PRACTICE PLANS SKILLS CHECKLIST

All-Star Practice Plans

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.

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All-Star Practice Plan 9

Cultivating Values & Developing Wellness

5%
5%

Recovery

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  • The right amount of recovery during practices and games is critical. Very few people, maybe nobody at all, can go 100% for a full game. Take advantage of opportunities to moderate and control breathing during timeouts or while on the bench. In practices, players can push hard through drills and conditioning and then recover while shooting free throws. That way, there is no “down time,” players always are working on some aspect of their game, and they also are getting over their exhaustion so they can be prepared when practice picks up pace again. Meanwhile, they are getting the game condition practice of shooting free throws while fatigued.
  • Recovery also refers to extra steps that can be taken off the court as well such as ice, days off, or even physical therapy for injuries.

Warm Up

5%
5%

Explosion Leaps

(1 x each way)
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  • All players will start on the sideline in a low squatting position with their knees bent, butt down, and hands on the floor in front of them.
  • On the coach’s command, the players will then explode by jumping up and out as high and as far as they can.
  • The players will land balanced on two feet and repeat this movement until they reach the opposite sideline.

Key Points

Emphasize leaping as high and as far as possible while controlling their body. This exercise will help players work on coordination, jumping and landing, as well as endurance.

Partner Running Pass Drill

(8 to 1)
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  • Have the players get in groups of three: Two passers and one defender. Have the groups stand on the baseline with the two passers facing each other and the defender in the middle.
  • With the defender playing live defense, the players will pass back and forth to each other as they run down the court and attempt to score a layup on the other end.
  • The offense must make an allotted number of passes before a layup. For example, 8 passes must be made on the first round.
  • Up to 3 groups can go at one time.
  • Switch roles going back the other direction.

TECHNICAL LOAD

  • Allow the offense one dribble each time they catch.

Key Points

Try to not drop any passes! Call each others name and lead the player with the pass.

Building Skills

40%
40%

Ball Handling

Gauntlet Dribbling

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  • Create three “lanes” in a half-court setting using cones or other
    objects. In each lane, space out 2-3 defenders.
  • One offensive player starts at half-court in each of the three lanes.
    The defenders in those lanes can only move laterally.
  • The offensive player must navigate the gauntlet, dribbling the ball through a series of defenders to reach the end of the gauntlet and get a shot.
  • Defenders attempt to steal or knock the offensive player’s ball out
    of bounds.
  • Once the offensive player finishes the gauntlet with a layup or
    jump shot, the defender closest to half-court joins the offensive
    line and each defender shifts one spot up. The player who finished
    the gauntlet takes the lowest defense spot, closest to the hoop.
  • After all the players in the group have dribbled through the cones,
    the first player will repeat the process by going back through the
    cones in the opposite direction.

TECHNICAL LOADS

• Restrict the offensive player to a certain number of dribbles.
• Defenders must also dribble their own basketballs, adding an extra challenge.

Key Points

Make sure the players are staying low and controlling the dribble. The players should also be pushing off their outside foot to change directions.

1 on 1 Dribble Duel

(5 minutes)
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  • Pair up players, each with a basketball, facing each other at the elbows or top of the key.
  • Both players complete a dribbling constraint (e.g., 5 between-the legs, 2 crossovers + 2 behind-the-back)
  • On the coach’s “Go” call or after completing the dribble sequence, both players race to finish at the rim.
  • The first player to score wins the duel.

TACTICAL LOADS

  • Require players to finish on the opposite side of the rim from where they started.
  • Add a cone or marker players must go around before finishing to simulate changing angles.

TECHNICAL LOADS

  • Limit players to one dribble after the release before finishing.
  • Require specific finishes such as weak-hand only, floater, reverse, or land outside the paint.
  • Add contact or allow bumping before release to simulate physicality.

Passing

Pressure Timing Bursts

(3-5 bursts)
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  • Have the players partner up and go with their partner to either the passing line at the top of the key or the cutting line under the basket.
  • The first pair up will start with one player with the ball on offense inside a dictated area at the top of the key.
  • The partner will defend with pressure as the player dribbles in that space.
  • The partner group on the baseline will start under the basket with one offensive and one defensive player.
  • The offensive player will choose to cut out towards the wing on either side of choice.
  • The offensive player at the top will have to time the pass and make a good pass to the player going to the wing as the defenders try to get deflections.
  • On the catch the offensive player has 3 dribbles to quickly try to score.
  • Have each partner group go in bursts of 3-5 possessions at a time, keeping track of their points.

jrnba_allstar_pp8_pressuretimingdrill_diagram1of3 jrnba_allstar_pp8_pressuretimingdrill_diagram2of3 jrnba_allstar_pp8_pressuretimingdrill_diagram3of3

Shooting

Shoot And Follow

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  • Divide the players into groups of 3 with 2 balls per group. Determine the depth and type of shot and allocate each group to a basket.
  • When coach says start, one player shoots quickly followed by the second player. Players follow their shot to get the rebound and pass to the open player. Once the player passes, they relocate to a new spot to receive the next pass.
  • After two minutes, groups change baskets, type of shot, or side of the basket to shoot from.

COMPETITIVE LOAD

  • Teams count their makes and the team with the most makes after a designated time wins.

Key Points

Emphasize speed of shot release and quality of passes. Shooters should be ready to shoot.

Team Concepts

25%
25%

2 on 2 With a Post

(5 minutes)
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  • Create 4 lines: 1 on each wing, and 1 on each block.
  • The first two players in each wing and post line are on offense and defense respectively.
  • The wing starts with the ball and must make an entry pass to the post.
  • The defender on the post must play behind the post.
  • Once the ball is entered to the post, it becomes a live 2 on 2 game.
  • Give all players the chance to play on the wing and in the post.

3 on 3 from Help the Helper

(games to 3)
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  • Divide the players into teams of 3.
  • Utilize both baskets if there are four or more teams.
  • The game must start with a baseline drive, a help player stopping the ball and the 3rd player “helping the helper”.
  • The offensive player must kick the ball out and then the game is live and the players can move and play as they choose.
  • Every change of possession, the ball must get back to the top of the key in order to start the next possession.
  • If the offense scores, they get the ball back.
  • Keep the game moving quickly but not requiring a “check,” and allowing players to get to the top of the key and start their possession.

jrnba_allstar_pp3_3on3fromhelpthehelper_diagram1of4 jrnba_allstar_pp3_3on3fromhelpthehelper_diagram2of4 jrnba_allstar_pp3_3on3fromhelpthehelper_diagram3of4 jrnba_allstar_pp3_3on3fromhelpthehelper_diagram4of4

Competing

25%
25%

Full Court 2 on 2

(6 minutes)
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  • Divide the full court into two halves, with lines on the baseline and at or near half court on both halves.
  • One offensive and one defensive player start on the baseline with a basketball, and one more offensive and defensive player start at or near half court.
  • The game starts with the offensive player trying to get to half court, staying within the lane. Once at half court, the second offensive and defensive players can join the game, making the game go from 1 on 1 to 2 on 2.
  • Have the half court offensive player start with a different advantage each time:
    • Defender on hip
    • Defender a few steps behind

TACTICAL LOAD

The offensive player starting with the ball must make a pass to their teammate and try to score off a pass and cut.

2 on 2 Around the Cone

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  • Have one offensive player start in front of a defensive player underneath the rim. Have another offensive player start in the corner with their defender in help position.
  • The offense will dribble around a cone setup on the weak side wing with their defender trailing, creating a live 2 on 2 and giving the offense a slight advantage.
  • After a few repetitions, change the location of the second offensive player from the corner to the wing.

TACTICAL LOAD

  • Have the second offensive player start anywhere inside the three point line, and have a second cone in the opposite corner. The offensive player can choose which cone to dribble around, and play live 2 on 2 from there.

3 on 3 Dictated

(games to 3)
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  • Divide the players into teams of 3.
  • Utilize both baskets if there are four or more teams.
  • The players must start the play how the coach dictates any time the coach decides to dictate a first action.
  • After that, the ball is live and the players can move and play as they choose.
  • Every change of possession, the ball must get back to the top of the key in order to start the next possession.
  • If the offense scores, they get the ball back.
  • Keep the game moving quickly but not requiring a “check,” and allowing players to get to the top of the key and start their possession.

Skills Checklist

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PDF Full Skills Checklist

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.

Ball Handling

    Passing

      Shooting

        Footwork & Conditioning

          Rebounding

            Offense

              Defense

                Other