Hands down defense

How do I play hands down defense? I want to be that player that the coach puts on the best player and everyone sees and the hardest working most hustling player in the game. Can anyone provide tips tricks skills drills etc to help me be that player that has the monster defensive game aside from a great offensive game i just want to be an all around star and starter at guard on jv by the time the season starts in 5 months please help.

Josh: There's no magic bullet for great defense, it's simply down and dirty hard work. My teams did a lot of footwork, skipping, stepping in and out of cones, hopping cones. One leg knee drops, everything I could imagine to make them better players on defense. But the one thing I could'nt teach was heart, drive,determination, that mindset that says to the offensive player, you can do whatever with that ball,but you will not beat me. Work hard on the tangebles and the inbtangebles will follow. Good Luck Coiach Mac

Josh: There's no magic bullet for great defense, it's simply down and dirty hard work. My teams did a lot of footwork, skipping, stepping in and out of cones, hopping cones. One leg knee drops, everything I could imagine to make them better players on defense. But the one thing I could'nt teach was heart, drive,determination, that mindset that says to the offensive player, you can do whatever with that ball,but you will not beat me. Work hard on the tangebles and the inbtangebles will follow. Good Luck Coiach Mac

Great advice Mac -

First of all, forget about being a star... being the best defender on the floor? Thats a great goal. Part of being a good defender is knowing what the player you are guarding loves to do, then take it away from him...... or you can take the proactice approach, take him where you want him to go. You have to listen to what your coach wants you to d o, first and foremost.

Keep a low base, don't reach, when you reach your feet stop and then you are beat. Like coach Mac is saying, be fundamentaly sound and have the heart of a lion. One thing to remember, you WILL get beat from time to time... its part of the game... but when you do, play that much harder the next time. There are no tricks, just a lot of hard work and desire to be the best defender on the floor every time you play.

Good luck