Some coaches don't believe in doing rebounding drills. They believe they can emphasize rebounding in everything they do without isolating it.

I love that in theory. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked that well for me in reality.

Coaches like Tom Izzo and Kelvin Sampson seem to agree. Michigan State and Houston are known for being 2 of the best rebounding teams in the country.

I don't think it's a coincidence that they prioritize practicing rebounding.

If you want your team to be elite on the boards, you must drill it in practice.

Here's a versatile and game-like drill from 3v3 Drills For Offense & Defense with Coach Nick LoGalbo that will help your team dominate the glass.

Creighton Rebounding Drill: Perfecting the Art of Contact and Anticipation

Too many rebounding drills begin with players already in contact (or 1 step away) from the player they are going to box out.

Unfortunately, that's often not the case in games. This is especially true on the perimeter and on the weak side of the floor. Players must be able to go initiate contact with the offensive player while simultaneously anticipating where the ball is coming off.

Creighton requires players to do both, preparing them for what they'll see come game night. It also adds a great finishing element!

Setup

• Position 3 players around the perimeter
• 3 defensive players are in the paint

Instructions:

1. The coach begins by throwing the ball to an offensive player.
2. All of the defenders close out.
3. The player who receives the pass shoots immediately.
4. The defenders must box out and grab the rebound.
5. Play is live until the ball is scored. The rebounding team does not have to take the ball out. Thus, if the defense does a good job boxing out and gathers the rebound close to the rim, they can immediately shoot. This continues until a basket is scored.
6. Each basket is worth 1 point. Play to 5.

Version 1: Line

Version 2: Circle

This is a great variation to make the drill harder for the defense. It simulates being in rotation and having to communicate on who players will box out.

To level up the defense, the three players must circle the wagon in the paint before the coach makes the initial pass. This forces a scramble situation which causes them to communicate more.

Version 3: Zone

Boxing out is often cited as a primary weakness of zone defenses. This zone boxout version of Creighton addresses that concern.

To mimic a zone defense, start with the defenders in a triangle.

When the coach passes the ball in, the players must identify a player to box out.

They cannot, however, choose the player right in front of them.

Coaching Tips:

• All shots should be contested. That said, the defense should be the second jumper and must contest under control so as not to foul. If the first shot (the 3) goes in, the offense gets the point. This shouldn't occur if there's a good contest.
• When boxing out on the perimeter you should hit, locate, and get the rebound.
• Players must talk and point to make sure all players are boxed out. With beginning teams, you can assign a player to box out. As players get more skilled, make them communicate.
• If the offensive player gets to the paint, players should sumo out. (Sumo out means getting your backside on their thigh and drive them out of the paint.)
• The team that scores gets to stay on the court. This forces the offense to crash the boards rather than watching their shot. If the defenders get the rebound, they look to score immediately. They may have to finish during contact.
• If the defenders score, they go on offense.

Why Swiss Army Knife Drills Make Life Easier & Players Better

Creighton Rebounding is a great example of a platform drill. It's one drill that can be tweaked in multiple ways depending on the needs of your team.

3v3 Drills For Offense & Defense (30% discount available for this week only) is filled with these type of drills that benefit your team in many ways:

• Training multiple skills at once to make you more efficient
• Getting your players more reps
• Allows you to tailor the drills to your specific system
• Enables you to play meaningful games when you might have fewer players available in the off-season
• Makes coaching easier because you have fewer players to focus on

To learn more of the drills from Coach LoGalbo and how they can benefit you, click here!

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

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