Being a defender automatically puts you at a disadvantage. Why? Because we all know that action is quicker than reaction. This is no different in basketball. One of the worst things that can happen to a player’s ego is when he or she gets crossed up while playing defense. The odds are stacked against the defender but if the defender knows where to look when playing defense you can have a little more advantage on your side. So where should you look when playing defense? The simple answer is to look at the offensive player’s chest or torso area while guarding them. Keep reading below for some must know additional information to take into consideration when a defender is trying to determine where to look when playing defense.
Look at the opponent’s chest when playing defense
Looking at the opponents chest can give the defender an advantage. Plus, two important things can happen when looking at the opponents chest while playing defense.
First, it helps the defender react more appropriately to the offensive player’s actions. If you can see the center of their body you will be able to use your peripheral vision to see the entire body. This is better than trying to focus on their feet or eyes which limits your vision to only the lower or upper part of their body. Additionally, focusing on the center of the body helps you avoid falling for various offensive fakes that could throw you off balance and create an opportunity for the offensive player.
Second, with your line of vision at the center of their body it will help improve your situational awareness. What I mean by this is that you will be able to see what is going on around you. This can prepare you for what may be coming and help you react. For instance, you may see a screener moving into position. Knowing this information early gives you the time to make a better decision on how to react properly so you don’t lose your player and give them a chance to score.
Why you shouldn’t look at the ball
Fake passes are common place at all levels of basketball. If a defensive player focuses on the ball he/she could inappropriately react to a fake pass and get thrown off of his defensive stance for a split second. Losing your balance in defense is not a good thing. This is enough time for the offensive player to attack a weak stance and execute a dribble penetration or get open for a quick and easy jumper.
Looking at the ball can also limit your peripheral vision. Losing your peripheral vision can take away from your situational awareness. If you are not aware of your surroundings you limit your ability to help your team.
Why you shouldn’t look at their eyes
Many players are good at seeing a broad area of the court and typically won’t need to telegraph their next move with their eyes. Plus if you are focused on their eyes your line of vision will be so high that you will miss other parts of the body that are better indicators of which direction the offensive player is moving.
Why you shouldn’t look at their feet
Seeing the feet and focusing on the feet are two different things. The feet are very important in basketball. They can often times tell you which direction the offensive player is going or wants to go but focusing on the feet certainly limits your ability to see the rest of the body which as we learned above is important.
A defensive player who is focusing on the feet will also limit their situational awareness.
Although the basic rule of thumb is to look at the chest or torso area when you are playing defense there are situations where you will be expected to look in other places. This is because basketball is a game of constant movement and strategy so there are many variables to really know where you should be looking while playing defense. In the remainder of this article I breakdown a few situations to help you better understand where to look when playing defense in basketball.
Depends on the type of defense
There are different types of team defenses that can have an impact on where you look when playing defense. I will explain.
Zone defense:
If you are playing zone defense, you may have more than one player in your zone or nobody at all! Regardless, it is important to see the ball and any players cutting through your zone. If you are assigned at the bottom (near the basket) of the zone you are in a good position to see pretty much everything going on and are responsible to communicating to the guards at the top of the zone. Things to communicate are cutters and screeners that are approaching them.
If the player you are guarding in your zone has the ball you should focus on the torso or chest area. This area will help you maintain visual control of your opponent and to provide the appropriate amount of coverage.
Man defense:
In Man Defense it will depend if your “man” has the ball or not. If the player you are matched up with has the ball, it is called “on-ball defense”. While playing on ball defense you should focus on the player’s chest or torso area as mentioned below.
If your man does not have the ball it is called off-ball defense. During off ball defense you need to look at the offensive player you are guarding and the ball at all times. This can be difficult because most offenses in basketball require offensive players to constantly be in motion and for the ball to be moved. It is important for you to be in a position that allows you to be mobile while still seeing all of the action.
Defense during the inbound:
What about when the other team inbounds the ball? Where should you look when guarding against the inbound? This depends on what strategy your coach has. One of my favorite strategies when playing defense while the other team is inbounding the ball under the basket is to deny the pass and force a five second call. To do this I have my players face their opponent and look at the upper torso area so they can see their eyes. I have them maintain enough distance to react and encourage them to just stay with their opponent. As the coach I keep my eyes on the in-bounder and when I see the pass I alert my player by yelling their name. This is the signal for them to get close and get their hands up to disrupt the inbound. The goal is to make it hard to successfully get the inbound pass or force a deflection or steal.
Defense is a mentality and it wins games! Defensive players should look at the torso/chest areas and be committed to stay with their opponent.