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Basics of Footwork (What every coach should know)
Why is Footwork so Important? Footwork is one of those skills that is needed for just about every part of the game of basketball. Solid footwork is needed for Offense, Defense, Rebounding, Shooting, Passing, etc. Think about it, every minute of the game is played on your feet, so having solid footwork skills is critical to success. Footwork is one of those skills (like defense) that you will never see a player practicing on their own, or before a practice. Players will walk in the gym and start shooting, but it would be a rare site to see a player walk in the gym and start working on their footwork skills. If a player improves their footwork skills, their game improves – footwork is the foundation for the rest of your game. Examples of Footwork Skills used in Basketball: 1. Defense: Step Slide, Jumping, Jump to the Ball, Balance, Positioning (fronting, quarter turn), Zig Zag, Retreat, Drop Step, and Change of Pace to name a few… | | Basic Defensive Step Slide |
2. Offense: Cutting, V Cuts, Triple Threat, Pivots, Screening, Jump Stop, Post Moves, and Drives / Move to the Basket to name a few… 3. Rebounding / Boxing Out: Pivot, Positioning, Balance, Pushing (boxing out), and Jumping to name a few… 4. Shooting: Jump Stop, Lay Ups, Pivot, Balance, Jump Shot, and Post Moves to name a few… 5. Passing / Catching: Step Around Pass, Passing, and Stepping to the Ball to name a few… 6. Ball Handling / Dribbling: Spin Dribbling, Under the Legs, Behind the Back, Cone Dribbling, Side to Side Dribbling, Dribble and Stop, Crossover, and Change of Pace to name a few… | | Cone Dribbling / Footwork |
7. Speed / Agility: Speed, Quickness, Athleticism, Stopping, Conditioning, Sprinting, Running, Change of Pace, and Bursting to name a few… Hopefully you get the bigger picture, footwork is used in every part of the game! All these basketball skills / actions require good footwork, and a players game will suffer without good footwork skills. Types of Footwork Skills: Here are just a few of the drills that will help you improve your footwork, and ultimately help you to become a better all around player. 1. The GrapeVine Drills (also called Karoake drills) – This type of drill works on coordination and foot quickness. GrapeVine Footwork Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 2. Basic Footwork Drills – These types of drills are great for the younger players and also works on coordination and foot quickness. Front to Back Footwork Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP!
Side to Side Footwork Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP!
3. High Knees – A very good drill for strengthening the players legs and agility (very good for conditioning also). High Knees Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 4. Jump rope drills – Jump roping is a great way to get warmed up, works on foot speed and conditioning. There are many different jump rope drills – here is just one… Short Hop - Left Foot - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Short Hop - Right Foot - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Short Hop - Alternate Feet - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Short Hop - Regular - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Medium Hop - Sideways - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Medium Hop - Skipping - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! High Hop - Both Feet - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! High Knees Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP!
5. The Pivot – The two most popular types of pivot drills are the Front Pivot (forward pivot) and the Back Pivot (reverse pivot). Both are extremely important for your game to improve. This video clip shows both the Pivot and the Jump Stop. Pivot (Basic) – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 6. The Jump Stop – The jump stop is one of the most important footwork skills that all players need to be skilled with. This video clip shows both the Pivot and the Jump Stop. The Jump Stop – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 7. V-Cut – Cuts are a very important part of any offense. Learning the "V-Cut" is a very good way to get your players started. The “V-Cut” – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 8. Wall Taps – This drill is great for building jumping skills. It is basic, but it does work. Wall Taps Jumping Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 9. Defense – The Step Slide, Zig Zag (retreat), and Running Backwards drills may be the most important defensive drills you can teach your players. Step Slide Drill (Basic) – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Zig-Zag (Retreat) Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! Running Backwards Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 10. Agility Hurdle Drills – Hurdle drills are great for jumping, foot speed, and agility. There are many drills that players can do on hurdles, but we will only show an example here… Hurdle Drills Examples – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 11. Agility Ladder Drills – Ladder drills are great for foot speed and agility. There are many drills that players can do on the ladder, but we will only show an example here… Ladder Drills Examples – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! 12. Change of Pace, Change of Direction – This is a more advanced type of footwork, but it needs to be part of a players ball handling skills (use the stutter step dribbling move to "freeze" the defender). Stutter Step Footwork Drill – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO CLIP! I have only included a handful of the more popular footwork drills here. There are plenty more, so don’t limit yourself to just these – but you must also understand that players need to get the basic footwork drills down before moving on to more complicated ones.
As long as you work hard and do the drills correctly, you will improve. But understand, it takes time, there’s no other way to make it go faster. Most footwork drills are not much fun for the players, but that’s the reality of hard work and dedication. Footwork drills can make you a better player, and every part of your game can improve. So now we know the “F” in footwork doesn’t stand for “Fun” but once all the hard work is over, the skills you will gain will be well worth the commitment.
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Footwork - The Basics 
