(1) Steal the Rock… Earn a Spot
“D or Die” Defender (D): Let me be clear. The top defender on the floor is going to make the team.  In most cases, the top defender is going to play quite a bit for most coaches –ask Coach Wooden. Whether on the ball or off, making defensive plays will get you noticed. In fact, off-the-ball defense (Lane Patrol) gives you an opportunity for defensive highlights. You should stay in the passing lane. A deflection, a quick push and emphatic throwdown (if it’s like that)– even a lay-up looks nice. Either way you’ll get to put your hands together and holla “let’s go” on the way back.

(2) Get Rebounds…Get Noticed

Rebound Hound (R): If you’re cleaning up the glass, you’ll get to sip the team gatorade all season long. There’s a place for anyone who’s snatching boards, on any level.  Understanding P&P (Probability & Proximity) is a  surefire way to add to your rebound total. Teams with top rebounders always seem to be higher caliber.  Ever heard of Dennis Rodman, Ben Wallace or Paul Silas? I think it’s  the extra possessions and second chance shots they create . Sometimes those extra looks are easy put-backs and ways into the scoring column.

Related: “Bound Together”

(3) Jack of All Plays

Momentum Man (MM): A momentum person always seems to make big plays- at both ends of the court. It could be taking a charge, coming up with a steal, a blocked shot, a pair of big free-throws- maybe a huge bucket…whatever it is, it’s usually critical. These players bring a list of intangibles to the fray that always seem to fit the occasion; it could be something as simple as extra intensity. Every team needs a couple of these guys.

The beauty of these roles is that none requires you to have the basketball. There’s only one basketball, but those three options are always available. Besides, all things equal, you’d only have the ball 20 percent of the time anyway. This way, what you’re able to  do with the ball (when you get it) will only add to your display. Mastering at least one of these roles will not only get you a spot on the team, but will also land you a spot in the rotation. Trust me. Once you make it out onto the floor, I guarantee you’ll end up having a ball.

 

Everybody knows by now that he needs to develop his post game, and I’d love to work him through “A Dose of my Post.” But if  I could just get him to understand “Lane Play” (The Virtual Game of Basketball), every NBA exec outside of Pat Riley and the Heat brass would be looking to give me the guillotine.

Nonetheless, LeBron is a ridiculous player as is and certainly a joy to watch. In my humble opinion he has the greatest scope of vision of any player since Magic Johnson. Yet the enigma that is LeBron James brings up an interesting discussion about capacity (what you have) and capability (what you do with what you have). I suppose it’s why we are delighted by LeBron’s spectacular demonstrations, yet truly marvel at the better players who operate closer to their capacities (Steve Nash still pops in my brain when I think of that guy) .

No matter where you are on the spectrum of  skill (physical, technical, intellectual application, emotional/grit) or PTAG , Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is what it’s all about.  Let’s suppose your PTAG is 2/3/3/3 or 11 out of 20 (11/20)- since the maximum in each category is 5. Thus, 11 would equate to level 55 (or so), still just over half of what’s possible.  Now if  your overall skill level is 10 (out of 100) you ‘re a beginner and  should push to get to level 20 and beyond and beyond– that’s obvious. My point is, once players get to around level 50+ or 60, the majority ( at least far too many) fail to get better -other than physically. Hopefully they continue to get wiser.

Skill set development suffers after that because at level 50+ or 60 players can play, even though they  may be far from their capacities. Many players think they’re better than they actually are and getting them to listen can be a challenge, especially if what they already possess is “enough”. Level 50 (on average) are top high school, level 60 upper college, and 70 approaching NBA level.  Let’s also add that  Kobe could easily be in the upper 80′s with a “Virtual” mindset (cleaner application) . Where are you? How much cap space do you have?

(related: “Evaluation Fixation”)

In the end, LeBron could (with the right information) have the highest number of all time… I’m hoping this is what Scottie Pippen meant to say. Truth is, LeBron is not nor is he guaranteed to be greater than Michael Jordan.  It’s just when you see his immense potential you know in your heart it’s possible, even though your brain may doubt it presently.

Think of the spot he’s in. He’s living the life of a king and his game is filthy–forget championship rings for a moment,.  What will be his hunger pang when he finally puts on that ring (he will). Not to mention, that  once your game gets to a certain level of development it’s hard to find people that can actually help you get better.

(related: “eMPTy Without It”)

I heard LeBron was spending time with Hakeem (Olajuwon) working on the his post game.  The lockout could be providing him more time to get it together. I guess Olajuwon should be careful too.

 

 

Even if you are open, is the shot you’re about to take the best option for the team.  Sometimes a fifteen foot open shot is worse than a twenty -two foot open shot.  It all depends on whose taking the shot. The raw truth is…you’ve got to have a shot to make it. As a shooter you’ve got to expect to make it every time you shoot it. However, a true sign of being  a quality shooter is when everyone around you (coaches, player’s, fans) expect you to make it. Unfortunately, all shooters are not created equally. the good news is not all quality shooters share the same mechanics, but all HAVE mastered the technical and artistic nuances necessary to put the ball in the basket.

THE BALL DOESN’T LIE, IF IT DROPS OFTEN YOU QUALIFY. CONVERSELY: IF YOU DON’T POP THE NET ON THE REGULAR… YOU’RE SHOT IS JUST REGULAR.  ——

Fortunately, there are other ways you can contribute, and it might include scoring, just be judicious about what shots you take. If you really want to clean up your shot, my suggestion is to consider how a machine would shoot a ball and work to refine your technique in accordance with those principles and your particular anatomy.  I’m willing to bet that if you were given a shooting machine that didn’t function the right way mathematically and /or make shots, you’d be anxious to return it or have it fixed.

I’ve organized a strategy for learning to shoot and refine your technique according to how a machine would operate. The “6 F’s of Shooting” deals in preparing yourself  to shoot and preparing to make the shot.  Find out more in the “The Virtual Game of Basketball“ http://virtualgameofbasketball.com/about_book.html A players capacity to make shots is based on his or her shooting proficiency and efficiency. Proficiency is the raw skill of being able to make shots from a said position on the floor and efficiency is how that skill translate to game conditions.  I can appreciate a player’s proficiency value (it takes a long time to refine a shooting stroke), but as a coach, I’m more interested in a player’s efficiency rating.

ER is the ability to make shots during game conditions which basically is the net of shooting proficiency and shot selection. The variables of game-time conditions include defensive and emotional pressure and shot location.  Therefore, effective game-time shooting is based on the type of shots a player gets and ultimately takes. That’s what quality shot selection is all about.

The Great Rim Debate There’s always been a great deal of hoopla (lol) concerning using the back-rim vs. front-rim as a target for shooters.  I have seen very few quality back-rim shooters, and can spot them (back-rim shooters) from across the gymnasium. Back-rim shooters misses are typically clanks because of the failure to take enough (speed) off of the ball to miss the back rim and have it fall in.

Front-rim shooters may miss short more often, but it’s definitely easier to “add a little” (follow through with the fingers) than “take away”. In fact, extreme follow through is the ultimate finish for most shot attempts. I believe the less the follow through, the less opportunity there is of making the shot. “Posing” the finish is critical.

In a drill I have students stand two feet from the basket.  I then have them attempt to just hit the front-rim by aiming the ball two feet over the rim, with extreme follow through. In this exercise, despite the shooters efforts to miss the shot, the ball continuously goes into the basket .  If a shooter continually makes shots while just trying to hit the rim, shouldn’t it (the front-rim) be a logical target to make shots? In fact, it’s  tough to hit the “skinny” rim  from a particular location. Therefore the shooter can psychologically flip the script on makes, by using the front rim as the target; expecting to miss the rim and have the ball drop into the basket.

Although two men’s basketballs fit in the hoop at the same time, getting it in the cylinder is not an easy task. Here’s what Brett Morrow– shooter supreme and US Distributor of Boomerang Basketball Systems has to say: Boomerang Basketball | The most innovative, forward thinking producer of basketball training systems  

Brett Morrow: “The Ball’s entry angle at 35,45 & 55 degrees. The SHOT is a skill that is supported by Physics, (Galileo, Newton & Einstein) you want to dispute it, take it up with them. WHAT DOES THE BALL SEE? If the ball drops from the ceiling at 90 degrees it sees a 18″ circle, but when you shoot the ball it sees an EGG or ellipse.

I believe those that are very consistent shooters who control distance are more “Center” of target minded then a specific loop or back edge of the rim. I know others say that the aim for the middle of the hoop, not sure how that works from 15′-24′ from the hoop. Based on thousands & thousands of reps this group and others instantly have a “knowing” (muscle memory) how much velocity or speed they need to apply out of the release along with how high the ball needs to go so that it is driven from the middle of the hoop to the edge of the back rim.

The ball only “sees” an 18″ circle when it falls from the sky at 90 degrees, the hoop is only a circle when we are dribbling or passing the ball, once a ball is launched in the hoops direction the circle becomes an elliptical or egg shaped. I am not saying a “Swish” is not the way to go, a true “Bulls eye” is when the center of the ball travels 11″ beyond the front rim, for ideal distance control if we can average the center of the ball entering 6″- 16″ beyond front edge we eliminate front rim and short. Its amazing how many “highlight videos” of these great shooters show their ball grazing the back rim and instantly going down in the hoop…”