The fundamentals of basketball are the foundation for every individual play, offensive or defensive strategy, and every move that your players make. The best players have perfected the basics of the game. Learning and mastering these basics make the rest of the game much easier!

My number one recommendation when coaching basketball is to focus on the fundamentals.

Spend at least 75% of each practice on them.

If you make teaching your players the fundamentals your number one goal, your players will enjoy practice, they will appreciate their improvement, and they will be grateful down the line.

Like any sport, no matter what your age -- whether you're a professional athlete or a youth player just getting started -- you need strong fundamentals to be successful!

Unfortunately, most people don't really understand what that means.

So what are the fundamentals?

The fundamentals include working on the little things that will make you better -- no matter what team or coach you play for -- or what offense or defense you are running.

For example, by working on the fundamentals of shooting, you will get better no matter what offense you run. The fundamentals of shooting include proper foot alignment, leg bend, hand position, arm angle, follow through, and so on. These are some of the little things that make a difference. Learn them!

The same goes for lays ups, foot work, post play, passing, jab steps, jump stops, pivoting, blocking out, and so on.

We suggest that you focus on teaching the proper technique and fundamentals for:

• Shooting
• Foul Shooting
• Passing
• Dribbling
• Lay ups
• Jump stops
• Pivoting
• Jab steps
• Screening
• Cutting
• Defense
• Rebounding
• Point and off guard fundamentals
• Perimeter play
• Post play
• Basketball moves and individual offense

These are all critical fundamentals to master because they'll make you and your team better, no matter what age level or situation you might be in.

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First wallyworld says: 3/20/2024 at 10:56:13 AM Great article on what's important in the game of basketball, will have my Sarasota Basketball players read this, keep posting Coach Wally Like     login   register daryl says: 10/25/2016 at 3:29:27 PM basketball has changed so much by just shooting the 3 ball all they do these days we need more coaches to focus on the defensive part if basketball Like     login   register Jenny Blackman says: 11/7/2010 at 2:35:47 PM Please could you suggest some simple team tactics for a group of girls who have played for 2 yrs at school but not joined a club. Like     login   register Nestor L. Dupale says: 3/17/2008 at 11:30:14 AM Dear Jeff, I miss the Pivoting and Jab Steps for teaching proper technique and fundamentals. Please appreciate if you can send full info of the above. Thanks and regards, Nestor Like   1 reply   login   register daryl says: 10/25/2016 at 3:30:29 PM so true you could really create space Like     login   register

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