Teaching players to 'see the game' separates excellent educators versus good ones. Players need to know what differentiates winning plays from ordinary ones. This post is intended to help visual learners (many players) see valuable basketball concepts.
1. Make one of the best plays in basketball. Taking a charge regains possession and adds a personal foul to the opposition.
Shane Battier reminds us to see the ball (the ball scores), anticipate, and be tough.
2. Set up a teammate with a great assist. A wonderful pass makes three people happy...the scorer, the passer, and the coach.
I love a "low risk, high reward" pass that leads directly to a score. Shots off passes routine come with a higher shooting percentage than individually-driven plays. "Look ahead" passes, passes to backdoor cutters, and no-look passes (maybe we should call them look away) come to mind. It doesn't have to be flashy to be effective. It's always about making the right pass at the right time.
3. Windex. Possession (get the ball) and possessions (what you do with it). Clean the glass. Defensive rebounding is about position and toughness. Offensive rebounding rewards anticipation and quickness. Another great play comes with the "tip out" rebound where an offensive rebounder keeps the ball alive by tipping it out or to a teammate.
4. The "touch pass". Players who make touch passes show both awareness and skill.
This type of interior pass meets the low-risk, high reward standard.
5. Making free throws. Okay, Captain Obvious. But many players spend hundreds of hours on tricky dribbling and styling when making free throws wins games. Invest your time, don't spend it.
One of the great free throw shooters in NBA history, Rick Barry, used to shoot the underhand free throw.
