Rebounding
The Art of Rebounding
By Guy Evans

Many coaches will tell you that rebounding is the second most important skill in basketball behind shooting, and often a case can be made for the fact that behind every great team is a great rebounder. It is critical to any team's success at any level - securing a rebound means that you have either retrieved the ball to attack or you have given your team an extra possession, depending on whether it is a defensive or offensive board. In this section I will detail the fundamentals of the rebound and advise you on how you can improve your rebounding average using some simple drills and practices.

Why is Rebounding so important?

Quite simply, if you can't rebound, you can't get the ball. If you can't get the ball, you can't score. And if you can't score, you can't win. Despite the obvious importance of rebounding, many coaches do not teach it, or indeed do not know how to teach it. Unlike some athletic skills, rebounding is a component of basketball so simple that anyone can become good at it, regardless of their height or position. The main factors that make up a great rebounder are effort, toughness, and mental strength. You can already see that you do not have to be the tallest player or the highest jumper to battle under the boards. In fact, Dennis Rodman, who averaged over 13 rebounds per game for his career, was listed at only 6 feet 8 inches, far smaller than some of the players he was often matched up against. We will now go into the fundamentals of cleaning the glass. Charles Barkley once famously said, "I laugh when people ask me about rebounding techniques...I've got one - it's called get the damn ball." Despite Barkley's bravado there is some basics you must know before you start practicing to improve your rebounding.

PHASE 1: THE BOX OUT

The first phase of rebounding is also the most overlooked. Before you even attempt to get up and get the ball, you must first box out your opponent. This means you must use your body to get in front of him/her and then seal them in position. To do this, you must rely on primarily your lower body muscles as grabbing or pushing an opponent with the upper body is not permitted in the game of basketball. Click on the image above to view the perfect box out by NBA player Reggie Evans. Evans is in almost a seated position and using his quadriceps (thigh muscles) to stablisise him, he seals the other player in position. Notice the position of the arms - he is not pushing off but rather keeping them high and wide to protect himself and also be more difficult to beat to the ball. In conclusion, you must have a strong, wide stance and use mostly your lower body as your strength base. Be prepared for physical contact as it gets rough under there!

PHASE 2: LIFT OFF!

After sealing your opponent in position, you can now focus on jumping as high as possible off two feet to secure the rebound. Although many players try to jump off one foot to gain extra height, getting up off both feet gives you a strong power base and means that you can't be pushed out of position. The image above shows former Chicago Bulls guard Ron Harper attempting to rebound the missed lay-up by ex-Utah player Adam Keefe. Harper (in white) is trying to recover the ball using both hands. This is a key point when pulling down the board because a one-handed rebound can easily be slapped away by an opponent or even slip out of your hands and out of bounds. Going up with two hands ensures that you have the best chance of grabbing the ball and gives you that protection when you descend to the ground. So remember, jump as high as possible off two feet and attempt to secure the ball with both hands.

PHASE 3: WIN IT, CHIN IT

I call the next phase Win it, Chin it as by now you should have hopefully retrieved the missed shot and are ready to start your team's attack or, if it is an offensive rebound, go back up for another shot at the basket. Whatever the circumstance, do not bring the ball below the number on your jersey, or, preferably chin level. Taking the ball lower than this area gives an opportunity to smaller players to steal the ball from your hands meaning all that hard work you have down to actually get the rebound has been wasted. The above image shows 2-time NBA MVP Tim Duncan protecting the ball by keeping both hands on the ball at chin level and showing both elbows out to prevent a possible steal. Now you have got the basketball, what is left? I will now break the final phase down into two parts: The Outlet Pass (for a defensive rebound) or the Put Back (for an offensive rebound).

PHASE 4: OUTLET PASS/PUT BACK

If it is a Defensive Rebound, ie. the other team has missed the shot and you have secured the miss, you must pivot away from the opposition and make an outlet pass to a team-mate, preferably a guard. This will hopefully get the fast break going in the opposite direction and give your team an opportunity to take advantage of your work under the boards. Try to make a chest pass although a bounce pass may have to be used if you are under pressure from another player.

If it is an Offensive Rebound, in other words, your own team has missed the shot and you have grabbed the miss, you can go straight back up for a strong, two-footed power layup, particularly if you are directly under the basket. This is called a Put Back. If you secure the board further away from the bucket, it is a good idea to pass the ball to the point guard and re-set the offense, giving your team another possession and subsequently an additional chance to score.

Now I know the technique, how can I improve my rebounding?

There are many drills you can do to improve your rebounding. Here I will provide a few basic, fundamental practices you can do to get better at cleaning the glass. Once you have mastered these, set your self targets to gauge your improvement, or even come up with some of your own. The main thing is to have fun and work hard!

DRILL 1: OFF THE BOARD AND CATCH

This is a very elementary practice to improve rebounding skills, and can be done using only one player and one ball. To do this drill, simply stand under the basket and throw the ball high off the backboard with some force. After the ball hits the glass, spring up off two feet and gather the ball in two hands. You could practice going straight back up for the put back or pivoting and making an outlet pass to a friend or partner. Once this has become too easy, ask your partner to shoot over you off the board so you can then box him out and go up for the ball.

DRILL 2: DANTLEY DRILL

This drill is named after former NBA player, Adrian Dantley, a magnificent rebounder despite his relatively small size. To do this, start by repeatedly throwing the ball off the board with two hands, and whilst in the air, catching the ball and chucking it again, continuing until you can do no more. To advance this drill, try tipping the ball with only one hand (it's quite hard) for as many repetitions as possible. Remember to jump off two feet to give you a strong power base when performing this drill.

DRILL 3: 2-PLAYER REBOUND AND RUN

This drill requires two players, a rebounder and a dribbler. Position yourself under the basket and ask your partner to stand on the sideline ready for an outlet pass. Throw the ball high off the board and jump off two feet and secure the ball with two hands. After you have done this, pivot with the ball and throw an outlet pass, preferably a chest pass, to your partner. After receiving the ball, the dribbler will then make a hard dribble to the middle of the court whilst the rebounder "fills the lane" by running hard along the sideline. When the dribbler reaches the opposite free-throw line, he makes a bounce pass to the streaking rebounder to finish for the lay-up. After doing this once, alternate rebounder/dribbler in your pair for 10 repetitions up and down the court.

Conclusion

That ends our look at one of the most fundamental skills in the game of basketball, the rebound. By studying your favourite players and digesting the information in this article, you can then take what you have learned into your individual practices to get better. Remember, great rebounders are not born, rather, they are bred. Once you have the knowledge, all it takes is hard work and commitment and you will soon be leading your team in rebounds. Good luck!