The coach, 4, sets the ball in the middle of the circle and backs out to the wing with the whistle. Defenders stand on the circle facing out, partners a step outside facing them, because the drill starts with everyone low and seeing his man.

Whistle: 1, 2, and 3 attack the ball hard, because a box-out that was never tested teaches nothing. The defenders have not moved yet; the point is that they react to the man, not the whistle.

X1, X2, and X3 pivot into their men, front or reverse, backside into the thighs and arms wide, so that contact comes first and the ball second. A defender who turns to look at the ball before he hits has already lost.

The offense swims and spins to get around; the defenders slide with them and hold for a five count, legs doing the work, because a hand on the jersey is a point for the offense and a foul in a game.

Five count done and nobody touched the ball, so the box-out wins the rep. Everyone steps back to his spot and the pairs switch roles, because the drill only sticks when both players feel the pivot from each side; reset and go again.

The coach, 1, shoots from the wing. Everyone treats it as a miss, makes included, because the habit is to rebound every shot rather than to guess which ones go in.

3 and 4 crash from the wing and corner while 2 stays home as the point. X2 and X3 each find a man and make contact before they turn to the ball, so the hit comes first; X4 holds the middle of the lane because the long rebound lands there.

The ball comes off the front of the rim and X4 goes to get it with two hands at the top of his jump, because the rebound belongs to the man who pursues it, not the man who waits for it.

X4 secures the rebound and chins it, elbows out. X2 and X3 release their men and sprint to the outlet spots the moment they see the ball secured, so the rebound turns into offense without a wasted second.

X4 pivots away from the crowd and outlets to X2; the defense owns the ball, so the rep ends, the points go on the board, and the coach reloads. A rebound that converts to a break is the whole reason the drill exists.