The hip turn and the drop step

Defensive footwork is one of the most contentious subjects among basketball coaches. One reason for pursuing a doctorate was to examine the difference between a hip turn and a drop step, as many basketball coaches are adamant about the drop step, despite the lack of research into the two methods of footwork.Below is a link to a paper published in 2014 that compared the hip turn and drop step in a short change-of-direction task. If you want the Cliff Notes version, the hip turn is faster.IJSSC 9-4 Hip Turn:Drop StepBy Brian McCormick, PhDDirector of Coaching, Playmakers Basketball Development LeagueAuthor, The 21st Century Basketball Practice