Disruptive Control: How Pressure Puts Defense Back in Charge
Today, let’s talk about one of my favorite concepts on defense: disruptive control. But before we dive in, let me say this: at its core, defense is a reactionary movement skill. Thus, when we train individual defenders, once they master the mechanics of a movement and start developing the necessary coordination, we progress as early as possible to adding a reactive element. This continues to challenge the movement pattern and muscle growth while also training one of the most crucial aspects of defense—reaction time.
However, this necessity for reaction is why many players prefer offense to defense. On offense, players are excited to see what they will do next, what play they will make, or what play their teammates will execute. No one gets excited waiting to see what happens to them. Would you rather be driving the race car or trying to dodge it? The answer is obvious. This is the logic many players use: defense isn’t fun because they aren’t in control. But this logic is flawed. Great defenders are excited to go back on defense because they’re mindset is in control, “How can I disrupt this play? How can I get a stop here?” Elite defenders feel empowered on defense, and a large part of that mindset is rooted in disruptive control. So, what exactly is disruptive control?
Disruptive control is the counterintuitive concept that by applying more pressure to the offense, you gain more control over them. Many players are afraid to pressure the ball because they fear it opens them up to blow-bys. They don't realize that pressure can actually provide an advantage. Don’t get me wrong, you need a skilled and athletic defender to execute this idea effectively. But staying back, even against average players, makes guarding them sometimes even harder—they can use setup moves, get you leaning, shifting, and attack with speed. When you give an offensive player space, you have no control.
Pressure can change that dynamic. While this may sound idealistic or incredibly difficult to achieve, remember that the more you pressure an offensive player, the more predictable they become. By pressuring on the right hip, the only way they can attack is towards the left. Now the defender can anticipate and cut off or contain the attack. This is why elite pressure defenders are always changing their angles and shifting their feet—they must maintain control by constantly taking away the primary option.
Many coaches use the term “turn them,” which this anticipatory and quick reaction will allow, but a pressure defender preferably thinks “beat them.” Beat them to their next option. This is why we refer to these defenders as pests—you can’t seem to get rid of them.
For years, we have referred to this skill as an instinct, a trait some defenders possess while others do not. But I have found this not to be the case. Disruptive control is a skill and a skill can and should be taught.
My preference is to start with a 2v1 transition drill. Here, the odds are heavily stacked against the defender—most defenders get caught on their heels waiting to see what happens. But they must learn not to be spectators. Instead, they should take control of the 2v1.
In fact, the defender actually has a lot of control; they can decide if the offense needs to pass, who gets the layup, which side of the basket, strong hand/weak hand, etc. The mind games start to occur: stunting and recovering, making the offense unsure: how can I bait this player into a pass and jump it? How can I make this player who wants to pass keep it and try to finish against me? Who’s worse at making layups? This guy has no left hand...
Once your players shift their mindset in a 2v1 situation, changing to a 1v1 setting becomes easier. The mindset stays the same; only the application changes. Now we can pressure the ball handler and, by doing so, make them more predictable. If I get all over this player’s left hip, I know they have to attack me to the right. With this knowledge, I can anticipate and beat them to the spot at the first sign of an attack. My favorite drill to create these situations is Pressure Box.
In this drill, we set up a box about the size of the paint. The offensive player’s goal is to create separation within this box greater than an arm’s distance. If the offensive player creates this separation, they call out and get 1 point. The defender’s goal is to limit space and continually pressure the ball handler, limiting the offensive player’s points. It’s a great drill for both sides—developing pressure and learning how to handle it. Coaches can walk around and hold up fingers to ensure the offensive players are keeping their eyes up.
Three key things will occur for the defender in this drill:
They will start to use a chest slide to catch an attack and stand up the offensive player.
They will learn how to take away space without being overly aggressive. If you storm at an offensive player, they will just blow by you. It’s a cat-and-mouse game, getting in and out, finding the right pressure distance. When they sense weakness—a shaky retreat dribble, a fumbled counter move—they should amp up the pressure.
Most importantly, players will start to develop the skill of disruptive control. This will be the turning point for many defenders.
Lastly, another favorite of mine is the 1v1 Lane Line drill. (Note: if you want to go viral on TikTok, you might want to think of catchier names for these drills.) This is the one drill that coaches at my clinics highlight the most when talking to me afterward. It’s not only a pressure-developing drill but also teaches the mindset that great defense leads to great offense.
In this drill, we use the lane lines to establish a lane from the baseline to the top of the key. The offense starts on the baseline in the middle of the lane lines, the defense is ready to defend them as the offense attempts to make their way to the top of the key. The defender counts each time they turn the offensive player. When the ball handler gets to the top of the key, he/she puts the ball down and the defending player picks the ball up for a 1v1 situation (offense and defense changing roles). Now, how many dribbles does the offense get? However many turns they got on defense. If they get 3 turns, they get 3 dribbles. If they got 1 turn, they get 1 dribble. If they got no turns, good luck… The drill naturally incentivizes defenders by rewarding them on offense.
This drill not only reinforces disruptive control but also helps establish the value of defense. If you would like to see these drills in video, I recommend looking them up on my YouTube Channel or Twitter/X feed.
In summary, defense doesn’t have to be all reactionary. In fact, the best defenders rarely view it that way at all. If defenders are playing on their heels they are at the mercy of the offensive player. Defenders need to know and learn the power of taking control, and sometimes, the best way to gain control is to apply pressure.