?” “What is your middle name?” “When is your birthday?”

Movement Options: Hopping on 1 foot, hopping on 2 feet, skipping, lateral slide, running, running sideways, running backwards.

Key Points

This is a great game to get the players actively warmed-up. Remember the players should only move with action the coach commands and should not run to tag their partner even when the get close.

Building Skills

70%
70%

Ball Handling

Ball Handling Fundamental Skill

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The act of moving and controlling the ball. Ball-handling includes ball control, dribbling, and dribble moves. The better the ball-handler, the easier it becomes for the player to move with the ball and create opportunities for their team.

Hot Ball (Taps)

(2 x 30 seconds)
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  • All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand in a designated area.
  • The players will start with their arms extended in front of their waste and tap the ball quickly from hand to hand using their fingertips. Players pretend that the ball is too hot to hold and need to tap it quickly.
  • The players move the ‘hot ball’ above their head, in front of their face and back to their waist with the tapping action.

SOCIAL LOAD

  • Designate a leader that the players follow as they move the ‘hot ball’ through different levels. Change the leader.

Key Points

Get comfortable with the ball, warm-up the fingers and hands, and develop the ability to control the ball.

Around The World Wraps

(1 x 10 reps each way)
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  • All players need a basketball (or share) and should stand in a designated area.
  • The players start with the ball in front of their waist and wrap it quickly in circles around waist. Switch directions after 10 repetitions.
  • Next, players will wrap the ball around their head and then their knees in both directions.

COMPETITIVE LOAD

  • Pair players up and challenge them to see who can complete 10 wraps first. Adjust the location, direction and number of wraps based on player skill level.

PHYSICAL LOAD

  • Allow players to creatively wrap the ball as quickly as they can around different parts of their body and in various directions.

Key Points

Get comfortable with the ball, warm-up the fingers and hands, and develop the ability to control the ball. Help the players gain confidence moving the ball as if it is an extension of their body. Push the players to wrap the ball fast in order to challenge their control.

Knee Tag

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  • Pair the players in partners and one player has a basketball. Pairs spread out in the space.
  • The player without the basketball tags their partner’s knees as many times as they can in the given time.
  • The player with the basketball dribbles the ball and avoids their partner’s tags by moving their feet and body. As players dribble the ball they can only move up to 3 steps in all directions.
  • Switch roles. The partner with the most number of tags wins.

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Non-tagging player dribbles using their non-dominant hand.
  • Both players dribbling a ball.
  • Tagging player must do a cross over after each knee tag.

PHYSICAL LOAD

  • Tagging player completes a physical activity after each tag. Ex. A jump, a burpee, sprint to a line, or others.

Passing

Passing Fundamental Skill

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Passing Fundamental Skill: Passing is the act of throwing the ball to a teammate. A basic pass happens by holding the ball with two hands, stepping towards a target, and throwing the ball to a teammate. Passing the ball to teammates moves the ball quicker than dribbling and forces the defensive players to move and react. Just like ball-handling and shooting, passing is a skill that must be practiced.

Stationary Wall Passing – Chest

(3 x 10 passes)
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The players should get a basketball (or share) and stand a short distance from a wall and find a target on the wall.

  • Teach the players to step with a lead foot toward the target as they snap their thumbs down and extend their arms to pass the ball to the target.
  • After the ball hits the wall, the players should let the ball bounce catch it and repeat.

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Add a dribble(s) before passing to the wall.
  • Adjust the distance from the wall while still hitting a target.
  • Create multiple targets by using existing wall markings, using tape or drawing with chalk. Coach calls out the designated target.

SOCIAL LOAD

  • In partners have the passer pass to the targets announced by their partner.

Key Points

Make sure the players have good balance, look at the target, step towards the target, extend their arms, and snap their thumbs down as they pass the ball. The ball should have backspin as it is in the air.

Shooting

Shooting Fundamental Skill

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Shooting is the act of throwing the ball with the intent of it going through the basket.

  • When shooting, players start in a balanced stance with their ankles, knees, and hips bent. They should hold the ball in their shooting hand. If a player is right-handed, they should hold the ball on the right side of their body and if they are left-handed, they should hold it on their left side. Their shooting elbow should be bent under the ball and facing the basket. The player’s other hand should be lightly supporting the ball on the side.
  • Starting with their lower body, players should extend upward and shoot the ball up towards the basket. As the ball releases, players snap their wrist towards the basket and hold their follow-through.
  • To shoot with good form, it is important to bend the knees for both balance and strength. The players should have their feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, and often, shooters will have the foot on the side of their shooting hand slightly ahead of their other foot. The player’s feet, knees, hips, shoulders and head should all be facing the basket. The shooting hand elbow should be under the ball while the other hand should support the ball on the side. The ball should be in the fingertips of the shooting hand with a small gap between the palm and the ball. Then in one motion the player should extend their legs while extending their shooting hand. The hand and elbow should come to full extension up high with the ball primarily coming off the fingertips of the index and middle fingers. The player should flip their wrist forward creating backspin on the ball which allows it to land softly on the rim. The opposite hand should come off the ball just before the player releases the ball from the shooting hand. The player should land in the same place they jumped from on both feet nice and balanced and hold their follow-through until they see if the shot goes in.

Partner Shooting Game

((2 x 5 each))
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  • Assign partners and use 1 ball per group. The group can find a spot anywhere on the court.
  • Players shoot the ball back and forth to each other while working on proper shooting technique.

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Instead of shooting to the partner, players should stand on a line, shoot the ball up, and try to have the ball land straight in front of them on the same line. The partner will catch the ball and shoot back on the same line.

PHYSICAL LOAD

  • After shooting to their partner, the shooter will run in place with high knees (or other movement) until their partner shoots the ball back.

Key Points

Have the players emulate the perfect shot and perfect form as they go through the drill.

Footwork and Conditioning

Jump Stop Fundamental Skill

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  • The act of landing on both feet at the same time when either receiving a pass or after a player’s last dribble. Landing on both feet at the same time helps the player gain balance, and allows the player to use either foot as a pivot foot.
  • The players should keep their eyes and chest up and stay balanced by having their knees bent.

Jump Stop Game

((2 x down & back))
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  • Players spread out across the baseline and start in an athletic stance.
  • Coach stands in front of the team and raises their arm to signal “Go” and players move forward. When coach lowers their arm, players jump stop in a balanced position.
  • If any players are out of position, unbalanced or don’t stop in time, they take 3 steps backwards. The first player to cross the baseline on the other side of the court wins the game.
  • Once the group in front of the player moves towards the next jump stop location, the next player begins the same process.
  • The players will wait at the opposite baseline until all the players finish and then do the same process going back.

 

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Each player has a basketball (or can share between players). Players dribble when moving and pick up the ball on a jump stop.

SOCIAL LOAD

  • Wins the first round leads as the “coach” for the next game.
  • Break into smaller groups in designated spaces, nominating a player to lead each game.

DELOAD

  • When players have basketballs, the coach can use vocal cues instead of hand cues.

Key Points

To ensure balance have the players land in the jump stop position and wait a few seconds before raising your arm to allow them to move forward again.

Team Concepts

10%
10%

Teamwork Carry Drill

(2 games)
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  • Pair the players up according to their height and have all partner pairs stand on the baseline.
  • The partners will place the basketball on their hips and put their hands in the air. Partners will try and move together from the baseline to the other side of the court (or another designated line) and back without the ball dropping.
  • They are not allowed to use any other body parts to carry the basketball, and must always be in the side-to-side position and not back-to-back or side-to-back.
  • If the ball drops, simply pick up the ball and go back to where the ball was dropped and continue.
  • After each partner pair finishes, give them a a couple minutes to huddle up for a “time-out” to strategize on the first round and figure out how to get done faster.

COMPETITIVE LOAD 

  • Group partner pairs into teams for a relay race!

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Have players carry the ball with only their shoulders.

Key Points

This is a fun team building exercise that forces players to work together. Have all the players encourage each other and have fun.

Competing

10%
10%

What’s Your Number Game

((1 game))
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  • Divide the group into two even teams using a half court. If there are six players on each team, number players 1 through 6 on both teams. Each team will line up on opposite sidelines and all players will have a number.
  • Place two basketballs in the middle of the half court and call out a group of numbers. The players on each team assigned to those numbers run out, pick up a ball, and attempt to score on their side of court. The team that makes the first basket earns 1 point.

If more than one number is called, all players must receive a pass before attempting shooting.

  • Once a shot is made or the coach blows the whistle to end the round, place the balls back and call out a new group of numbers. The team with the highest score at the end of a designated time wins.

TECHNICAL LOADS

  • Modify the spot on the court to shoot from or number of made shots each round.
  • Incorporate a dribble move before each shot.

PHYSICAL LOAD

  • All players not shooting must complete a physical movement (jumping jacks, line-hops) until a shot is made.

Key Points

Ensure players are always ready as they never know when their number will be called. If there is an odd number of players, assign two number to one player to make the teams even. Make sure players are using the dribbling, passing, and jump-stop skills learned earlier in the practice. Players should cheer on their teammates.

Compliment Session

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Gather the players together. Players group with 1-2 players next to them and share answers to the prompted questions.

  • Ask players to share something they did well, what enjoyed about today’s practice or something positive about another player’s actions.
  • Have players switch groups and ask some players to share their groups answers. Coach can build onto the player responses.

Key Points

All compliments should be natural. Not every player has to give or receive a compliment.

Skills Checklist

PDF Skills Checklist: Preview/Download
PDF Full Skills Checklist

At the conclusion of the Rookie Level, Jr. NBA players should be proficient at each of the following skills. Judging proficiency at this level is the responsibility of the coach.

Ball Handling

    Passing

      Shooting

        Rebounding

          Footwork & Conditioning

            Offense

              Defense

                Other