Thoughts on the Dribble Drive Motion

The more I study and look at the dribble drive motion, the more I like the IDEA itself. I do not think, however, as a high school coach that you can run it as your system. I just don't think you are going to have the athletes every year to make it your only offense - unless you have phenominal talent every year like Oak Hill Acad. (MD) has from year to year. I also feel it's easier to run in college because you can recruit players to fit the system - as you can with most college offenses. You will get beat by quicker, faster, more athletic teams. I also think it gets easier to defend if you have a player on your team that can not shoot the three.

I do like the idea of incorporating the drive and kick as PART of your overall system and emphasizing the drive and kick more when you have the talent and less when you don't. I've ALWAYS encouraged players I have coached to look to attack the rim every time they catch the ball. Last year I coached a frosh squad and in order to spend practice time on fundamentals I just ran a 4 out look where we passed, cut, and spaced out as well as looked to drive to the rim when we had the chance. Wasn't trying to run a DDM, but it sort of turned out that way.

As many of you know, I LOVE the 4 Out 1 In Motion Offense. As I read more about and watch videos on the dribble drive motion, I've started to figure out ways to incorporate the drive and kick into the 4 out sceme. I think you can definitely do it. It does take some coaching to define roles however, but you have to do that in a big way with motion offense in general anyway.

I also differ with some of the principles of "true" dribble drive offense. First of all, I don't think you have to ALWAYS drive middle. I think you should drive middle if you have the chance, and should be your first look, but if they take away the middle you should drive to the block. I don't like driving BASELINE, but if the player can drive and get to the block he should. If he gets pushed baseline however he should stop and look for the kick out. I also think that players can change direction when attacking the rim if overplayed. If the defender cuts you off on a drive and you can easily beat him with a direction change, why not? Lastly, I don't mind the pull up jumper from time to time on the drive, as long as the player is a good shooter.

Anyway, those are some of my random thoughts on the dribble drive motion.