The Laker Drills: A Top Basketball Drill

The Lakers Drill simulates fast-break action that works both offense and defense. The offensive player develops strong ball-handling skills in an open-court situation and good finishing skills; the defensive player develops conditioning and defending skills against a fast break.

Instructions to Players for Laker Drill

• Strong chest passes at the beginning, leading the receiver.
• Neither the offensive player nor the defensive player can race ahead – they must wait to break at the half.
• The offensive player must treat this as a fast break – take the ball hard to the hoop, and don’t hold up (in the game, the rest of the defense will be charging up the court).
• The defensive player needs to get downcourt before the offensive player and stop the offensive player’s drive to the basket (forcing a shot is better than allowing a lay-up).

How the Laker Drill Works

• Players line up in three lines, the ball in the middle.
• The middle player passes to either side, a proper chest pass.
• The ball is passed back to the middle, then out to the other side.
• The three continue in this fashion until they reach the half mark (generally only two or three passes).
• At the half, whichever wing receives the last pass breaks to the basket.
• The opposite wing races ahead down the court to play defense, either stopping the drive or taking the charge.
• The middle trails, rebounds, and the three bring the ball back up court in the same fashion.

This is a quick drill that builds speed-dribble skills and a quick transition to defense. It’s a great drill to have at the beginning of the practice that fires the players up and prepares them for practice, while at the same time reinforcing previously taught skills.