Employing a set of good basketball pre-game warm-ups, such as jogging and layup drills, will go a long way toward helping prevent injury and enhance game performance. Unlike drills and activities held during practices, pre-game warm-ups should be low-intensity activities that will get the players' blood flowing to their muscles and sharpen skills that are used during a game, such as free throw shooting and rebounding.
Field Goal Warm-Ups
As your team enters the gym or arena, have the players slowly jog a lap or two around your team's half of the court. Skipping is another warm-up that will help loosen the muscles used during a game. Follow this with the formation of two lines near each sideline for shooting drills. As the players from the line with the ball attempt a layup, a corresponding player from the other line advances to the basket to rebound the ball and pass it to the next player in the opposite line. The shooting player then takes his place in the rebounding line and the rebounder takes his place in the shooting line. After each player has a few turns at shooting and rebounding, switch the shooting line to the other side of the court and repeat. This warm-up progresses to a shooting drill that proceeds in the same manner, but involves shooting jump shots instead.
Free Throw Warm-Ups
Since players shoot free throws during a game after they've been moving around, it makes sense to have them do the same during pre-game warm-ups. As each player takes her place at the free throw line, the remaining players jog slowly from their spots along the key to the sidelines and back until it is their turn to shoot. It's likely some players will be in position to rebound missed free throws, but it's a good idea to have an equipment manager or an assistant coach in place to grab those rebounds that players are out of position to grab.
Rebounding Warm-Ups
Centers and forwards get the bulk of the rebounding responsibilities during a basketball game, so it's important to get them warmed up for this assignment. Pair up your rebounding players, designating one as defense and the other as offense. Have the shooting players, such as guards and small forwards, take shots while the paired forwards and centers practice boxing each other out for rebounding position. Since it's important for all players to warm up, be sure to keep each of them involved in every pre-game warm-up.
Defensive Warm-Ups
Have players form three lines at or near mid-court. A player in each line will begin the warm-up by dribbling the ball while slowly jogging toward the basket, while another player, with her back to the basket, applies the defensive stances and positions learned in practice while backing up as she would during a game. While the focus of this drill is to provide warming up for defensive applications, the player with the ball should not go full out in her attempt to score. Once the players have reached the basket, the next set of players begin the drill again.
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