2025-12-18 09:00

Watching Kenneth Tuffin’s game-winning follow-up with just 0.7 seconds on the clock last Saturday, a play that sealed the Phoenix Fuel Masters’ 93-91 victory over Rain or Shine, I was struck not just by the moment’s drama, but by the sheer volume of fundamental skills compressed into that single heartbeat of a play. It wasn’t merely about being in the right place at the right time. It was about relentless rebounding positioning, explosive second-jump quickness, soft touch under intense pressure, and a spatial awareness that processed the trajectory of the missed shot, the positioning of four other defenders, and the game clock—all in a microsecond. That play is the ultimate argument against solely practicing flashy crossovers or deep threes in empty gyms. Real, game-deciding improvement comes from drilling the essentials until they become autonomic. Based on my own years playing and coaching, I’ve seen that a person playing basketball can genuinely transform their game by committing to these five non-negotiable drills. They’re not the most glamorous, but I’d argue they’re the most impactful.

Let’s start with the foundation of everything: footwork. I’m a firm believer that your hands can’t go where your feet won’t take them. One drill I’ve used religiously, and still do before every pickup game, is the “Three-Step Aggression” series. You start at the elbow, make a sharp v-cut to the wing, receive an imaginary pass, and take one powerful dribble into a pull-up jumper. Then, you do it again, but finish with a drive to the rim. Finally, you practice catching and immediately squaring up for a shot fake, then one dribble side-step. The key is explosive, purposeful steps. Each cut must be a genuine attempt to lose a defender, not a lazy jog. I’ve tracked my shooting percentage off these specific moves versus off static catches, and the difference is staggering—I’d estimate a 35-40% increase in efficiency when using the footwork to create rhythm. This kind of drill ingrains the muscle memory that separates a stationary shooter from a dynamic scorer. Now, speaking of shooting, consistency is king. The “Around the World” drill is classic for a reason, but most people do it wrong. They rush. My preferred method is to take 50 shots from five spots: both corners, both wings, and the top of the key. But here’s the catch: you cannot move to the next spot until you make five in a row. It sounds simple, but under fatigue, that fifth shot carries mental weight. It simulates late-game pressure. I’ve seen players who can hit 7 out of 10 in practice crumble when they need one clutch free throw; this drill builds that singular focus. On a good day, I might complete the circuit in 75 shots; on a bad day, it could take 120. That variance teaches perseverance.

Ball-handling, of course, is non-negotiable for any guard or aspiring playmaker. While two-ball dribbling drills are fantastic for coordination, the one that made the biggest difference for me is the “Chair Drill.” You set up a chair (or a cone) at the top of the key and treat it as a defender. Your goal is to execute a controlled move—a crossover, between-the-legs, or hesitation—to get past the chair, attack the lane, and finish with a layup or a pull-up. The magic isn’t in the move itself, but in the second and third dribbles after you pass the chair. That’s where you accelerate and protect the ball with your body, skills directly translatable to driving against a recovering defender. I used to practice this for 20 minutes a day, focusing on keeping my head up the entire time. It’s boring, repetitive, and utterly transformative. It’s what allows a player to navigate traffic and make a play like Tuffin did, where composure with the ball in a crowd is everything. And that leads us directly to rebounding, the skill that created Tuffin’s moment. The “Mikan Drill” is famous for layups, but its rebounding cousin is brutal and brilliant. You start under the basket, toss the ball hard off the backboard, jump to secure the rebound with two hands, land firmly, and then go right back up for a power finish. The toss must be aggressive, forcing you to jump at full extension. Do this continuously for one minute, aiming for 15-20 repetitions. This isn’t about finesse; it’s about developing a relentless second-effort motor, teaching your legs to jump, land, and explode again instantly. In a game, the average player might get maybe 5-7 legitimate rebounding chances a game; this drill gives you 20 in a minute, building the specific endurance and tenacity required to chase down those critical 50/50 balls.

Finally, we have to talk about defense, the great equalizer. My personal favorite, and the one I find most players neglect, is the “Close-Out Drill.” You start in a defensive stance in the paint, a partner (or coach) stands at the three-point line with a ball. They pass to a spot on the wing, and you must sprint to close out on the imaginary shooter, chopping your feet into a controlled stance just before you reach them, hand high to contest. Then, you immediately slide laterally along the perimeter as if they were driving. The sequence is: sprint, chop, contest, slide. Doing this 10 times in a row to each side is exhausting, but it builds the exact movement pattern needed for modern, perimeter-based defense. It teaches you to close out under control—rushing out wildly is a surefire way to get blown by—and to be ready for the next action. I’d much rather have a player on my team who masters this drill than one who can dunk in warm-ups. Defense is about effort and technique, and this drill codifies both.

In conclusion, while the highlight reels will always show the last-second put-back or the deep three, the truth is that those moments are built in the quiet, repetitive grind of fundamental drills. Kenneth Tuffin’s game-winner wasn’t an accident; it was the product of countless repetitions of boxing out, jumping, and finishing in traffic. By dedicating time to purposeful footwork, pressured shooting, game-simulated ball-handling, explosive rebounding, and disciplined close-outs, a person playing basketball isn’t just practicing—they’re constructing a reliable skill set that will hold up when the clock is ticking down. It’s the unsexy work that makes the sexy moments possible. I’ve built my entire game on this philosophy, and I can tell you from experience, the results speak for themselves on the scoreboard, and in the confidence you feel with the ball in your hands and the game on the line.

« News Releases