The Dribble-Drive Motion: A Look at the Numbers

Last night, I broke down the current Kentucky roster and evaluated the potential of each player in John Calipari's Dribble-Drive Motion offense. Tonight, I am going to take a look at the statistical production of the DDM and also look at the success it has created at several programs. For a brief introduction to the offense, check out my article from last night.

The innovative creator of the DDM was Vance Walberg. He developed the offense while coaching at the high school level. After a successful run, he moved on to coach Fresno City Junior College in California. During Walberg's tenure, Fresno City used the Dribble-Drive Motion (known as AASAA back then) to accumulate an unbelievable 133-11 record between 2003-06. The team was 34-0 in 2005, using the DDM.

Walberg was hired to coach at Pepperdine University in the 2006-07 season. Pepperdine, coming off a 7-20 season, did not have the personnel required to run the DDM effectively in Walberg's only full season at the helm (he left due to personal reasons early in the following season). The team finished 8-23 in 2006-07. Here is a look at Pepperdine's statistical numbers in the pre-DDM season and the 2006-07 season:

Pepperdine 2005-06 (Pre-DDM)

66.0 PTS, 638-1556 (.410) FG, 381-563 (.677) FT, 121-383 (.324) 3PT, 10.4 AST, 15.1 TO

Pepperdine 2006-07 (Running DDM)

77.1 PTS, 840-1946 (.432) FG, 406-578 (.702) FT, 303-843 (.359) 3PT, 13.8 AST, 15.3 TO

Pepperdine Analysis:

Neither team was very good, but the first thing that jumps out to me is that the team's scoring average increased by 11.1 points a game using the DDM system. Their percentages increased in all shooting areas and the number of assists per game increased significantly. Losing 23 games while averaging 77.1 points would indicate that the team struggled mightily on defense, but the offensive production certainly improved using the DDM. Another number that really jumps off the page to me is that the DDM team shot nearly 500 more 3-point shots than the previous team. That would seem to hold with the theory that the mid-range game is virtually eliminated when running a true DDM system. The offense is designed to get driving, short-range shots or good looks from beyond the 3-point line.

A better case study can be performed using the Memphis Tigers. John Calipari implemented the Dribble-Drive Motion in the 2005-06 season following a disappointing 22-16 campaign. The offense paid immediate dividends. Now, I will illustrate the DDM's effectiveness by looking at four seasons running the DDM and the four seasons prior to running the DDM.

Memphis 2001-05 (Pre-DDM)

2001-02 27-9 NIT Champions
2002-03 23-7 NCAA 1st Round
2003-04 22-8 NCAA 2nd Round
2004-05 22-16 NIT Semifinals

4-Year Totals: 94-40

Memphis 2005-09 (Running DDM)

2005-06 33-4 NCAA Elite 8
2006-07 33-4 NCAA Elite 8
2007-08 38-2 NCAA Runner-up
2008-09 33-4 NCAA Sweet 16

4-Year Totals: 137-14

Memphis Statistical Breakdown

2001- 02 80.0 PTS, 1045-2276 (.459) FG, 608-912 (.667) FT, 181-501 (.361) 3PT, 15.4 AST, 14.4 TO
2002-03 74.3 PTS, 812-1878 (.432) FG, 462-706 (.654) FT,217-638 (.340) 3PT, 16.3 AST, 13.7 TO
2003-04 72.4 PTS, 736-1751 (.420) FG, 441-671 (.657) FT,259-722 (.359) 3PT, 14.2 AST, 12.8 TO
2004-05 71.4 PTS, 906-2139 (.424) FG, 644-942 (.684) FT, 248-746 (.346) 3PT, 12.0 AST, 14.7 TO

_________________________DDM Implementation_____________________________

2005-06 80.0 PTS, 1035-2291 (.451) FG, 616-903 (.682) FT, 277-783 (.354) 3PT, 15.3 AST, 15.5 TO
2006-07 78.9 PTS, 1024-2249 (.455) FG, 592-953 (.621) FT, 278-792 (.351) 3PT, 14.5 AST, 13.3 TO
2007-08 79.9 PTS, 1143-2454 (.466) FG, 608-991 (.614) FT, 302-864 (.349) 3PT, 15.9 AST, 11.8 TO
2008-09 75.1 PTS, 979-2176 (.450) FG, 599-868 (.690) FT, 222-681 (.326) 3PT, 14.2 AST, 12.5 TO

Memphis Analysis:

Obviously, the first thing that I notice with Memphis is that they went from 22-16 running a conventional offense to 33-4 running the DDM. They went from early NCAA exits and NIT appearances to competing for Final Fours. In 2007-08, they were a few missed free throws away from a possible national championship.

From a statistical perspective, the offense improved in several areas. First, their overall points scored the first four seasons averaged out to 74.53 points a game. In four seasons running the DDM, the average increased to 78.48 points a game. The team shot over 45% from the field each season after Dribble-Drive Motion implementation. That is up from roughly 42% the previous four seasons. There was also a dramatic increase in the number of free throws attempted while running the DDM - again, this is consistent with getting the ball to the rim with more frequency.

What Have We Learned?

- The DDM is an effective offense that can dramatically improve offensive production
- The offense requires talented players that excel in with penetration and attacking the rim
- Solid guard play is a must for this offense to be effective
- The better perimeter shooters a team has, the more dangerous the DDM becomes
- The pace that the DDM calls for will require a deep bench

My Thoughts on the DDM at Kentucky:

- The Dribble-Drive Motion will give Kentucky fans the style of offense they have longed for
- Jodie Meeks could be an absolute stud in this offense
- Patrick Patterson could be even better than he has already been in this offense
- Players like Galloway and Liggins could potentially explode in this offensive scheme
- Darius Miller could be a Kentucky great in this type of system
- Non-athletic players will likely struggle in this offense
- Next season will be the most exciting season Kentucky fans have had in sometime
- The future is bright in Lexington