Scoring Goes Up With These Basketball Rebounding Drills

Basketball rebounding drills and you’ll end up with one of the best reputations around.

That’s because players who ‘hustle‘ down the missed shots and create more scoring opportunities for their teams are the playersevery coach is looking for. No matter who you are, you can add a huge dimension to your game by improving your rebounding skills.

And the cool thing is you’re looking at one of the best pages you could have clicked on if you want a great basketball rebounding drills resource.

So start assuming (don’t worry about that saying regarding people who assume – in this case, assuming is a good thing) that every shot is a missed shot, practice these basketball rebounding drills and crash those boardswith a brand new attitude!

You’ll find our first twelve basketball rebounding drills on this page and more on our 2nd basketball rebounding drills page.

Individual Basketball Rebounding Drills

Next, stand about 2 feet from the wall and throw the ball from your chin with two hands. This helps you develop the focus required to rebound with players all around you. You need to concentrate because if you miss the rebound, the ball will hit you in the head.

Practice rebounding off the backboard using the techniques described on our fundamentals page. Throw the ball off the board, set up in a rebounding position with your body wide and strong. Leap up and at the top of your jump, grab the ball with both hands and bring it straight down. Keep the ball up, out and away. You can also practice bringing the ball down and then going back up for the shot.

Group Basketball Rebounding Drills

Place a ball in the middle of the foul line and position 10 players around the foul line circle – 5 offensive and 5 defensive players. The defensive players are inside closest to the ball. As the coach yells, “Go”, the defensive players turn, pivot, make contact with the offensive players and block them out. A defensive player should be able to get to the ball first. Variation on this basketball drill: Have the ten players positioned near the basket and have another player or coach take a shot from about 15 feet. The defensive players turn, pivot, make contact with the offensive players and go for the rebound.

Form three single-file lines. One at the middle of the foul line and the other two on each side of the lane. The first player in each line starts as the defender with their backs to the basket and facing the second player in each line. These second players are the offensive players. Have a player or coach take a shot. The three defenders turn and box out the offensive players and go for the rebound. After the rebound, the offensive players turn and play defense while the defensive players go to end of the line they started from.

Position three players in the low post. Player 1 is right in front of the basket. Player 2 is to the left of Player 1 halfway between the side of the lane and out-of-bounds line. Player 3 is positioned the same as Player 2 but to the right of Player 1. Player 1 bounces the ball high off the board, grabs rebound, passes to Player 2 and takes Player 2’s position. Player 2 dribbles to the front of the hoop, bounces the ball high off the board, grabs rebound, passes to Player 3 and takes Player 3’s position. Player 3 repeats the same basketball drill and passes to Player 1.

Player 1 is positioned in the left low post just outside the lane. Player 2 is in the same position but to the right of the basket. Player 3 is at top of foul line circle with the ball. Player 4 & 5 create a line behind Player 3. Player 3 takes a quick set or jump shot. Players 1, 2 & 3 all keep grabbing rebounds until one of them makes a shot. Then they pass out to 4 (who has replaced 3 at the original starting point). Player 1 goes to the end of the line behind 5, 2 replaces 1 in left low post and Player 3 takes 2’s spot in right low post. Keep this basketball rebounding drill going continuously as the players keep rotating positions.

Form a line of players to left of the basket on the lane with starting point about halfway to foul line. Player 1 goes under the basket on the right side and Player 2 stands under the basket on the left side. Player 1 passes the ball high off the backboard to Player 2 who rebounds it high and passes it back to 1 before reaching the floor. They keep this up until each player has rebounded the ball at least five times. Player 1 goes to end of line, Player 2 takes 1’s place and Player 3 fills Player 2’s place. Players 2 & 3 now do the basketball rebounding drill together.

This drill uses six players, three on offense and three on defense. One defender and one offensive player are paired at each wing and the other pair are at the top of the key. They work the ball from various spots on the floor. The defender stays in the normal defensive position on the shooter, but allows the shooter to take a set shot or dribble a bit and then take a jumper, checks the shooter and moves in for the rebound. The players eventual switch positions and do the basketball rebounding drill again.

Form a line at the foul line. Player 1 stands under the basket. Player 2 takes a quick shot from foul line and Player 1 rebounds the shot. Player 2 keeps shooting until missing. Player 1 then passes the ball to the next player in line, moves to the end of the line and Player 2 takes position under the basket. Keep repeating this basketball rebounding drill as the players keep exchanging positions. 

Rebounding Fundamentals 

Five player basketball drill. Starting positions: Player 1 to the left of and under the basket, Player 2 to the right of and under the basket, Player 3 just behind 2 to the right of the lane, Player 4 just behind 1 to the left of the lane and Player 5 behind 4 to the left of the lane almost to foul line.

Player 1 begins the basketball drill by bouncing the ball high off the board over to Player 2 and then moves over to the end of the 2,3 line. Player 2 times it to rebound the ball at the height of the jump and bounces it back across the board to Player 4 who as replaced Player 1. Keep this up as each player goes to the end of the opposite line after each rebound.

Basketball rebounding drill for four players. Players 1, 2, & 3 are under the basket and fight for the rebound as Player 4 takes shots from various spots on the floor. The two players who don’t get the rebound try to tie up the player with the ball and prevent a successful pass back out to Player 4. The first player to grab five rebounds and complete a pass to Player 4 gets to exchange places with 4 and become the shooter.