Basketball teams that don't rebound well usually don't win. And if you can't box out, you can't rebound well. The term "boxing out" might be better expressed as "keeping away." The team on defense must learn to quickly find, get their body in front of, and keep the opposition from getting inside position to pull down offensive rebounds. This applies to guards as well as big men, especially since the advent of the three-point line leads to long rebounds on missed shots.
Technique
Blocking out your opponent requires effort, focus and a certain amount of aggression. Boxing out and rebounding often results in a lot of contact. When a shot goes up, you need to find the man you are guarding, stay in front of him, pivot, bend from the waist, take a wide stance with arms and legs extended, put your backside into your opponent, and seal him away from the basket. Don't let a taller opponent push you under the basket, because he then is able to jump straight up over you without fouling and snatch the rebound.
Team Drills
A good box-out drill for all 10 players is to gather them around the free throw circle, offensive and defensive players facing each other. The coach puts the ball in the center of the circle. When the whistle blows, offensive players try to get the ball, while defensive players pivot, box them out for five seconds without committing a holding foul, and try to prevent an offensive player from penetrating and grabbing the ball. A coach might make the losing team run a lap.
Individual Drills
A good drill for an individual player is to box out, rebound, and throw an outlet pass to another teammate. One defensive player is in the lane and an offensive player takes a shot from around the foul line. They battle for the rebound as the defensive player boxes out. If the defensive player is able to box out and get the rebound, he pivots and throws an outlet pass to a teammate on the same side of the basket where he grabbed the rebound.
Considerations
Box out drills have many variations, but all of them teach the fundamental skill of boxing out by getting between the basket and the man you are guarding and keeping your opponent behind you. After you have successfully boxed out your man, you need to find the ball as it comes off the rim, and aggressively rip it down. You should jump high with your arms extended, grab the ball, and protect it by pivoting away from your opponent with the ball beneath your chin and arms extended. By pivoting toward the nearest sideline, you will be in a position to throw an outlet pass to a teammate to start the fast break.
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