Stealing On The Ball
05.02.17
Stealing the ball is one of the most COMPLEX SKILLS to teach, for several reasons. First, it’s not something that players like to do because it requires effort and is risky. Second, you need to be smart and have a good sense of anticipation to steal the ball well, non fouling. And third, there are not too many specific drills to practice it systematically.
STEALING
ON THE DRIBBLE
The position to place the hand is right under the offensive player, so if he tries a simple crossover you’ll be positioned to touch the ball and hopefully, steal it.
Having a hand ready to steal is an easy way to steal the ball, especially on bad players.
STEALING ON THE PASSER
This is a relatively modern trend and it's the way I like practice stealing the ball, because if you don’t get the steal then there’s not stupid fouls. Ricky Rubio made an art out of it while he was playing in ACB League, in Spain.
FOULS
Don’t commit stupid fouls
DISTURBING THE OFFENSE
If we deflect the passes
FASTBREAK
Great way to start the fastbreak
READING
THE EYES
Stealing the ball over the pass requires to know where the offensive player is going to pass, so you have to read in his eyes where the ball is heading to.
IF
SMART ·
GOOD PLAYER ·
GREAT HANDLER ·
DON'T TRY TO STEAL
THEN
·STUPID FOULS
·WASTE OF TIME
·USELESS EFFORT
Just put pressure but don’t use the hands. Wait for offensive player’s mistake and if that happens, then we can go crazy to grab the ball.
Stealing With Two Hands
Stealing the ball with both hands at the same time is a difficult way of stealing because requires a great sense of anticipation and perfect timing to grab it.
The GREAT ADVANTAGE is that you don’t commit fouls so easily, because when you steal this way you are grabbing instead of hitting, which looks cleaner on referee’s eye.
Do it when
·SHOOTING the ball, especially off the dribble
·After someone grab a REBOUND
·DRIVES to the basket
HANDS IN ATTACK MODE
Many players adopt this position right before they are going to steal the ball. They do it because they can have their hands in a place (stomach’s level) with access to reach the ball from offensive player:
·Dribbling
·Passing
·Shooting
DRILL
RECOMMENDED
1x1 WITH RESTRICTIONS
(Starting from the WING)
Emphasize stealing the ball, all the time, in a extremely way. So even if the offensive player is able to get a shot then it’s a bad defense
1ST OPTION
·Defender offers the ball to start
·Offensive player just can:
-Shooting without dribble
-Shooting off ONE dribble
2ND OPTION
·If offensive player wins baseline, only can jump shot outside the painted area
·If offensive player wins middle, can go all the way
3RD OPTION
·1x1 without restrictions