Suggestions for Skills Based Teaching Progression

Here are some areas of suggestion for developing a basketball skills teaching progression. How
quickly your players can advance through these phases will depend upon how quickly they grasp
and automate the basics. Be cautious about introducing more complex skills when they are
having problems executing the basics without thinking about them.

Ages 8-10 (Introductory Phase of Basketball Skills)

Working on Footwork Fundamentals
Teach the basketball triple threat stance -- Catch, & Square -- Shot Ready
Teach the quick explosive start
Teach the quick stop including a jump stop and stride stop
Front and reverse pivoting
Defensive step & slide footwork
Dribbling and Ball Handling Skills
Stationary dribbling including the dominant, non-dominant and alternating hands
Controlled dribble in the open court
Speed dribble in the open court
Crossover dribble -- Change of speed and rhythm with the dribble
Basic Ball Handling Drills
Shooting Skills
A stationary lay-up with the dominant and non-dominant hands
Moving lay-up with the dominant hand
Set shot from no more than 15 feet with good form
Free throws from 8-9 feet
Receiving the Ball
Catching ball stationary
Catching the ball while moving
Passing
Chest pass to a stationary and non-stationary target
Bounce pass to a stationary and non-stationary target
Overhead pass to a stationary and non-stationary target
Rebounding
Jumping for and pursuit of the ball
Individual Offensive Moves -- From Catch - Square and Shot Ready Position
Drive step to the basket - No foot fakes!
Shot fake and shoot
Shot Fake and drive

Offensive Movement Without the Ball

Direct cuts to the ball
V-Cuts
L-Cuts
Setting screens & Using screens
Defense
Basic defensive stance
Slide steps
Advance and retreat steps on defense
Drop step
Dribble defense -- on ball defense
Denial defense in the passing lane -- defense one pass away from ball

Ages 11-13 (Transition Phase to more advanced Basketball Skills)

You should continue to work on all the above fundamentals and add these listed below.
Working on Footwork Fundamentals
more of the same
Dribbling and Ball Handling Skills
Add the reverse and spin dribble moves
Shooting Skills
Continue to work on stationary non-dominant hand lay-ups
Add non-stationary non-dominant hand lay-ups
Add the jump shot
Increase free throw practice distance to 12 to15 feet.
Receiving the Ball
Increase complexity of catching drills with more dynamic movement and speed.
Passing
Increased complexity to Chest pass to non-stationary target
Increased complexity to Bounce pass to non-stationary target
Two hand overhead pass from a rebound outlet
Add hook pass and hook bounce pass to drills
Baseball pass
Rebounding
Introduce box out position and front and reverse box out pivots
Introduce defensive rebound positioning
Introduce offensive rebound positioning
Individual Offensive Moves
Increase repetitions to automate basic individual moves
Add Shot Fake and crossover step move
Introduce post up position
Teach post square up and shoot -- front and reverse pivot
Introduce post drop step move

Offensive Movement Without the Ball

Continue to practice all phases of movement without the ball including cuts to get
open
setting and using screens.
Defense
Increase repetitions for defensive slide footwork, advance and retreat footwork an
drop step increasing both time and duration of drills.
Introduce dead ball defense
Teach the shot challenge
Help side defense -- defense two or more passes away from ball
Defending screens -- down screen, back screen & cross screen
Court Geography

Ages 14 & older (Transition to Automated Advanced Basketball Skills)

You should continue to work on all the above fundamentals and add these listed below.
Working on Footwork Fundamentals
more of the same
You might also introduce how a stride start or stop may be advantageous in a few
situations. While I am not a big fan of the stride stop (because you lose the ability
to go either direction) I have seen some players able to use variable strides as an
effective way to change speeds and keep defensive pressure off of them or create
shot space.
Dribbling and Ball Handling Skills
Add the reverse and spin dribble moves
Introduce behind the back dribble
Introduce between the legs dribble -- front of and behind thigh
Emphasize acceleration immediately upon making a move so as not to lose
advantage gained by the move against the defense.
Shooting Skills
Add more variability to the jump shot including off the dribble, pass and various
catching positions
Introduce and work on three point shot.
All free throw practice should be from the regular 10 feet line.
Receiving the Ball
Increase complexity of catching drills with more dynamic movement and speed.
Passing
Increased complexity to Chest pass to non-stationary target
Increased complexity to Bounce pass to non-stationary target
Add hook pass and hook bounce pass to drills
Introduce variable speed passes for passing to the post -- bounce and lob pass

Rebounding
Continue on more creative defensive and offensive rebound techniques including
swimming or pinning action to get inside position
Teach players to make physical contact against more athletic jumper to reduce
their effectiveness
Individual Offensive Moves
Work on creating consistency, speed, and explosiveness with all perimeter and
low post moves -- Drop step & power, turn & shoot J, up & under, baby hook
Offensive Movement Without the Ball
Continue to practice all phases of movement without the ball including cuts to get
open
setting and using screens.
Introduce curl, flare, pop-out, fade, and back cuts relative to position of defense
Defense
Players at this stage should be well into advanced levels of individual and team
defense.
I realize that I haven't given a huge amount of skill specific details for these three phases
of learning basketball skills but this will help you begin to build a program based on what
might be expected of learners at these various age levels. I have seen players at 10 or 11
with some advanced skills, but I caution you again. Do your young players a huge favor
and make sure they can execute the basics in their sleep so that as they age and mature
their skill limitations do not severely hinder them when their bodies maturity allows them
to physical do much more. It breaks my heart to see talented athletes who cannot pass
with their left hand, or pivot off either foot. They will never become the player they are
capable of becoming if they do not pass ALL THE SKILLS TESTS each step of the way.