Four Offensive Rebounding Drills to Win Second Possessions

• By Grant Young

Offensive rebounding in basketball is a powerful yet often overlooked component of basketball that can significantly influence the outcome of games and even determine championships. 

Unlike defensive rebounds, which are about ending an opponent’s possession, offensive boards provide a critical chance to extend possessions and score second-chance points. 

In tight contests where every single point matters, the ability to secure these rebounds becomes essential. However, maximizing the advantages of offensive rebounding requires more than just instincts during games; it demands intentional practice through specific drilling.

By committing to rigorous offensive rebounding drills, teams can transform missed shots into valuable scoring opportunities. Not only does this boost their offensive output, but it also frustrates opponents, potentially turning the tide of the game. 

This is why we’ve pulled four offensive rebounding drills from a few of the best coaches around, which you can use to improve your chances of securing second possessions and stealing games during this upcoming season. 

Jamy Bechler - Halfcourt Hustle

Jamy Bechler is considered one of the top experts in developing team leadership and creating championship cultures. He spent 20 years in organized athletics as a college basketball coach and athletic administrator. 

Coach Bechler now leads leaders and is a coach to coaches as a team consultant and leadership trainer. His experience as a certified John Maxwell leadership coach and speaker has allowed him to work with professional and college teams, as well as multi-million dollar businesses. 

Coach Bechler’s ‘Championship Rebounding’ course details a few offensive rebounding drills that he swears by. He calls one of these Halfcourt Hustle, which starts with one player positioned at the wing with a ball and a line of players at halfcourt. 

From there, the player on the wing takes their three-point shot. Once they do so, the first player in line will sprint to get the rebound, regardless of the shot’s outcome. Ideally, they’re able to do so without the ball hitting the ground. 

Coach Bechler swears by this drill for two reasons:

1. It helps hone an offensive player’s abilities to read a rebound’s trajectory.  

2. The hustle it requires to get a ball before it hits the floor prioritizes conditioning and grit, which are vital when it comes to being an elite offensive rebounding team. 

Jamy Bechler - Bull Rush

Another offensive rebounding drill that Coach Bechler has used to great success with his teams is the Bull Rush drill. 

This drill requires an assistant coach at the top of the key with a blocking pad. The line of players will be opposite them at the three point line, facing the basket. There will also be two coaches beneath the basket, one of which will be holding a ball. 

The drill begins with the line of players making a quick cut and “bull rushing” through the coach with a pad by swimming their near arm under the pad and lowering their shoulder through the contact while continuing toward the basket. 

Once they do so, one of the coaches under the basket will lob them a ball. They’ll catch it at its highest point, come back down to the floor (while keeping the ball at a high point), shoot a layup, get their own rebound (make or miss), then make another layup. 

As soon as that player goes for their first shot, the drill begins for the next player in line. Coaches will want to keep an eye on whether their players are getting lower than the coach with the pad when crashing the boards, as that will maximize their chances of fighting through contact and getting the rebound. 

Darren Savino - Offensive Rebounding Drill Emphasis

Darren Savino enters his sixth season as UCLA’s associate head coach in 2024-25. He has helped the Bruins’ program compile an overall record of 115-53 record over the past five years (2019-20 through 2023-24), playing a major role in the development of the team’s frontcourt players.

Coach Savino’s ‘Offensive Rebounding’ course conveys some of his central priorities when conducting offensive rebounding drills at UCLA. One of these is that whenever there’s a shooting drill taking place at practice, the players should always be following their own shot. 

This goes back to the hustle argument, where being a good offensive rebounder is just as much about willpower and grit as it is about having natural talent or great technique. Plus, following one’s shot will help a player understand how the ball is going to bounce off the rim; especially because nobody knows how the shot feels than the person shooting it. 

Stephanie Gaitley - 3 on 3 Line Drill

Stephanie Gaitley is the head women’s basketball coach at Farleigh Dickinson University, a position she has held since 2023. She had previously served as a head coach at Fordham University, Monmouth University, and Long Island University. During her six seasons at LIU, she posted a 95-82 record. 

Coach Gaitley’s ‘Defensive and Rebounding Competitive Drills’ course explains her 3 on 3 line drill, which begins with three offensive players on the wing and three defensive players stacked in the paint, with the top player being #1 and the bottom player being #3. The coach passes one player the ball and then calls a number out 1-3, and that player has to run out and guard the player who gets the pass (who must dribble once). 

The game then becomes a live scrimmage. The chaos this drill creates is perfect for showing the movement and angles a player on the wing must take to the basket when trying to secure an offensive rebound.