Rebounding is a critical aspect of basketball and one that gets a lot of attention from coaches. Rebounds are easy to quantify and they have a direct effect on the outcome of a game. Teams that are better at rebounding are more likely to finish the game with more possessions. Offensive rebounds are particularly valuable because they give an offense a second chance to score, often from a spot close to the basket. Of the various techniques used to improve your odds of pulling down a rebounding, boxing out is the most widely used.
Step 1
Move between your opponent and the basket as the ball is being shot. This will put you at a positional advantage, essentially giving you the first opportunity to get the rebound.
Step 2
Back away from the hoop to push your opponent farther away from the basket. This gives you better access to a larger radius around the hoop, creating more space where you have a rebounding advantage. The farther away you can move your opponent from the basket, the more likely you are to get the rebound.
Step 3
Stick your butt out slightly as you crouch and prepare to jump. Keep your arms wide to the sides to prevent your opponent from going around your body and snagging the rebound.
Step 4
Jump toward the ball and try to catch it at your highest point. This provides the least amount of opportunity for your opponent to catch the ball.
Tips and Warnings
- Grab the loose ball with both hands to secure the rebound. Be careful when trying to out-muscle an opponent and push them away from the basket. If you are too aggressive, you could get called for a foul and effectively give the ball to the opposing team. Boxing out also gives you a better chance of drawing an over-the-back foul from the opponent, which is recorded as a personal foul against that player. Boxing out is more effective when you are positioned several feet away from the hoop. Do not attempt to box out if you are close or underneath the hoop. Because a rebound is not likely to fall in those locations, your chances of getting the rebound are low. Boxing out does not always work. Sometimes rebounds travel far away from the hoop, well beyond your box-out. Do not let this discourage you, since these types of rebounds are difficult to predict and rarely occur.
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