Day 3: Play-time
This article is part of the series “30 days to being a better basketball player“.
One of the biggest differences between playing basketball “just for fun” and playing competitively is the discipline needed in bringing order to the game that otherwise can seem chaotic.
Learning plays is one of these key elements of discipline, so if you want to improve your game, the sooner you get used to learning plays the better.
Each coach and team has their own preferred basketball plays, so if your coach and/or team have set plays, its best to learn those first.
If not, or if you already have those down, look around for other plays that you think work well and start learning them too. You might not use them straight away, but you never know when they might come in useful.
Years ago you had to buy a decent basketball book or hope to find one at the library in order to learn any new plays. Now, thanks to the internet, you can find a lot of different plays to add to your repertoire, so there aren’t any excuses.
There are a number of basic plays that every basketball player and team should know, such as the pick and roll, one-on-one (clearout) and the give-and-go. There are also more advanced plays that build on these fundamentals, so if you don’t know many, make a point of learning at least three new plays to add to your team’s offense and defensive skillset.
Here are some suggested starting points:
- Guide to coaching basketball – Eight fundamental basketball plays
- The Coaches Clipboard – Basketball Plays
- Basketball drills and plays – Simple basketball plays
- Youth basketball tips – simple offensive plays and drills
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