“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” – Wayne Gretzky
Dustin Johnson’s father-in-law may have been the “great one” in a different sport, but the sentiments of this quote are easily transferable to the hardwood. On any given basketball possession there are an infinite amount of micro decisions that a player and team can make depending on the environment and situation unfolding in front of them. “Should I hold space or create it with a cut? What angle should I set this screen? Do I finish off one or two feet as a defender contests this shot? When and where should I pass this ball to my shooter coming off a pin down? And on and on and on.
Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely LOVE studying, dissecting, and discussing the high level strategies that the best coaches in the world are using to win games, their locker room, championships, etc., but whether a team runs Euro Flow Motion, the Modern Flex, Presses and Traps for forty minutes, it’s the tiny details and decisions made within those systems (along with the chaos of the game outside those systems) is where the great teams “play where the puck is going to be.”
This is why we are VERY excited to announce our partnership with two of the best coaches in the game when it comes to practical teaching of the movements, skills, and decisions that are vital to excelling in any system in the modern game, Drew Dunlop and Jake Grossmann of The Pro Lane.
About the Project
In this series, “Modern Game Truths”, our objective is to stimulate thought and foster ideas on practical training methods that bridge the gap between the controlled training environment and the dynamic game environment, highlighting the skills, movements, and decisions that occur most frequently in a game and help stitch skills and systems together.
This year-long series will explore ways to prepare athletes for the unpredictable and chaotic nature of basketball, moving beyond training in ‘perfect’ circumstances and creating environments that reflect the challenges presented in the game itself. We’ll guide you from theory to practice, and from practice to game day results.
With each instalment we will be exploring a specific skill and looking at it in three parts:
- Game Film – A breakdown of the skill or concept in use during the game.
- Athletic Capacities – Live footage and drills identifying capacities underlying functional solutions and skill performance.
- Training Environment – Live footage, drills, and narration of a framework to design and develop your own scenarios in the context of your personnel and systems.
*A jam packed PDF with relevant links and teaching points will be included with the installment as well. See below!
To kick off our series we will be looking at effective off ball spacing and movement skills, beginning with off ball shooting.
Opportunistic Movement – Off Ball Shooting
While traditional off-ball screens and actions undeniably have their place in the game, this week’s breakdown focuses on players who demonstrate opportunistic movement by engaging with the information unfolding in front of them to create scoring opportunities.
These movements can come in the way of offensive rebounds, broken plays, transition spacings, post kick outs, and more. These players possess a profound understanding of how movement shapes the basketball court and, consequently, the entire game. Here are the key elements that define these players’ approach:
Spatial Awareness & Timing
The first characteristic that elite shooters demonstrate in generating offense for themselves is their ability to recognize and/or anticipate open space and burst into it. Understanding that the ball exerts “gravitational pull” on the defense (a turned head, a stunt, or help rotation), small moments of time will present themselves for a shooter to use deception and change of pace to generate a shot for themselves. This awareness allows them to effectively create separation and get into open space for a catch-and-shoot opportunity.
Here’s a look at some live game film along with one of the drills in this week’s video that help teach this concept…
Zooming In: In the above Game Film, the defender turns his head after the post catch, creating an opportunity for the shooter to swiftly relocate into open space using a quick burst.
Zooming In 2.0: With bursts and hunting open space being a critical skill to teach shooters, the question arises: how can these situations be replicated in a training environment? Enter the drill, “Offensive Rebound Kickout – Keep it a 3”, in which a scenario similar to the game clip is presented to the shooter where the defender is caught with their head turned, and the shooter must work on bursting into open space and organizing their feet quickly to get a shot off during this small offensive advantage.
Organizing Disorder
Elite off-ball shooters showcase a skill set that empowers them to “seize the moment” and capitalize on regular, chaotic situations in the game. Whether this is through exploiting offensive rebounds, transitioning play, or taking advantage of paint punctures, they are aware that the defense is scrambling, prompting them to actively hunt shot opportunities. This involves working with bursts of speed and, most importantly, finding spacethat allows the ball to locate and find them. Again, here’s game film of the action and a training session with the Pro Lane in today’s breakdown side by side…
Zooming In: In the above Game Film, during a transition situation, the ballhandler “Nash” dribbles under the basket. Instead of stopping at the 45/wing position, where the ball lacks “vision” on the shooter, the shooter continues to sprint to the corner, allowing the ball to find him.
Zooming In 2.0: Utilizing the drill, “3v3 Slot Drive – Protection Plan Play it Down” drill, Drew and Jake created a scenario where a “Nash” dribble could naturally occur. By getting the ball below the defender, forcing them to turn their head, the shooter is then presented with an opportunity to read the defender and find open space where the ball can locate them.
Adaptability
Arguably, the most crucial skill in developing elite shooters is training their ability to burst into space using a variety of routes, turns, footwork, speeds, etc. This ensures they can consistently get to their shot even under the most difficult conditions, such as late clock situations, limited space, or facing a strong contest.
Not every catch and shoot situation is going to be a straight forward sprint into space. Shooters must train in settings that require they utilize change of pace, diverse route options, and exhibit body control when catching, decelerating and finding balance. No better is this skill exemplified then relocating after a paint penetration by the shooter…
Zooming In: In the above Game Film, Kevin Punter punctures the defense, causing ‘disorder.’ On the kick-out pass, he is presented with a momentary advantage as his defender pauses to locate the ball. In this situation, Punter without hesitation locates open space and employs a sprint, a turn, and balance-setting dribble in order to get to the open space and his shot off before his defender can close on him.
Zooming In 2.0: Translating this scenario to the practice environment, Drew and Jake incorporate a “Deceptive Cuts to 3-pt line – Offensive Trigger” drill. Here, the shooter is encouraged to utilize a variety of footwork and turns to maneuver outside the 3-point line for a shot attempt.
These are just three examples of drills designed to replicate a game environment and enhance a shooter’s Spatial Awareness, ability to Organize Disorder, and Adaptability. The complete collection comprises over 15 drills, accompanied by narration that outlines the drill framework, constraints, and intention—all contributing to the development of in-game shooters. For added convenience, we’ve compiled a detailed PDF outlining the required skills and the corresponding drills..
*PDF: Opportunistic Movement- Off Ball Shooting Drill Guide.pdf
For much more on this Opportunistic Movement concept, including almost 20 more 1 on 0 to 4 v. 4 and Athletic Capacity Warm Up drills complementing our live Game Film breakdown, view the complete collection now on SGTV!
