Control what you can control. David Thorpe interviews Brad Stevens and asks "what can you do during a lockdown?" It's a great question.
What separated success and failure? Find solutions during the lockdown. Coach Stevens wants everyone to take ownership.
Our young players need global growth - body, skill, game vision, and maturity. Develop your growth mindset. Compete for a role at the next level through your work today. Have a TODAY plan.
Whether basketball is your primary sport or not, get stronger, quicker, and more agile. You won't regret becoming a better athlete. Do sprints, pushups, strength training, endurance training. Jump rope. Make nutrition and sleep priorities.
Stack presents a variety of weight training exercises.
Become your own coach. Create a shooting and ball handling routine. It should include a warmup, inside finishing, mid-range scoring, and perimeter shooting.
Inside finishing. "The closer to the rim, the higher the jump" and Kevin Eastman's "eyes make layups." Villanova's Jay Wright "Get 50..." Form shooting, Mikan, reverse Mikan, Bradleys, and longer 1-2s. Work your front and reverse pivots.
Mid-range attack. Box drills against defense...
...and Paul Pierce wing series. Pick a couple to master.
Perimeter (Mixed, three-pointers).
Build and track your range.
Our body is constructed to walk (leg extension strength) and to get food to our mouths (arm flexion). Shooting range requires a mixture including elbow extension (triceps) and wrist and finger flexion. Pushups will strengthen triceps but shoot regularly.
Coach Castellaw discusses leg drift. I have no experience with this...
Find mentors. Ask a parent, friend, and coaches for suggestions and help. The Mister Rogers Rule, "look for the helpers."
- Practice with a partner (rebounder) to get more done.
- Track your progress. "Winners are trackers." - Darren Hardy
- Analyze your video (cellphone). Check your footwork, release point and follow-through.
Develop your mental game. There's an abundance of options online. Watch a favorite player, a favorite team, and different philosophies. Watching your favorites, see what they do without and with the ball, how they use time and space, footwork, the dribble, screens, fakes, and cuts to get separation. How are they using and defending ball and off-ball screens?
Summary:
- Take ownership and become your own coach.
- Get quicker, stronger, and more agile.
- Develop scoring at all three levels.
- Track everything.
- Find mentors. Use the Mr. Rogers Rule, "look for the helpers."
- Study the game.
Lagniappe: Know our Xs and Os. BBallBreakdown with 2014 horns sets
Lagniappe 2: Coach Daniel breaks down the 2017 Spurs Defense
Matchups, selective switching, scrambling, occasional zone, and execution key their success. Having the elite defense of Kawhi Leonard helped, too.