Kyrie Irving. Jalen Brunson. Luka Doncic. Jayson Tatum. Four of the best 1v1 players in the NBA.

Their individual skill sets vary, but they all have one thing in common - an uncanny ability to read and attack their defender's feet.

All of them use jabs and fakes to get their foot past their defender's foot. As soon as that happens, it's game over.

You don't have to be the biggest to beat your defender consistently - look at Brunson. You don't have to be the fastest - look at Luka.

What you do need to know is how to read your defender's feet. Once you've mastered that, you'll go by them with regularity.

In 20 years of coaching, I've had countless players who knew how to execute a move. What separated the really good ones was the ability to know WHEN to use a move.

Here's how to do it!

3 Simple Stance Cues To Blow By Your Defender

Here's the good news - there's only so many ways your defender can guard you. (Of course, some of you might remember the Jazz playing behind James Harden a few years ago. We aren't going to cover that one today!).

Let's talk about 3 ways your defender can guard you and how you can beat each one. Use the following footwork to create an advantage.

1. Forcing you one way, top foot inside your body: Imagine your defender is in front of you. They are forcing you left.

To do this, their left foot is forward towards your right foot. Their left foot is inside the frame of your body.

In that scenario, attack the top foot. Their top foot is their left foot. So in this case, you would likely jab your right root to the outside of their left food.

Your first option would be to attack to that side. You would do that if your defender does either of the following:

• Opens their stance by dropping their left foot
• Not reacting to the jab and keeping their feet as they are

In either situation, your foot is now outside of their foot, giving you an advantage getting to the rim.

2. Forcing you one way, top foot outside your body - this is a very similar situation to the one above. However, there is one key difference.

Their top foot is now outside your frame. In other words, their left foot (as they force you left) is outside of your right foot.

In this scenario, attack the bottom foot. Because their top foot is outside of your body, it's unlikely you'll be able to get your foot outside of their foot.

Also, because they are positioned outside of your body frame on the right side, that means there is space to the left side. The path to the rim is already partially exposed.

Take advantage of the path they are giving. Attack the bottom foot hard and physically. Take more space than what they've given and open a direct line to the basket.

3. Playing you straight up, feet aligned with your feet - in this case, you need to create an open stance. Most times you'll want to jab with your dominant foot. For righties, that's typically your right foot.

You'll want to jab at the outside of the defender's foot. From there, the same reads apply. If your defender doesn't react, go! You have an advantage in that direction.

If your defender opens their stance, go!

When to Shoot and When to Counter: 2 Critical Reads

So far, we've covered how to create and attack an angled stance. One way or the other, your goal is to create a path to the rim.

But there are a couple of other situations to consider:

• What if your defender pops back? Some coaches teach their players to pop back on a jab. When you jab at them, they take a small hop back. This allows them time to absorb your drive.

If your defender does this, be ready to shoot! Popping back creates more space between you and your defender. When that space opens up, take advantage by knocking down the shot!

• What if you try to get your foot outside your defender's and fail? We've talked about the importance of getting your foot outside your defender's. Once you've done that, you have the advantage.

Over time you'll get better at winning that foot fight. But no matter how good you get, sometimes you'll be wrong. You might misread the defender's foot, or they could recover and get their foot back outside of yours.

When that happens, don't fear! Use a counter. If they work hard to cut you off one direction, counter back the other way.

If you're still playing off your jab, take a crossover step in the opposite direction. The initial jab shifts the defender, creating a path the other way. The crossover step lets you attack in that new direction.

If you've already dribbled, use a change of direction move. If they get their foot outside of yours and cut you off, a between the legs or behind the back move can help you regain the advantage and find a path to the rim.

3 Game-Like Drills to Master Your Offensive Reads

Reading the defender's feet is a skill, and like all skills, it must be practiced. Here are a few ways you can practice to make these reads second nature!

• Guided closeouts - Have a partner or coach toss you the ball and closeout. When they closeout, they will use one of three stances:
  • Shading, top foot inside your body
  • Shading, top foot outside your body
  • Squared up

  As you receive the ball, scan their feet and make the appropriate driving decision.

  At first, your partner should allow you to go after making the correct read and decision.

• Guided closeouts with reaction - In this progression, you do the same as the guided closeouts above, but the defender will now make it more game-like.

  In addition to the options above, they can now:

  • Pop back on your jab
  • Try to cut off your jab or first dribble to force a counter
  • Not react to your move
  • Open their stance when you jab

  Now, you need to make two reads:

  • The initial decision of which foot to attack
  • The secondary decision based on the defender's reaction
• Live 1v1 - Ultimately, you'll want to play live 1v1 off a closeout. This tests everything you've been working on. Encourage your partner to vary their defensive tactics to force you to read different situations.

  When you play this way, use a shot clock!Here's why...

  In a game, you won't have all day to attack. The players who can hold the ball and jab for 6-8 seconds are the guys whose names are in the first line of this article. The rest of us have to make our reads and decisions quickly!

  That's why it's important that you practice scanning to your defender's feet as you are receiving the ball. That allows you to get right into your response and make your move quickly.

  4-5 seconds should be more than enough time!

Why Decision Making > Technique

You've been told how important your footwork is. And that's true. It's a huge part of being a good player. And the great news is you can improve that on your own!

However, footwork alone isn't enough. If you don't know how to use your footwork, it won't do you much good.

Knowing how to read and attack feet is an easy way to make yourself a tough cover. Use the cue above and watch your 1v1 game take off!

Looking For More Ways To Master Scoring Footwork?

Footwork is the foundation of sound offensive play. Whether it's shooting, dribbling, or finishing, being able to maneuver effectively and efficiently gives you a leg up.

To work on your footwork, consider the Progressive Ball Handling & Footwork Workouts. These 8-14 minute workouts combine ball handling and footwork in ways that will continue to challenge you as you improve.

If you're looking for longer workouts, the Attack & Counter Workouts from Coach Don Kelbick focus on his 3 pivots and 3 counters. Coach Kelbick teaches you how understanding footwork gives you the ability to create an offensive advantage from anywhere on the court.

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