At the All-Star Level, players will begin to gain strength, quickness and the ability to better react to game situations. Practices will shift towards team concepts and competition, while still heavily emphasizing skill development.
Download a full practice plan to review and study
Download a one-page practice plan to fit your clipboard
Review the interactive plan below complete with videos
It is important for basketball players to stay positive. There are so many opportunities in games and practices for things to go wrong – from missed shots (even the well chosen ones with perfect form!) to mental mistakes and miscommunications on defense – that teammates must support each other and help each other past mistakes.
Even if you are not the best athlete or basketball player, you can contribute to team success more than you ever imagined just with vocal encouragement, smiles, head nods and daps. It is not easy to stay positive with yourself and your teammates when times are tough, but the more you do, the quicker those tough times pass and the stronger your team will be when you come through on the other side.
Warm Up
5%
5%
Ball Tag Game
(8 taggers)
+−
All the players will start and have to stay within half court.
One player will be designated as it.
The player will run around for the allotted amount of time and try to tag other players.
If the player tags someone else, their turn is over.
To add an element to the game, if the person has the basketball, they cannot be tagged.
So as the tagger approaches a player, whoever has the ball should try to pass it to the player about to be tagged so that they are safe.
The ball makes the player safe from being tagged.
Mix up the game based on your teams needs (2 taggers, 2 balls etc).
Key Points
Ultimately you want to get the players and their bodies warm and ready to practice in a fun way.
Building Skills
40%
40%
Ball Handling
1 on 1 Dribble Battle
+−
All players will have a basketball and get with a partner.
The players will dribble the basketball and try to touch their partner’s knees.
The player will receive a point each time they are able to touch their partner’s knees.
Blow the whistle to change pairs every minute.
TECHNICAL LOAD
Require players to only dribble with their weaker hand. OR Require players to complete a change of direction move (crossover, between the legs, or behind the back) before trying to tag their partner’s knee.
TACTICAL LOAD
Now compete in groups of three. One player is the shield and can protect their teammate from getting their knee tagged! Change roles every 30 seconds.
Breakout Dribble
►
+−
Have four defenders form a square, each standing on a corner. One offensive player with a basketball starts in the center of the square.
Defenders must stay on the perimeter of the square and move laterally only, working to contain the offensive player from a breakout.
The offensive player tries to breakout without physical contact or force under a specific time limit (e.g., 5-8 seconds).
If no breakout occurs within the time limit, the coach calls change and rotates in a new offensive player.
On a successful breakout, the offensive player rotates out.
Defenders rotate every 2 or 3 possessions.
TACTICAL LOAD
Add a second offensive player in the square to create spacing challenges.
TECHNICAL LOAD
Require defenders to dribble while containing the offensive player.
COMPETITIVE LOADS
Scoring System: Award 1 point per successful breakout.
Time Pressure: Reduce breakout time to increase urgency and decision-making speed.
Line Battles
(4 minutes)
►
+−
Divide your group into partners or groups of three. Use the inside of the free-throw lane as the playing space. The offensive player starts on the baseline defended by their partner.
The offensive player’s objective is to get from the baseline to the free-throw line as many times as possible within a set time or number of attempts.
The offensive player must stay within the lane lines. If they are forced out of bounds or lose possession, they must return to the baseline and restart. If they get to the free-throw line, they get one point and return to the baseline to start again.
The defensive player works to stay in front of the defender, cutting off angles, and limiting space.
The offensive player should use a variety of dribble moves (e.g., crossover, spin, behind-the-back) to keep the defender off balance.
TECHNICAL LOADS
Limit the offensive player to using their non-dominant hand only or have them switch hands after each successful trip.
Start the defender at different spots (e.g., a step ahead, shoulder-to-shoulder, or trailing).
COMPETITIVE LOADS
Award points only if the offensive player can transition into a scoring move (e.g., floater, pull-up jumper, or layup) after making it to the free throw line.
Add a time limit for the offensive player to reach the free-throw line. If they don’t make it in the allotted time, it’s a turnover and they start again.
Passing
2 on 1 Bunch Spacing Game
(4-5 minutes)
►
+−
Start in groups of three, with two offensive players and one defender. Eventually, this can scale to 3 on 2 or more.
All players begin bunched together in a tight group, emphasizing poor spacing.
All players start with one hand on the basketball. Play becomes live when an offensive player grabs the ball from the group.
Once the ball is live, offensive players must immediately create space to avoid being aligned “3 in a row” (i.e., poor spacing).
Offensive players work together to pass, move, and find scoring opportunities while maintaining proper spacing.
Have the offense play for 3 or 4 straight possessions or “bursts” and then change roles.
COMPETITIVE LOADS
Scoring Incentives: Award points for successful baskets or for maintaining spacing for a set duration.
Turnover Penalty: If players bunch up again or commit a turnover, possession switches immediately.
TECHNICAL LOADS
No Dribble: Offense must rely entirely on passing and movement.
Dribble Limit: Allow only one or two dribbles per possession to encourage quick decisions.
Restricted Spacing: Confine play to one side of the court to simulate tight offensive situations.
Vary Defensive Pressure: Add a second defender to simulate 3-on-2 or rotate defenders to increase challenge.
Spacing Challenges: Require offensive players to relocate to specific zones before receiving a pass.
Key Points
This drill teaches players how to recognize and correct poor spacing, move effectively without the ball, and make quick, smart decisions under pressure.
Competitive Drills
3 On 2 Advantage
+−
Have 3 offensive players start anywhere outside the perimeter. Two players will start on defense and stand in the key. One defender starts with the ball.
The game starts when the defensive player with the ball passes to any of the three offensive players. The game becomes live and the offense must try to score.
In this small-sided game, the offense is not allowed to cut. They must pass the ball around to get a good shot.
After a score or a stop on defense, rotate the two defensive players in on offense with one more player and bring in two new defenders.
TACTICAL LOADS
Allow one offensive player to cut. If they don’t receive the ball, they must cut back outside the 3 point line.
Offensive players are only allowed one second to hold the ball. They must pass, shoot, or dribble in that one second or the coach calls a turnover.
Shooting
Hot Shot Shooting
+−
Make groups of three players: Shooter, Defender, and Passer/Rebounder.
The defender starts facing the passer, with space between them and the shooter.
The shooter begins by moving in one direction to create separation before receiving a pass.
The defender reacts to the pass and contests the shot based on the level of guidance or live play:
Guided: Defender closes out and contests without blocking.
Live: Defender can fully challenge the shot.
Coaches may add constraints to shape decision-making:
Shooter must take one dribble before shooting.
Shooter must drive on the catch.
Shooter has the option to shoot or drive.
Run in bursts of five shots per player, with optional scoring (e.g., 1 point per make).
Movement Constraint: Shooter must change direction before the catch.
Dribble Limit: Limit shooter to one dribble or require a drive on the catch.
Closeout Focus: Defender contests without blocking to emphasize positioning and control.
Live Play: Defender can attempt to block, increasing competitiveness.
COMPETITIVE LOADS
Scoring System: Track points per round to increase intensity and focus.
Time Pressure: Add a time limit for the shooter to make a decision after the catch.
Key Points
This drill emphasizes game-like shot creation under defensive pressure. It reinforces decision-making, shot-making,
and movement efficiency in contested situations. Players learn to read defenders, create space, and execute under realistic game conditions.
Variation Shooting
+−
This shooting activity is designed to get players shooting from different locations after catching the ball in game-like conditions.
Players partner up and find a hoop to shoot at. Use all available hoops and up to 4 partner groups can shoot at one hoop.
One player will be the shooter and their partner is the passer.
Round 1: The shooter shoots 6 shots, all from different locations and ranges around the hoop. The passer must make each pass from a different angle.
Round 2: The shooter must now repeat part 1, but with a different shooting stance (legs narrow, legs wide, off of one leg, off of a staggered stance).
Round 3: After making a pass, the passer will close out towards the shooter. The shooter now must shot fake and take one or two dribbles before a shot. Make sure the shooter changes locations each time they catch the ball.
Have players switch roles after each round.
Team Concepts
25%
25%
3 on 3 Kings Court
+−
Setup a 3 on 3 Kings Court tournament – start by making teams of 3-4 players each. Use as many baskets as possible to have as many teams as possible playing at the same time.
Designate one court as the “Kings Court” – where a win is worth 3 points. Games are played simultaneously, but whenever the “Kings Court” game ends, the other court’s games end.
Teams that win and have the highest score on the non-Kings Court get to play the winner of the Kings Court game.
Have teams keep track of their score over a designated period, such as 10 minutes.
Make sure teams utilize substitutions if teams are larger than 3 players.
Competing
25%
25%
5 on 5
(games to 5)
+−
Divide the players into teams (have substitutes if needed).
Play 5 on 5 until a team makes 3 shots.
Encourage the players to cut, move the ball and work on all the basketball concepts they have learned.
Compliment Session
►
+−
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.
At the conclusion of the All-Star Level, Jr. NBA players should be proficient at each of the following skills. Judging proficiency at this level is the responsibility of the coach.
