Help defense is when you leave your player to stop a drive, then get back to your own player. This drill teaches the timing and footwork.
What you need: Basketball. Four kids per rep (driver, on-ball defender, helper, and shooter). Half-court.
Setup: Driver with the ball on one wing. On-ball defender guarding driver. Helper guarding a shooter on the opposite wing. Shooter is the helper’s responsibility.
How to run it:
- Driver attacks the on-ball defender.
- When the drive gets to the lane, the helper steps in to help.
- The helper must then recover back to their shooter before the driver kicks the ball out.
- If the shooter gets the ball and shoots, recovery was too slow.
- Do 5 reps. Rotate roles.
What to watch: Does the helper recover fast enough or do they get out of position? Recovery must be quick. One step in, then back.
If they’re struggling: Have the driver slow down the attack. Give the helper more time to recover. Reduce the distance.
If they’ve got it: Driver passes faster. Helper must sprint to recover.