Defense is a big part of the game. In this article I will discuss individual defense, what it takes to be a great defender, and my ideas on how an individual should play perimeter defense on the ball. Defense begins and ends with heart. You have to be willing to outwork your opponent. You have to challenge every dribble. You basically have to be a pest to the ball handler.
My philosophy on hawking the ball full court is to utilize your wingspan to be a deterrent to the ball handler. For instance, if the ball handler has the ball in the right hand, then the defender should shadow the ball with his left hand. This keeps the offensive from exploding by you. The right hand is used to deter any change of direction by dragging the hand low to protect against the change. I ask my clients to turn their man at least 3 times in the backcourt which normally nets good results if you continue to do it throughout the game.
As the game progresses players should study their opponent’s weak hand and favorite offensive tendencies. Also, pick up on the cadence of the dribble - most players have the same cadence if you actually listen for it. As a rule, I don’t like for my players to gamble for steals but if they are going to, it should be late in the game after figuring out their opponent and letting fatigue work for them. The key is to turn your opponent as much as possible and sooner or later he will make a mistake.
In a half court setting the principles are similar except now you must protect the bucket. Noticing the strengths and weaknesses of the ball handler is equally as important in the half court. The weaknesses are easier to exploit in a half court set since the offensive player has less room to work in. Defenders should fake at the ball to keep the offensive player off balance and always concerned about protecting the ball. If a ball handler is overly concerned with protecting the ball, then he will be a much less effective decision maker. The ultimate goal for the defender, though, is to stay in front of his opponent so as not to allow a 5 on 4 scenario which is obviously an advantage for the offense.
When the offensive player picks the dribble up to pass, the defender should shade slightly in the direction of the pass to make the pass more difficult and potentially even get a hand on the ball.
When an offensive player picks up his dribble to shoot, I like the defender to swipe at the ball with the shadow hand to deter an easy transition into the shot. Remember, the slightest glitch in the shot motion can quickly lead to a missed shot. A defender doesn’t ever have to touch the ball to be a great defender; he just needs to be a pest.
The last line of defense in individual defense is contesting the shot with a hand in the face. Most players only contest with their strong hand. I teach my players to contest with both hands. Bruce Bowen does a great job with this skill. If an offensive player is moving to his right off the dribble, defenders should contest with their left hand. The opposite holds true when the shooter is moving left. Basketball is a game of inches – using only one hand to contest shots might make the difference between a miss and a make.
Keep in mind that players today hate excessive ball pressure whether in the back court or in the front court since it forces them to concentrate all the time. Every time a ball handler has the ball he must worry about you, a backcourt violation, the offense his team is supposed to be running, whether to shoot or pass, as well as the clock at certain levels. That is a lot to distract a player. The odds are with the defender if he keeps the pressure on all game. More likely than not your opponent will make a crucial mistake or many mistakes if you just apply all the principles in this article and keep your heart in it.
