Euro Step Drill
Setup
Players line up with a ball in hand around the half court line as if preparing for a fast break opportunity.
Purpose
It is always important to be aware of the location of surrounding defenders because it will inform how you attack the hoop. In the case where a player is slightly ahead of you and in position to cut off your path to the hoop, it may be the appropriate time to pull out the advanced Euro Step maneuver in order to navigate around the defender and take the ball to the hoop.
Drill Description
The drill begins with the player charging towards the hoop from around half court. Once they get in position to take a layup, they will instead engage the steps needed to pull of the Euro Step.
These steps include the first bounce with the right foot in order to make it look like they are on a normal layup trajectory. This first step can be a little higher and bouncier depending on the timing and leverage needed to pull it off. Immediately after making contact with the ground, the right foot should explode back off the ground at a hard angle back to the left. The key with this step is the sharp angle in order to get back around the defender who should now be flying in front of their face. After landing with the left foot, the left foot should simply jump back up as if it is the second step of a normal layup, where the player will then release the ball into the hoop.
Once players get a feel for the footwork, consider adding in a decoy defender to run through the court at an angle ahead of them, so that players can get a feel for the footwork and timing needed to take full advantage of a successful Euro Step.
Tip: This drill pairs well with the Jump Stop Drill so that you can give your players two different options for attacking the hoop depending on where the defenders are located around them.
