What kinds of things do you emphasize with your players when it comes to ball fakes. I have 5th grade girls and I want to start getting them to use a ball fake/shot fake/head fake or whatever every now and again.

We have one girl who is really really good at it. One other girl who is really starting to get the hang of the up and under. But the rest are still looking uncomfortable when it comes to fakes.

Thanks!

I actually liked what Don Kelbick teaches. You don't "fake". You are legitimately going to take a shot or make a move every time until it is taken away from you. When the hand gets up or the close out approaches before you commit yourself to the action, then you pull it down and perform your counter move.

If I were teaching "faking", I would sell that it needs to be the exact same movement as the shot mechanic. Same feet set. Same hand position on the ball. Eyes still on the rim. This is for a shot fake.

When using ball fakes, accentuate fake-high/throw low, fake low/throw high. Accentuate fake left side throw to the right/ fake right side throw to the left.

When making foot "fake", know what the original move means. What does a jab step and long step do and where does it take you? Where will the counter step take you when your defender reacts to the jab?

This is why I prefer Coach Kelbick's system for teaching footwork and shot "fake" philosophy. I think that it streamlines the whole procedure and makes it much easier to teach in terms of giving a player a workable footwork and attacking philosophy.

Just my thoughts.


Brian Sass

Yea I don't really teach fakes. You "fake" by getting prepared to shoot in triple threat.

Now our varsity coaches really emphasizes the "lift fake" whenever you go to the basket or get the ball inside. It works for him. Lots of ways to go about things.

I am on board with Jeff and Brian, but I do like to use pass fakes especially against the zone:

http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/fundamentals/zone-pass-fakes.html