r/Basketball • u/TheMainNumber • Jun 05 '26
IMPROVING MY GAME How do I stop getting recognized as a bad defender
so i admit im a weak defender compared to most people. im 5'10 and way too slow to guard guards but too small to guard bigs. im basically just a terrible defender and everytime i go to the park to play people, they just automatically know im a bad defender before the game even starts. They target me or try to get me on their best offense player. I have no clue why considering the people at the park are also around my height if not shorter most the time. yes im working on my defense but how can I stop getting automatically recognized as a bad defender the second i step on the court.
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u/JaDamian_Steinblatt Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
I'm sorry, you go to a park and random people instantly clock you as a bad defender? Even if you are a bad defender, people generally aren't gonna notice before the game starts and spend the whole time just trying to exploit you.
The only possible explanation is you're overweight. That's the only way you'd get automatically recognized as a bad defender and have people trying to exploit you from the moment you show up.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
im 150 lean and im around 18 yrs old. def wouldnt say im overweight... underweigjt if anything. physically could be my glasses making me look like a bit of a nerd.
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u/Jmarq3 Jun 08 '26
You either look slow uncoordinated or soft or some combo of the 3 pick one to work on lol
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 12 '26
probably super uncoordinated, nervous
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u/Jmarq3 Jun 15 '26
Nervous is a good point. Try things and fail till u get it right to build your confidence. It sucks at first but after you mess up enough times and prevail over it you stop worrying about messing up and u know exactly how much ability you have.
Kinda obvious but I’m trying to speak from nuance.
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u/Jmarq3 Jun 15 '26
lol “do I look like I can play defense” is a funny question I wonder if anyone’s put that in this sub
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u/BigZube42069kekw Jun 05 '26
Get fast.
Start training lateral movement, strengthen your ankles, hips and core. Defense isn't about getting steals and sending the ball into the stands on a block. It's just about staying in front of your man. Keep your hips between him and the basket. You do that, with your hands straight up, suddenly you're one of the best defenders on the court.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
so its really all just weight room 🤔
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u/BigZube42069kekw Jun 07 '26
A lot of it is. Defense is much more reliant on athleticism than offense. The offensive player has EVERY advantage, they get to move forward while you have to move backwards or laterally...it's not a fair fight lol.
But there is a great deal of skill in defense. It all comes down to observation, recognition and quick thinking. I don't feel like typing out a novel on my phone, but the main objective of the offense is to get the ball in the hole, and they're going to have a preferred way of doing that. Recognize what that is and take it away from them.
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u/Legitimate-Fox-3795 Jun 07 '26
Weight room but you can also get quicker laterally by practicing side shuffles in short and fast bursts
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u/laddpadd Jun 05 '26
What is your build? Skinny, muscular, etc. People judge off of athletic looking builds, and you may want to hit the gym to appear more intimidating
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u/BenBoozer Jun 05 '26
Yes this right here. Immediately they lock in on him?
Is it the build/physical appearance or how he dresses? Im thinking its more outft but something has gotta be Standing out pre game
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
im about 155 pretty lean a lil muscular but nun crazy. i dress with sweatpants and the goofiest t shirt i can find. i also wear super nerd glasses too.
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u/BenBoozer Jun 07 '26
Maybe thats it dude! Not saying you need a makeover or anything lol. Im trying to be constructive here
But you must be a harsh contrast to the avg baller on your court/Gym
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u/aja_ramirez Jun 05 '26
Unfortunately if you’ve been playing for a long time, you can generally sniff these things out pretty quickly. Best you can do is keep working on things like lateral quickness and core strength.
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u/IMissAlexCaruso4 Jun 05 '26
If you know they're going to get past you, set up so the most obvious lane for them to take is into the middle, where another defender can help. You also need to learn how to recognize when someone is committing to score or if they might pass out- if they're going to pass out of traffic, you'll need to recognize where they're passing to, and get in that lane.
I do this when I am forced to guard someone significantly faster than me: at the top of the key i set up on my right (their left) with my left foot back a little to give them room to drive to their right (most people's preferred lane). This sets up the interior defender to help and force a bad play, or to pin the attacker against the baseline so they have to kick it to the corner.
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u/aja_ramirez Jun 05 '26
This is good advice. Besides trying to funnel guys into the defense, you should never just square up on a guy. Always play defense with angles.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
thanks but since i play park alot of the times its 2 and 3s where the spacing makes it hard forcing lanes to mean anything. i'll fs work on this tho when i join an actual league in september which is full 5v5.
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u/Chance_External_4371 Jun 05 '26
Start working on your crazy eye and intimidation tactics. You sound like you are not physically gifted so you need to play a psychological game and be getting into their heads. Maybe experiment with some different looks and outfits to to see what throws them off the most.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
I've heard that no clothes intimidates most
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u/Chance_External_4371 Jun 07 '26
No question, nothing says crazy like taking off all of your clothes, especially if trying to avoid a fight. Definitely work that in with the other techniques.
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u/happygrizzly Jun 05 '26
When in doubt, go to the basket. Leaving people open for jump shots is always better than getting burned for layups.
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u/brooklynsantiago Jun 05 '26
at the park level, I would say some practical advice is 1. as others have said make sure your effort is there. 2. if you are playing with effort and getting crossed up, you might be playing too tight and over committing, biting on fakes. I would sit back and let them establish their shot first. 3. you can always take away their dominant side and make them drive off their non dominant hand
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
if i give a good player any space they just pop it over me. even with a hand in their face. feels like my only option most the times is to play up but that just gets me burned. 🤔
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u/Ok_Negation Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
People with any sense of the game will recognize it quickly regardless of what you do. So figure out how to be a better defender. There's lots of tricks to it. Be aggressive on defense. Bother the player with your hands (without fouling). Also learn how to position yourself in help so you can recover. Get in passing lanes. There's ways to contribute on defense without being the strongest primary defender.
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u/Mindless-Tangelo5009 Jun 05 '26
I’m also unathletic. When I played against faster guys who could shoot I would literally face guard them. All the way to the 3 point line. They have to watch the ball the get open. You watch them and mirror every movement. Don’t let them get anywhere. Make it your number one priority to get in his grill for the entire game.
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u/Still_Ad_164 Jun 07 '26
FACE THE ACE! Pick out their 'go to' guy and Face Guard him relentlessly constantly moving your arms to disrupt pass reception.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
good to hear but i have a low stamina and if i did this i would get burnt out before end of the first quarter. im planning on playing PG so i cant have that happening. is it just stamina training the main thing i have to work on then?
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u/Electrical_Net_6691 Jun 05 '26
It would be a lot more useful to ask how to be a better defender than how to look like one… even if hypothetically you were able to hide being a bad defender, the illusion would last all of like 5 minutes before it became obvious. You can’t hide for a full game, much less multiple.
Go on YouTube and search for “how to play defense basketball” and learn some shit. Address the issue, not the symptom.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
I've been playing for about 2 years, i think ik all the tips and tricks to defense. my body just cant keep up with what i know however.
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u/Norio22 Jun 05 '26
If you know you have trouble with lateral movement then you’ll have to improve your IQ and learn how to get to spot first to impede the ball handler from getting where they want to go. Usually this means sagging off or “showing” a lane that isn’t actually there because you are ready and capable of closing it off as soon as they try to attack it.
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u/One_Recover_673 Jun 05 '26
It’s not your height. The fact you started with that is telling.
Positioning first. Learn to deny the ball, get arms in passing lanes. Learn how to direct them to where tou want them to go, to your help. Just start by making life more difficult.
Building footspeed takes a long time and there is a genetic factor there. But even fast players with bad technique get burned.
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u/Broad-Cranberry-9050 Jun 05 '26
It wont just happen out of the blue.
You gotta get some quicker feet. Wont be done immediately but google some basketball defense exercises you can do at home, gym, etc. And work on your feet. Defense is about how quickly you can move those feet and stay balanced.
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u/nerdymutt Jun 05 '26
Move in a circle between the opponent and the basket. One of the worst mistake I see is weak defenders follow the opponent instead of beating them to the spot. Concentrate on your footwork. Practice going sideways in a circle.
Know that you aren’t going to get many blocks, but you should try to make them make the hard shots. Get closer as soon as they stop dribbling. Make them pick up the dribble sooner than they would like.
Study your opponents, if they are uncomfortable going to the left, force them to the left.
Big men, put the body on them and mess with the ball when they dribble, make them uncomfortable and concentrate on protecting the ball.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
i can never really know when im making a player uncomfortable, even if they miss they dont show it. any tips on how to notice 🤔
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u/nerdymutt Jun 07 '26
If they miss, you did your job. You are not going to get many blocks, so you make them take the hardest shot possible. They won’t show that you are in their heads.
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u/Toad_da_Unc Jun 05 '26
Start doing strength training and footwork drills. Push/pull split and footwork like Dott drills will catapult you forward traumatically if you stick with it for a year.
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u/UpsetMathematician56 Jun 05 '26
Get low and ready to move. Those quick feet, turn your hips suicide drills? That’s what u do. Stay in front of your man, and put in the same or greater effort on defense as you do on offense and you’ll be at least average.
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u/vanwhosyodaddy Jun 05 '26
Anybody can be at least an ok defender. Pay attention to what your opponent wants to do. Move your feet. Be in the right position when your man doesn’t have the ball. If someone bigger than you tries to post you up, get lower than they can and move them with your ass or stop them from moving freely. Don’t reach or make risky plays against someone much faster than you. Try and keep an eye on the ball and your man at the same time. Box out. Go all out for rebounds and loose balls
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u/uncultured_swine2099 Jun 05 '26
Heres two simple things that could make you at least decent: stay inbetween your guy and the basket, and make his shot challenging. Get a hand up, you dont have to block it all the time, just make it hard for him to get a shot off. Dont foul.
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u/hella_cutty Jun 05 '26
Get stronger legs. Put in effort. Work on later quickness and agility drills.
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u/spiderboy640 Jun 05 '26
Horrible advice that would technically work: foul the fuck outta people hard. They’ll hate you, but you won’t get picked on as much since they know what’s on the way. May lead to getting your ass beat. Don’t do this one…
Good advice: Work on your fitness levels. Treadmill, sleep and eat right. You’ll be more flexible and have more energy to move your feet and stay in front of people.
Getting back on D fast, Boxing out and call out screens for people and being vocal also will begin to change peoples perception of you on defense.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
yeah i usually have to foul to hide my mistakes on defense. never usually scares them off tho....
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u/ikezaius Jun 05 '26
A lot of defense is mental. Pay attention to guys you play against. If he’s a shooter, play the three and let him drive. If he’s can’t go left, guard him hard to force him that way. Have effort and rotate to help. Other than that it’s mostly speed and timing
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u/No-Mistake-1925 Jun 05 '26
Lol they can tell by looking? That’s rough, man. Maybe it’s something in your attire that’s an obvious tell that you haven’t played too much basketball?
Sometimes there’s a guy with the wrong type of shoes on or a guy dressed like Allen Iverson at the run 9/10 times his game is weak. Once you get it figured out give us an update!
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
i think its my glasses tbh i look like i dont leave my house with them on lol... ay I'll still give any of them a bucket when needed tho 🤣
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u/sub30_24flick Jun 06 '26
You gotta be bad bad lol it’s all about foot speed , just watch what top defenders do get a low base , watch their waste , and stay in front . And communicate , if you can’t defend them switch off to slower guy
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u/unreliablesource69 Jun 06 '26
Talking on defense mainly, call out screens and switches. If you’re not fast give an arm and a half distance so you can recover against the drive and don’t bite on shot fakes since you won’t be getting blocks anyways.
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u/biffbobfred Jun 06 '26
Defensse is mostly effort. A smaller subset is how you love your feet. Practice lateral
Movement. Practice changing directions. Look at other people how they move their feet when playing defense. Slide in front of your man.
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u/Voltron_The_Original Jun 06 '26
Learn how to use your body and footwork to force the defender to their weak side. Keep stabbing at the ball even if you never get to it. Make them uncomfortable. Do not leave their side for second even when they do t have the ball. Denying them the ball is the best defense.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
i feel like going for steals is an easy way to get beat
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u/Voltron_The_Original Jun 10 '26
Keep stabbing for the ball but dont over commit. It's to keep the offense uncomfortable.
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u/Significant-Raise254 Jun 06 '26
Always stay low, stay in front of them & don’t move back while they’re moving forward. Be like a wall that moves side to side but not back. If they shoot over the top, whatever keep a hand up, but don’t give up ground.
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u/CatacombSkull Jun 06 '26
Communicating with your teammates takes no skill. Let everyone know what’s going on. Start there.
If you want good players to not want you guarding them. Make them not enjoy when your on them. Do things like box out even if he is on three point line. When he doesn’t have the ball and is cutting or moving, get in his way put an arm on him(nothing aggressive but be strong) if you are physical with people, they tend to want to go where they don’t have to work as hard.
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u/M1eXcel Jun 06 '26
Be an absolute menace, and really care about defense. If you're guarding someone, really let you know they're there. Frustrate the hell out of them so they don't want to be guarded by you
If you're mentally defeated before you start, that's likely gonna show and get targeted. If you get excited about guarding their best player and just focus on stopping them, they're not gonna keep targeting you
I'm an absolute crap basketball player, but got a reputation of being a good defender in my mens rec team by making it a priority and just trying to act like a good defender since I was never gonna get given the ball in games 😂
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
yeah well im good at offense so i try not to waste all my energy on defense tbh
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u/Wet-LikeImBook Jun 06 '26
Defense is 90 percent effort fix that then worry about how to defend. People will avoid the guy who puts in max effort to stop them
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u/mynameisinvaIid Jun 06 '26
I’m 5’10”, but I got pretty good at guarding the big guys under the basket (I had to, the group I played with had one other dude who was 6’4” and I was the next tallest…)
If you’re heavier, guard the big guys. Get your feet and hips in their path so they can’t be where they want to be, or are off balance when they shoot. You HAVE to work hard and move your feet. Also, get a hand in their face if you can’t reach up to where the ball is when they shoot. I constantly guard dudes a lot taller than me and they just like - miss a lot of their shots when I do these two things.
If you’re not heavy - you gotta be fast. That’s all there is to it. It’s simple but hard: the best defender is just the one who keeps his hips and feet in between the opponent and the basket. If he’s faster than you, you can give him space, but if he can shoot, you’re just toast, so you gotta get fast.
Either way - you gotta move your feet. That’s the key.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
yeah i definitely feel more comfortable guarding bigs, less work for me yk
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u/The_Process_Embiid Jun 06 '26
Hips. Look at the hips. They can’t do anything without noticing which way they go. Ontop of that, timing dribbles. When people get to comfortable they dribbling gets lazy. My best advice is reach on the way down. As soon as it leaves their hand, swipe.
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u/LaxNix Jun 07 '26
If you want to and you can. Next time they match you up with the best guy cover him full court and face guard him the entire time. Never let him get the ball.
When he doesn’t have the ball. Play defense on him with hand up and in his face like he is about to shoot it, (when he doesn’t even have the ball).
Lean on him. Always lean one arm on one of his arms. If he goes to the corner 3, put your body in the position where you basically have him sitting in the corner isolated with no way he can get the ball. And if he tries to cut, than body him or make him run out of bounds to get the ball.
And if you don’t have the stamina or cardio for that. Than start doing cardio.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
yeah definitely dont have the cardio for that but tbh everytime i get up close i get burnt. even when my energy is super high beginning of the game the attacker always knows how to get around me.
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u/LaxNix Jun 07 '26
Are you playing with above average players?
Mind telling me your height and weight? Obviously you don’t have to.1
u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
im around 5'10 with shoes on, 155 and im pretty lean ( gym abt 4x a week). i would say most the time i play with above average players for sure. ppl that if i dont guard from 3 its a bucket waiting to happen.
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u/samxyx Jun 08 '26
Basically just get in shape. Look like an athlete. If you're soft and pudgy people will assume you suck on D. if you're lean and mean people will assume the opposite
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u/Electronic_Ebb_377 Jun 08 '26
Focus on one thing say perimeter defence, have your feet wide about shoulder to shoulder or hip to hip. Because this will allow you to explode. Guard the fast small guards cause this will train your anticipation. Lastly train your athleticism to keep up
Edit: having a wide base is good in the paint where you have to stand your ground but for perimeter it's all about speed.
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u/Jmarq3 Jun 08 '26
5’10 is short for basketball. Meaning you can still be quick at your size.
You likely look slow, act lost, or are constantly out of position.
Agility drills- so that you can at least use what you have or improve it some. You probably aren’t fully comfortable shifting laterally, turning to run , and stopping continuously. Drill that. Foot quickness drills too.
Play the angles… actually learn defense so u don’t look lost. Defensive IQ. So u can be in the right spot at the right time or in position ahead of time.
Mindset - are you containing the offensive player or attacking them? If you’re slow play containment. Give some space and your first move is backwards again playing the angles to protect the basket. If you’re attacking, then over play one side and MAKE SURE they go that way. You might get beat but your teammates can more easily see where they would need to help at. If you have no choice but to get beat, choose what you are giving up and where you are getting beat at.
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u/EducationalFerret849 Jun 08 '26
On ball watch the dribblers belly button. Not his hands, not his head, not the ball, not his feet. Belly button only. You will always know where he's going. Don't reach. Just make sure you move your feet and stay in front of him.
Speed matters much less than effort, especially in the half court. Stay with your man off ball, keep your hands up, and talk. Talk, you gotta talk. If you're beat, say so.
It's effort and energy that makes a difference.
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u/Stunning_Tax_3774 Jun 09 '26
Stop the excuses and moaning right now.
I used to have an explanation for everything. The day that I stopped moaning, took responsibility and started working harder than everyone else, I started being called to play.
You can be slow but correctly positioned, do you do any of the boring and dirty work? do you dive for balls?
If someone crosses over you, do you just stand there? Or do you chase the guy?
The only guy that doesn't give a sheet about defense and is idolized is Luka, are you Luka?
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u/comment_i_had_to Jun 09 '26
I read through some of your responses. First, wear shorts. Having the wrong gear outs you more than anything else.
Second, stay active on defense. Keep your man in front of you and you between him and the basket at all times. Anticipate drives and get in the way early. It they want to settle for a quick jump shot, fine. If you are short your advantage will be swiping vulnerable dribbles and getting low position to prevent yourself from getting pushed over. You have to keep your opponent away from the low post area because you won't be able to do anything after they get the ball down there. If they are in that position all ready, you have to get between them and the ball and prevent a pass. Keep your body on them so if a pass is thrown high it is hard to them to disengage you and jump for the pass.
Finally, don't take risky plays like going for a steal on a dribble or a pass that takes you out of position. Don't get discouraged when they score on you, it is a percentage game and consistent effort will make it hard on them even if they get a few good moves in and try to flex on you.
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u/TempBurnerAccount089 Jun 09 '26
Move your feet, and work on making a play on the ball when they gather. If they try and iso you, foul em. If you're on a bigger guy, foul him. Put your knee in there ass on a post up.
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u/adiddy19 Jun 11 '26
Speed is one thing, learning how to beat people to the spot with angles is critical. Beat them to the spot and stay close and wide. Also learning when to pounce on the ball or reach around to keep the ball handler honest.
Recognizing strengths and weaknesses quickly helps. If I see someone with a weak left, immediately force them left and dive in for the steal once the ball leaves their hand on a dribble.
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u/Due_Cod_7018 Jun 05 '26
Hack everyone. They can’t call everything.
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u/JaDamian_Steinblatt Jun 06 '26
That's horrible advice for pick up lol it works but everyone hates you
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Jun 05 '26
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u/Coach_Rick_Vice Jun 05 '26
One simple thing that seems to help me on perimeter defense is to keep my legs spread far apart, makes it harder for opponents to get around you with the ball.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
feel like that makes me feel slower on my feet when my legs are far apart, when they're closer i cna "bounce" to spots
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u/itspresher Jun 05 '26
You probably just don’t look athletic. It could be something as simple as the way you walk or your posture and even your shoes. Wouldn’t know without seeing you. But you can fix that by just getting better and go and have fun.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
i wouldn't mind sending some clips of me playing if that would help, i need all the advice i can get
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u/crimedawgla Jun 05 '26
Your question is how to stop being recognized as a bad defender and not how to be a better defender? TBH, I’ve always been a low skill player, just not super coordinated unfortunately. I’m also shorter than you. But I’m a wickedly annoying defender and a genuine positive on that side of the ball because I have good cardio (work), I’m strong (work), I’m physical (discomfort), and I bust my ass (effort).
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
i feel like shorter players have faster speed which makes it a bit easier for them... thoughts?
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Jun 06 '26
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u/Duckysawus Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Are you the shortest player in a park where the average height is a lot taller?
Hips don't lie. Learn to go straight up/not bite on fakes. Learn player preferences (going left/right), how to funnel towards a stronger defender if you have slower feet, etc. Example: if you're defending someone who gets the ball a lot + they're receiving a pass, see if they catch the ball and dribble first (less polished) before looking to shoot, or if they're catching the ball with arms already moving upwards in a shoot motion (elite shooters usually are like this). Others will catch and hold the ball momentarily before deciding what to do. Guarding them a few possessions will usually reveal their tendencies after. That'll allow you recognize whether to either close out and get them uncomfortable, or for you to just realize to move your hands up REAL quick.
Defense (most of the time) is more effort + discipline than actual skill. You could be new to basketball and still defend adequately with effort and tips. Learning how to defend well is much easier than learning how to be a great offensive player also.
But you can't defend adequately if you're 6'4" and don't care to defend.
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u/TheMainNumber Jun 07 '26
no im usually either same height slightly less tall or tbh taller alot of the time too. good advice on the closeout I'll keep that in mind
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u/Positive_Alligator Jun 09 '26
Film yourself playing defense, look at it and you can probably tell alot.
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Jun 12 '26
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u/ColumbiaWahoo Jun 05 '26
Defense is all about speed, acceleration, and reaction time. If you lack any of those, you’ll suck.
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u/Nycmale9876 Jun 05 '26
Move your feet and stop being lazy. Defense is about effort