Basketball Fundamentals: Learning From NBA Players
Teaching Kids Basketball Fundamentals
If you’ve seen our animation of the Triangle Offense in the playbook section you know Phil Jackson, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers often uses the offense. I recently watched a game between the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns hoping to pick up some more options for the triangle. Although I didn’t come up with any helpful triangle related options I did realize something about the NBA game and its players which I’d never realized. It’s so easy to get caught up watching the high flying dunks and long range shots that we often miss just how well these players use the fundamentals of basketball. It’s often difficult to make young players realize the importance of fundamentals. By showing your players how their NBA hero’s use the fundamentals they’ll be more receptive to learning them themselves.
NBA Fundamental #1 - Triple Threat Position
Watch any random NBA basketball game and you’ll see almost always when a player catches a pass he’s in the Triple Threat Position. For those who don’t know what triple threat means here’s an abbreviated definition. Triple of course stands for three. Triple threat position means you catch a pass with your knees slightly bent, head up, and ball tucked close to your body. In this position you’re a threat to shoot, dribble, or pass the basketball, thus it’s called the triple threat position because you’re in an athletic stance capable to perform any of the triple threat task.
Players in the NBA catch the ball in the triple threat position for many reasons. The main reason is this the correct way to catch the basketball and it’s been instilled in them since a young age. Another reason is their defender is usually quick and the players have to protect the basketball when they catch it, so the defender can’t reach in and knock it away. The triple threat position teaches players to tuck the ball away from the defender. One last reason I’ll mention is the fact it’s much easier to square your body to the basket and since your knees are bent when you’re in the triple threat you’re ready to shoot a jump shot over the defender.
NBA Fundamental #2 – The Jump Stop
A jump stop is used to quickly stop your forward momentum and put a player in the triple threat position. Again this position is used so a player can shoot, pass, or dribble the basketball from an athletic stance. Kobe Bryant is probably the best I’ve seen with the jump stop. He’s able to drive hard toward the basket, use the jump stop which stops he’s forward movement while the defender is still moving forward. This creates space between himself and his defender enabling him to have an open shot. There are so many useful reasons to teach players how too correctly use a jump stop that’s it’s hard to pinpoint the most important. To me the jump stop is as fundamental as dribbling with your head up. It’s a very useful fundamental which is often overlooked by coaches.
NBA Fundamental #3 – Boxing Out
We all know NBA players are gifted with athleticism but for the most part they’re on equal ground with each other. What I mean by this is the players who do the little things will win out over players who simple use their athletic talents. Players like Dwight Howard who’s one the most prolific rebounders in the league is fundamentally sound when it comes to boxing out for a rebound. Again like catching a pass in the triple threat position this fundamentally is also second nature to NBA players. They know how to find a man and “put a body on them” and they know this will greatly increase their ability to rebound.
I’ve touched on three fundamentals in this article but I could go down the list of all the fundamentals and give you examples of how NBA players use them. Sure many of them are born with God given talents but most of them also are fundamentally sound. If you’re having trouble getting your players to understand the importance of the fundamentals involved with basketball have them watch some NBA film. Pick out one fundamental you want them the work on and tell them to watch how NBA players use the skill. Instead of your players only picking up bad habits and in some cases bad attitudes from NBA stars this will give them the chance to develop an appreciation for the fundamentals. These fundamentals will help your players develop a better game and help you coach a winning team.
