This is a two-day workout plan consisting of drills for just over an hour and a half. This can be modified as necessary. The intent is to develop good habits within our system so that we maintain a high level of accuracy and consistency in our play-calling and we are elite at running the game. Additional drills, self-talk cues, and additional descriptions are provided before the workout plan to add context to the user.
This is the NBA mechanics walk-through workout. The main movements today are the toss or jump ball to start the game and trail to lead transition. Additional drills like secondary defender information, timeout administration, and secondary defender looks are incorporated into the main movements.
This is the NBA walk-through workout for Sunday. Continue to work on your presentation and projection. Additional drills are incorporated into the main movements today, slot to slot, rotation at lead and resumption of play.
Each movement below is one round of the workout. Work the self-talk out loud; the situations column is the list to rotate through.
Run these alongside the main movements. Five repetitions each, switching at the end of every run as if you were the non-calling official.
Should be self-talking through each position adjust, screen-sequencing, point of contact, etc. and each switch pick up clocks and players.
18 drills to fold into the main movements or work on their own.
Find the back screener or side screener. Work to see the whole play and sequence our looks. (1) Screener, (2) Line, (3) Far hand of hedger. Ensure the screener’s legal, determine whether the offensive player is making a 3 or 2 point attempt, and pick up the far hand on the hedging defender. If it is not a shot attempt we should immediately go to the hedging defender.
Hand off a primary matchup to each position. As the ball leaves your primary glance at your partner’s eyes to determine if they’ve received the on-ball matchup. Lift your eyes as the ball leaves to have a big picture view and pick up the nearest competitive matchup in the action area in our primary coverage area.
For 1 minute; officiate curl plays to S/C. For 1 minute; officiate cutter plays, off-ball, coming at S/C. T can work on the Handoff drill during this sequence.
Pick up the secondary defender from L. Recognize A1 beats B1, take your eyes immediately to B2. You can do this on film too.
As slot/C, we can combine this with 1 on 1 @ S/C curl plays, and referee the primary defender to the basket. We can also combine Secondary defender information or Multiple defenders for curl plays to T/L.
Identify from whose primary the shot is taken. Say out loud your responsibilities on the shot, i.e. “Strong-side and perimeter rebounding and GT/BI,” at T, and step towards your competitive matchup from T and S/C. At L put your weight on your back foot. If using video; identify with the cursor where you’re looking. Determine if the outside official is engaged in the rebounding by taking a staggered step.
Partner holds up card. You will prelim a foul or violation. If the card was an eight of hearts (8♥), while staring at your partner, you would say "Bap. Travel. Red. Spot. 8 seconds on the clock." If you're having trouble start off with direction only to get used to the drill, "Red. 8 seconds on the clock." Keep your focus on the card and do not point across your body.
This drill helps us maintain our look for dead ball officiating, picking up clocks, working mechanics and signals, and our cadence.
Report to the table using cadence and your signals. Use the appropriate level, i.e. if high school, run to the box, stop, and give the signals, “White 42, Hit, Two Shots.” (1) Post the foul/prelim, see Time on the clock (2) Find the clocks (3) Report to the table.
You can do this on or off a court. It is preferable to have a partner or video camera so you can provide feedback. Practice self-talk/sequencing your looks through these plays. Maintain an open look at the players when giving your preliminary. Try to catch the clocks as soon as possible. Visualize the play and respond.
This can be used in conjunction with Presentation to table. You are the calling official, one partner will play the role of the offended coach, and the other an observer.
Provide feedback on the interaction as the observer. Opportunity for us to work on our body language, professional demeanor, not staying too long, ‘What happened…, By rule…’, and reinforcing listen to statements, responding only to questions.
Positioned at L and S/C, the L will signal a player-control or block because the secondary defender was in the restricted area. The C will come to the L and give all required information, “W33 was in the RA. The basket went in. B12 is shooting one.” The L will immediately signal given the information.
This is a slow simulated drill to help us reinforce good habits for giving information if a secondary defender was inside or outside of the RA.
Work as the slot/C. On a down screen or perimeter screen we want to sequence our looks. (1) Screener, (2) Line, (3) Far hand. Ensure the screener’s legal, determine whether the offensive player is making a 3 or 2 point attempt, and pick up the far hand on the hedging defender. The far hand is the one we might stack ourselves on and hurt us on the shot.
Sequence your eyes on plays on the perimeter when an offensive player receives the ball in a triple threat stance. Work from (1) Off. Feet, (2) Off. pivot, (3) release of the ball by the defender, (4) waist of the defender. If the offensive player releases the ball after picking up his pivot foot, travel. If he releases the ball with his pivot foot on the ground move to the defender.
Before a simulated throw-in or FT check your (1) partners, (2) game clock, and (3) shot clock. Place the ball at the disposal of the thrower-in or free thrower after checking these 3.
Jump shooters. Take the shooter all the way up and all the way back down. Go to the point of contact on the elbow or wrist of the shooting hand.
This can work with 1 partner. This can be done L/T or L/C. Lead asks slot/C for help. Slot/C can signal or ask T for help. If T doesn’t have help, we will go jump ball/AP arrow.
This prepares us for game situations where we might have help plays so we are ready to respond with information. Can also use on a bad out-of-bounds call.
L has a hard foul to the basket. L/C close down. C says “I’ve got them Chris.” L will now go to the table. Repeat with C having the hard foul.
Start stacked on the play. Self-talk should be ‘I’m in a stack. I must get an open angle.’ Work/adjust to get an open angle.
A timeout is called. Relay to your partners how play will resume, and walk to where teams are crossing, normally middle of the floor, before Presenting to table.
Run a suicide. Upon reaching the near FTLE, have a partner call out or pick a foul/violation. Like Time on the clock maintain your look towards the players and pick up the clocks. Do this again upon reaching the division line, the far FTLE, and the far end line. It is recommended to make a call at the starting end line every time it is reached too.
Source: Improvement Program — Ref Dev: Mechanics memo, 17 Nov 2024.