Three Tips to Sharpen Your Post Player’s Footwork in Basketball

• By Grant Young

Having good footwork is pivotal for post players in basketball for several reasons: 

1. It allows post players to establish their position close to the basket, making it easier for them to receive entry passes and score efficiently. 

2. It enables post players to make quick and decisive moves, allowing them to create scoring opportunities and outmaneuver defenders.

3. It also helps post players maintain balance and stability, which is essential when facing physical defense in the low post. 

These are just three of the reasons why mastering footwork should be an essential part of every post player’s practice program, which will allow them to excel in the paint and become more effective scorers and playmakers for their team.

But it can be challenging to find effective basketball footwork workouts. Firstly, there is a wide range of drills available, and it can be difficult to determine which ones are truly effective for improving footwork. Plus, the effectiveness of a footwork drill can vary depending on the skill level and playing style of the individual player. Some drills that are utilized may not adequately simulate game-like situations, making it harder for players to transfer their improved footwork from practice to actual games. 

Thankfully there are trustworthy coaches out there who have proven time and time again through the success of their teams and individual post players that their drills and techniques are effective. We have pulled post player footwork drills and instructions from three highly respected basketball coaches, that are guaranteed to help improve your big men’s skills when navigating the paint.

Dave Severns - Positioning Target Feet

Dave Severns is currently a basketball scout for the Indiana Pacers. Before that, he spent 14 years in the NBA as Director of Player Development for the LA Clippers from 2010-2016, Director of Player Development for the Chicago Bulls from 2008-2010, and Pro Personnel Scout for the LA Clippers from 2016-2021. 

While Coach Severns’ ‘Elite Post Play’ course doesn’t detail a specific footwork drill, he goes into depth about where and how post players should be catching the ball in the paint, which is crucial when deciding which post moves and footwork to implement. 

Coach Severns explains that the block is the measure is where post players will want to post up. They never want to be below the block because there isn’t enough space there to receive a pass and execute a post move. Instead, they should always be at or somewhere in front of the block. 

Another important aspect of paint positioning is that the big man always wants to have their chest squared up to the passer. 

One thing that Coach Severns hates seeing is a lazy post player who isn’t working hard to position themselves correctly to receive the ball and/or execute offense when they do get a pass. This is why he says all post players must keep a firm, wide stance and their hand in the air at all times, in order to assert their positioning and prepare to execute. 

Christian Mueller - Shot Fake Mikans

Former volunteer assistant coach Christian Mueller rejoined the UIW women’s basketball staff after a one year hiatus as the top assistant coach during the summer of 2013.

Mueller was a volunteer assistant for the Cardinals during the 2011-12 season when the team went 16-13 and advanced to the Lone Star Conference title game. Previously, he has been a women’s basketball college coach for eight years working at the NCAA Division I, Division II and NAIA levels.

Mueller’s specialty is coaching post play. And in his ‘No Moves Needed’ course, he discusses why the Shot Fake Mikans drill is crucial for post players looking to improve their footwork when shooting in the paint. 

When executing a shot fake, players want to be careful to not use too much of their body to exaggerate the fake, because that won’t look like their actual shot and therefore won’t fool defenders. Instead, they’ll want to only move their upper half like keeping their knees in an athletic position. 

While there are many reasons why the mikans drill should be used by every post player, a main one is because it reinforces proper footwork in the paint if the player isn’t being lazy with their feet. Because each shot demands a slightly different set of footwork, a coach should always be looking at their player’s feet when doing this drill rather than looking at their shot. 

Ido Singer - Drop Step, Top Foot

Ido Singer is a former professional basketball player and a college coach with 10+ years of experience at the High School, Division 3, NAIA, and Division 1 levels. Ido has served in many roles, most recently serving as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina Greensboro for the past 3 years.

Coach Singer’s ‘30+ Footwork Drills Every Player Should Master’ course details a drill that starts with a player in the middle of the paint, with a ball positioned about halfway between the block and the elbow and a few feet outside of the paint. 

Once the player goes and grabs the ball, they’ll want to be sure their top foot is the first foot that moves, and it’s going directly toward the basket. The important part here is that the player isn’t making any false steps with their back leg, nor should they be taking their front foot anywhere other than straight at the basket. 

In addition, there should be no dribbling in this drill. The post player should keep the ball at shoulder length or higher as soon as they pick it up from the chair.