Always getting called out for being a lazy rebounder? Wanna get better? Well, this article talks about how to improve rebounding. I share the two drills that I like to do and that has helped me.
A single rebound can be the deciding factor in winning a game or not.
My team was up by one point and my opponents were on the line.
They had one free-throw left. 6 seconds were left on the clock.
If they make it, it’ll be a tie game. Their shooting guard shoots it and the ball bounces off the back of the iron and rattles out.
I stare at the ball, mesmerized. I hear “box out!” but by the time I realized that I wasn’t doing anything, it was too late.
The forward I was supposed to box out gets in front of me and grabs the rebound. He immediately goes up for the dunk.
Now they’re up by one with 3 seconds left. We have no more time-outs.
The ball is inbounded to me and I sprint up the court. With a second left, I shoot the contested shot at the logo and the ball bricks off the backboard.
We lose.
I then toss my controller down and scream expletives because if I had just boxed out and grabbed the rebound, my NBA 2K team would’ve won the game!
Okay, so this story wasn’t something that happened in real life –it happened in a video game.
But it doesn’t deter from the fact that rebounding is very important.
Importance of Rebounding in Basketball
There have been countless NBA games where teams lost because they lacked rebounders (and/or slacked on rebounding).
This was one of the reasons why the Chicago Bulls traded for Dennis Rodman in 1995.
They needed a power forward who could rebound because Horace Grant signed with a different team the prior season.
And boy, did Rodman help them out! He led the Bulls (and the NBA) in rebounding that season and many seasons after.
He was also a defensive pest, which helped the Bulls attain another 3-peat.
It doesn’t take a lot of skill to be a good rebounder (unless you want to be a legend like Rodman).
You just need hustle, heart, and the fundamental steps, which you can read about here.
How to Improve Basketball Rebounding Skills
So, you may be wondering what drills you can do to work on your rebounding.
There are a few you can do, but I suggest you start with the Recycling Drill and the Iverson Drill to improve rebounding skills first.
The Recycling Drill
The Recycling Drill will teach you how to rebound with two hands. It will also teach you how to securely go up for a put-back.
- To start, stand on the block (or one side of the rim).
- Toss the ball off the backboard and jump up and rebound it.
- Remember to securely grab it with both hands.
- Land on both of your feet.
- Pump fake and go up for a layup. That’s one repetition.
- Now, do it on the other side of the rim.
You should do 10 repetitions on each side (20 total).
The Iverson Drill
Okay, so I don’t know if this is an actual drill, but it’s something that I do. The name is also something that I made up.
I call it the Iverson Drill.
I do so because there’s this iconic play where Allen Iverson sprinted in for a put-back one game after his teammate missed a free-throw.
(The play is at the 2:20 mark of the video)
A.I. was the smallest player on the court but he managed to explode and leap above everyone for a put-back dunk.
It was amazing!
Anyway, this drill won’t teach you to do a put-back dunk. But it will teach you how to read where the ball is going and how to react.
It’s also a great shooting drill and cardio workout.
How to do:
- Start by standing on the free-throw line.
- You’re going to take a shot, and if you miss, you’re going to sprint in for a rebound.
- Like the steps from the previous drill, remember to rebound with two hands and land on both feet.
- Then, go up for a layup. If you miss the layup, rebound it and shoot until you score.
- Once you score, head back to the foul line and repeat the process.
- If you make the free-throw, jog in and grab the ball.
Additionally, if the free-throws start to become easy and you hit a streak, take a step out. This will make it more challenging.
You should do this drill for about 15-20 minutes. And remember to keep track of how many rebounds you grab and shots you make.
Final Thoughts
Rebounding, like defending, is an essential skill that every position needs to have.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a point guard or a center -you need to have the ability to box out and rebound.
So, do these drills, improve your rebounding, and become a better teammate.
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