Thursday, May 29, 2008

Great Big Men

1. Great big men can finish in traffic with at least one go-to move and one counter move.
*Tall or small, big or quick, this player simply has automated his scoring skills to the point he just knows he can score when given the ball at a moment of opportunity.

2. Great big men practice the 3 C’s.
*They make it a point to always catch, chin and check.

3. Great big men establish position with a Doleac stance.
*This stance gets as wide and low as necessary to take up as much space in the paint to create the best possible angle and target.

4. Great big men can convert from a low-wide power position to a quick, vertical jump.
*This is especially important late in the game when the legs become heavy and fatigue has set in.

5. Great big men are hard-to-guard.
*They stay active and force their defender to respect and defend each position on the court – low post and/or high post – as a possible scoring threat.

6. Great big men are neither a “black hole” nor an automatic “toss-back machine”.
*They have the ability to read the defense take a high percentage shot, but also recognize a pass back out might lead to an even better scoring play.

7. Great big men can step outside and knock down the 15’ jump shot.
*The best can even step behind the arc and make the sagging defense pay for their lack of respect.


8. Great big men have good court vision.
*Even as they begin to initiate a post move, many teams will double down; an alert post player will recognize this and pass to the open cutter.

9. Great big men are extremely active on the offensive boards.
*They are relentless in pursuit of the ball. They may have to tip the ball two, three, four times just to keep it alive – their perseverance often times dictates the outcome of the game.

10. Great big men use the glass.
*They are able to create higher percentage shots and reduce the effectiveness of a great shot blocker by using the backboard.

11. Great big men can defend.
*They stay very active and keep themselves between the basket and the ball. Rarely do they leave their feet to give up a foul or position. This positioning also allows them to defensively rebound the ball to death!

12. Great big men talk.
*They are excellent communicators. With their back to the basket most of the time, they often have the best vantage point to call out screens and/or potential scoring threats.

13. Great big run the floor.
*Possession after possession, they sprint from block to block and beat their man down the floor. Though they may not always touch the ball, they will always position themselves to do so.

14. Great big men are quick outlets.
*They know the value of making a quick outlet pass (2-seconds or less). They might also utilize a “bust-out” dribble or two.

15. Great big men contest shots.
*They have the ability to block and/or alter shots without fouling. Blocking the shot and keeping it in play is their signature rather than swatting it into the bleachers. They play smart.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Great Point Guards

1. Great point guards know their team’s optimal tempo.
*On offense, defense, and in transition, they know when to speed up the tempo or slow it down.

2. Great point guards know who's hot and who's not.
*They know how to get the ball to the hot perimeter shooter and/or when to get the ball inside.

3. Great point guards are "energy" for their team.
*No matter what the circumstances, good or bad, they play with great enthusiasm for the game.

4. Great point guards communicate constantly.
*For 32 minutes, these guys never shut-up. They are the coach's voice on the floor.

5. Great point guards level off the ball.
*They see to it the ball is stopped and contained. Dribble penetration does not happen! Period.

6. Great point guards involve everybody.
*They know how to get their best scorers the ball on a consistent basis, but are always on the lookout for ways to create high percentage scoring opportunities for other teammates as well.

7. Great point guards can feel the team's "pulse".
*In practice and games, they know when to fire up and/or calm down certain teammates.

8. Great point guards quickly recognize "Charlies".
*They look for and find mismatches as soon as they occur.

9. Great point guards "run the show"!
*Quickly and clearly, they communicate play calls and/or changes in the open court and during dead ball situations. They also have the ability to organize a team after an offensive breakdown.

10. Great point guards "guard"!
*They keep constant pressure on the ball. Not allowing the passer adequate vision as well as forcing the dribbler away from his desired path of attack.

11. Great point guards advance the ball.
*From key to key, they are can advance the ball in 3-4 dribbles easy. They also pass ahead to a teammate who is open down the court.

12. Great point guards value the ball!
*Rarely do they turn the ball over. Likewise, when they deliver a pass it is on the money and away from the defense – allowing for their teammate to catch the ball in optimal scoring position.

13. Great point guards do not shoot every time.
*However, they can knock the open shot any time they are open. They can also create a shot for the benefit of the team.

14. Great point guards have an intense will to win!
*They absolutely refuse to lose. This is an intangible attribute developed over the many hours in the gym pursuing excellence in all phases of the game!

15. Great point guards are an extension of the coach on the floor.
*They thoroughly understand everything that's expected of them as well as their teammates. They understand it's impossible to win if all the oarsmen are not rowing in the same direction.