Basketball Footwork:
The Key to Being a Great Player

Footwork is what the game of basketball is really all about.

Offensive moves. Rebounding. Defense. Good, solid footwork can make or break you in just about every area of the game.

No matter what position you play, how much playing time you get, or how many points you score, the one constant for every player, in every game, is that every second of the game is played with your feet.

And so it stands to reason that good footwork is essential to good play.

Yet most players don't think much about footwork (other than when their coach has them running through drills or plays and really puts the focus on footwork). Most players practice their shot, ball handling, passing, and maybe even rebounding. But how many players do you know that even think about improving their footwork, let along devoting a good portion of their workouts and training to improving this area of their game? My guess is that it's not many.

But think of a typical offensive play: you sprint up the floor on a break, run across the court to set a screen, roll to the ball, catch a pass and face up to the basket, make another pass and cut towards the hoop, and spin around the defense to get good rebounding position when the shot goes up. Guess what? All of these moves require good footwork. Cutting, jump-stops, spin moves, rebounding position…all of these moves and actions require great footwork, and if you don't have it, your game will suffer.

Now, think of a typical defensive stand: you slide to guard a ball handler, then jump into the passing lane when they get rid of the ball, then you drop back into help-side position, and turn to block out your man when the shot goes up. Again, all of these moves require great footwork and agility. If you have lousy, lazy footwork, well guess what? You're probably not going to be a very good defender (at least not if you're playing against a good player).

John Wooden, the great UCLA coach emphasized footwork. In fact, the first few practices of the season didn't even involve the basketball. It was all about footwork. He'd have his players run zigzag, change of pace and change of direction drills. He'd have his players do jump-stop drills (where they'd run for several feet, then come to a 2-foot jump-stop, or a straddle jump-stop with one leg in front of the other). Then he'd have his players to defensive slide drills, and rebounding drills, and block-out drills, and defending the wing drills. Get the picture?

All of these drills were meant to get the players used to doing footwork in the right way, because footwork is really the foundation for the rest of your game. If your footwork isn't good, you're not going to be on balance when you pick up your dribble and come to a jump-stop. And you're not going to be in good shooting position (on-balance, ready to shoot) if your footwork isn't right coming off of a screen. And you're not going to be able to jump out into the passing lane and deny your man the ball if you aren't sliding properly, and if your footwork isn't right.

So, how do you work on your footwork? Is there a quick and easy way to make it happen? Sorry. It's all about practice, hard work, and getting back to the basics. Do basic drills that focus on using proper footwork, and in time, you will improve. Are these drills fun or exciting? To be honest: not really. But the fun part if when your footwork improves, and you become a better player. Your playing time will likely grow, your scoring and assists per game will go up, and you'll be a much better, all-around player. That's the payoff for all the hard work you put into your footwork drills. That's when it becomes fun.

Here are a few drills that will help you improve your footwork and become a better player.

Jump stops

Stand on the baseline. Run to the free throw line and come to a 2-foot jump stop. Now run to half court and do a 2-foot jump stop. Run to the other free throw line and come to a jump stop. Then finish off by running to the other baseline and come to a jump stop. The keys to this drill are to stay low (and in an athletic posture) when running and coming to a jump stop.

Front and back pivots

Stand on the baseline. Run to the free throw line and come to a 2-foot jump stop and do a front pivot. Now, run to half court, come to a 2-foot jump stop, and this time to a back pivot. Run to the other free throw line, come to a jump stop and do a front pivot. Then run to the other baseline and do a back pivot.

Change of pace, change of direction

Stand on the baseline. Run in a zigzag motion the full length of the court. Vary your pace, and direction throughout the drill. Occasionally, come to a jump stop, do a pivot, then continue on with the drill. Run through this drill at game speeds, as if you were being guarded by a defender, and have to make moves to get open and keep them honest.

Rebounding drill

Start with your back to the basket, around the middle of the key. Pretend a shot goes up, so you have to do a pivot to block out your man. Slide from side to side a few feet (as if you are blocking out an opponent), then explode up to grab a pretend rebound. Come down with a wide stance, on balance. Turn and pivot and make a pretend outlet pass to start the break.

I know these drills may sound overly simplistic. But that's the point. Basketball is a game of fundamentals and basics. It's a game about dribbling, passing, shooting, jumping, sliding, and cutting. Sometimes people ask for drills that are really dramatic, involve lots of directions, require lost of fancy gear or equipment, and should somehow almost instantly transform a player. Well, most drills aren't like that. A lot of the time, basic, solid drills based on the fundamentals work just fine.

It is important to break the game down into very basic parts and to work on those parts. By building and developing these basic parts of your game, you build a foundation for the rest of your game. You build the foundation for your athleticism, creativity, and talent to shine. Without the basics, without the foundation, you'll never get the chance to show your talent.

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