What basketball-specific techniques should be taught from a young age?
Old vs modern techniques - do they matter?
Foundations of individual skill? What are they?
On this blog, I'm trying to address those questions.
If you missed my first blog on Building a Basketball Player, it is a good idea to read that one first (click HERE), so we can be on the same page.
Now, let's dive into BASKETBALL TECHNIQUES that should be taught from a young age!
BASKETBALL TECHNIQUES
As you can imagine, there are quite a few differences of opinion which come up between coaches when it comes to how certain skills should be taught.
Many coaches are still hanging on to the ‘old’ way of doing things, but the game has evolved so much over the last 20-30 years, like anything, it’s important to make adjustments in order to keep up.
It's important to make adjusments in order to keep up
Elite level players are stretching the rules and coming up with impressive new skills and movement patterns that are now being adopted into the modern game. This means skills coaches absolutely need to evolve with the times to give their young players the best chance of being successful. So, in order to build a complete basketball player, teaching modern-day skills and moves is vital to developing coordination and freedom with the basketball.
Many of the skills I am teaching now, which I see performed in the NBA and NBL, I was never taught during my career, let alone when I was growing up. I was never taught a drag under, a speed stop, how to switch my feet or what a load step is… These concepts were foreign to me until I started researching basketball from a new perspective upon becoming a skills coach with Rebound.
Next Generation of Ballers
Unfortunately, it is a bit late in my career to teach this old dog new tricks, but I absolutely want to help the next generation of ballers understand these concepts, along with where and how to use them.
I want to help the next generation of ballers ...
While every training session is individualised to a certain degree, a goal I have for each of my players is for them to develop a certain level of basketball coordination so that they can perform ANY basketball movement. This goal takes a great deal of time.
Some players will pick it up quicker than others, but once they have a certain skill down, I can then start to explain how to use it in a game, then move onto the next one…& the next…
FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SKILLS
Now, for our younger players, I believe there are four foundations of individual skill
Shooting
Footwork
1. LAYUPS
The ability to finish at the basket is obviously a massive advantage for a player. It’s not just touch around the basket, but the ability to handle contact, both on the ground and in the air, the ability to move the basketball in the air, the ability to extend their layup away from the defence. All these abilities can be taught from a young age which will only prove to be beneficial for the player as they get older. You want to nurture creativity and give a little freedom, at times, allowing players to add their own sauce to their layup package.
The story about layups is an oldie but a goodie, “underhand layups are flashy and unnecessary”. I do believe this thought is finally on its way out but there are some who cling onto this idea. No matter what the age, I always encourage underhand layups or finger rolls. If the player is very young, I will spend some time introducing these and perhaps dedicate one session to practicing an underhand layup.
I always encourage underhand layups or finger rolls
Finger rolls allow players to extend the basketball away from the defence but also allows for better touch around the basket. When a player is at top speed, a finger roll gives the player more control of how soft the ball leaves the hand but also allows them to control the type on spin they put on the ball. Many layups require a certain ‘English’ off the backboard in order for them to work, a skill that cannot be done with an overhand hold.
2. BALL HANDLING
Moving onto ball handling. I want to explain how to “pocket the basketball”. This technique involves using gravity to hold the ball out to your side & away from the defender. The fact is, dribbling the ball is not meant to be done with your hand only making contact with the top of the ball.
'Pocket Position'
By watching elite level players, we see that the ball is usually kept to the side, it what’s called the ‘pocket position’. Getting the ball to this position is vital for making moves off the dribble and is NOT a carry.
'Pocket position' is vital for making moves off the dribble and is not a carry
Crossover
Back in the late 90’s, Allen Iverson revolutionised the crossover.
This legend changed the way players started dribbling the ball & it now allows for the ball to spend more hang time off the floor, allowing players to manipulate the ball more effectively.
These nuances to the game of basketball are vital for young players to learn at an early age. Some players will pick these up without any coaching and some will struggle to grasp the concepts, either way, they are all important pieces for building a basketball player.
NEXT BLOG - Part 3
Thanks for reading guys!
Stay tuned for part 3 of Building a Basketball Player which I'm going to talk about Shooting and Footwork.
Feel free to comment and share your thoughts. For now, Happy Hooping!
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