The benefits of 1v1+1

One of the best drills I like to play is 1v1…with a passing option. You can make the start whatever you'd like (and you’ll find many ways to do this in the vault). But I want to discuss what makes 1v1+1 so helpful for development.

In 1v1, there’s nowhere to hide. Players are forced to work on their weaknesses and/or play to their strengths depending on the rules of the drill. However, without a teammate passing option, the offensive player knows their only option is to shoot—potentially creating a bad habit of ignoring shot selection or kickout options. But what if you simply add a teammate? This now becomes the ultimate growth hack. Players can develop better ball skills with the ball always in their hands, while learning to balance the creativity to make a play with the discipline to get the best shot.

A lot of times when I’m working with two players, I become the passing option. I’ll move around the perimeter to create randomness and promote creativity. You can add a point for a kickout to the teammate if a “strike” is thrown, and incentivize the defense to disrupt it by giving them a point for a deflection (or by reminding them that any pass that is tipped is a ball).

To create better angles and mess with the defender’s timing, the offensive player can counter with:

• Fake shots and passes
• Pivoting (especially if the kickout option is behind them)
• Ways of stopping in different directions (north/south and east/west)
• Dribbling into space
• Creative passing release points and arm angles

You can also teach a different concept on the kickout by having the offensive player get back behind the 3-point line and continue playing against a closeout.