These tips are great, it is amazing how your eyes can be opened to the simple things. In all of my years of playing basketball defense has never been broken down to me in that manner. I will definitely share this with my team

This is great stuff. Kids need to know the "whys" of a proper defensive stance and this breaks it down simple enough for a coach to share with team.

Tip #1 is really good I have lost my balence the littlest bit and the girl reached in a got the ball, it happend more than once that game so we lost. :(

OMG!! I never really looked at defense from this angle. I love tips #2-5...it makes sense. I can't wait to use these tips in practice.

Great stuff. Little things such as these tips have a BIG impact on the court. Coaching man-to-man defense is becoming a lost art. Props to this site for keeping things fresh and presenting practical, tactical tips.

- Coach Ruwe in the nasty 'nati

guys you know how to play a good defense. your tips are great!
thanks a lot

keep ballin'

these great tips are very helpful. for young coaches i recommend you these tips, so we can develop better not just offensive players but defensive players as well.

I like the fact that you have pictures sometime that it is easier to understand something when you see it and players also.

these are great tips. i no they really help me cuz that is exactly what our coach tells us to do, and it really works! the hand possitions are exelent!

Great stuff !! You really broke down the defensive part of man on man coverage for coaches and players alike. THANK YOU!!

this is great things,

these rules rock they helped me so when i played basketball against the french school so i rememberd these and i was the best defenser ever so we won thanks to all of u who did this website thanks we are the british school in yemen we won coz this websites rock THANK U THANK U

The tips where graet I didinot no that mush.

nice tips, simple and easy to remember.

im playing bball for my school right now and im starting because of my defence im not a good offence player but on defence last season i got 18 blocks 6 steals and i wasnt a starter eather but this year i am and these tips will help me

These are GREAT tips i will definatly share this with my team

maau pud...

for tip #2 that says if you have the ball in the shooters position you put your hands above the ball don't you think that they can blow right by you if your other hand is not is the defensive stance???

Hi Nick, that certainly is a possiblity if you don't move your feet, but that's the same no matter how you position your hands.

Every coach has a different philosophy on this. The one you are probably referring to is when you stick your hands out the side, so you look as wide as possible and some coaches believe the offensive player is less-likely to penetrate because of this. Personally, I think there are many ways to teach an effective defense. It just depends on the coach's philosophy.

hi nick this relly gave some help because i play basketball and im the best defense player and i needed help and you relly me see ya

this tips is good.... i think u all should do more tips...

These tips are 4 any Basketball player who wants 2 upgrade his defensive skills

these are some good tips

I just thought I'd say these tips are great, I'm a big man and I always wondered why I have been getting beaten off the dribble, 1 is because I don't get low enough and 2 is because I don't have any balance! Thanks for this information, I'll use it when I got to my national tournament next week :)

Hey guys, tomorrow I have the special pleasure to guard a pro-baller, and the thing with the head belows the offensive players head is just great...it will be make sure, that my ass stays down in a good position!

hat was so cool what ou shod me

wow that sounds like great techniques i''ll try it in the next game we have. thx

Great tips!! This would not only help myself but my players as well. This will definitely upgrade defensive skills. Thanks!!

I like these defensive points very much. My only question is that when the ball is at the offensive players mid-section and they are in shooting position, when they go to shoot the ball, won't there be a foul called because you are breaking the plane? Thxs

Rhonda,

I would ask an official the next time you see them, because I'm not completely sure.

I've done this with success and rarely get called for it. I think if you have your hand there and the offensive player brings the ball up into your hand, the referee is less likely to call the foul because it looks like the offensive player is creating the contact.

It's imporant not to do a swatting motion. Otherwise, it looks like a foul even if it isn't and the call will most likely go against the defender.

defensive players should watch their opponent''''s waist because no matter what the offensive player does with their feet, the ball, or head their waist will stay in the same spot. Where ever their waist goes you go

Hi. in regards to hand positioning i prefer to teach players to have an armguard in the chest and free hand in front of the ball.
I teabh foot speed and using great body position to prevent the drive by. its been very successful in putting max ball pressure and forcing turnovers while preventing fouls from hacking and loose arms. hopes this helps.
coach Stew

Hi,
In high school basketball, i am torn on what defense to teach. I know man is a good, solid selection that many coaches run, but i have purchased many dvds, supervised, and studied the 1-3-1 zone. I'm not sure I want to teach both . Also, i have read the article about being good at only a few things. Do you think I should teach this team 1-3-1 from the first day of pracice on? Or maybe stick with man?
Thanks so much!

Howard, I would teach man principles to make sure they can guard. Then, I would implement the 1-3-1 if you feel that would work for you.

I think you can teach both.

I love this stuff there is really great tips here that you don't hear all the time

These simple tips make all the difference

this really works. five steals in one game

Learned something new even after 11 years of ball

thank 4 who ever made the tips bcuz i did not know y the ref kept on calling foul at my game and i did not know about the kept your head lower than the offensive players head

Tip 2 isn't going to work against a polished smart offensive player. They'll just seek out contact with your arm by rising for a shoot and get the foul called. Kevin Durant and Paul Pierce do it all the time.

Tip # 2 - If the ball is below the mid-section, put your hand above the ball.

This prevents the offensive player from putting it in shooting position.

This tip is designed to keep a shooter from going into his shot easily............ If you bring the ball up to shoot the defenders hand is right there... it forces you to drop step / bring the ball back a little bit before you can do anything. JMO

Were not talking about defending Pros here... heck, they can do almost anything they want to.
We taught this to our high school players with a lot of success.

Good point, Greg. D-Wade used to do that all of the time as well.

However, they either did a rule change this season or placed an emphasis not to call those fouls in the NBA, so you probably won't see that foul call as much.

And like Ken said, those are NBA guys. Most people don't coach NBA guys. And if they do, they're probably not looking here...ha!