Monday, August 5, 2024

Basketball: Teaching Offense

Red Auerbach took a team of NBA stars to Yugoslavia over sixty years ago. He offered their hosts a clinic. They said that it wasn't necessary or wanted.

The NBA stars proceeded to take apart Yugoslavia winning by over fifty. Their coach asked about the clinic. Auerbach said, "you just got it."

In practice, coaches face the same reality. A local team invited our sixth graders to play at their gym. Their hospitality included showing us an offensive clinic as their '5 Out' offense destroyed us with:

1) Pass and cut

2) Back door cuts (including dribble at backdoor)

3) Pass and screen away

4) DHO (dribble handoffs)

We had only a couple of practices together before the game. No matter. We got the clinic and lost by about 40.

Post script. We got invited again the next year and won on a three-pointer at the buzzer. What a difference a year makes. 

Starting young players with '5 Out' has merit for teaching both offense and defense. It exemplifies the value of teaching "basketball symmetry." 

  • Starts with elite spacing
  • Teaches player and ball movement 
  • Teaches setting up your cut
  • Teaches urgent cutting
  • Teaches sprint to screen 
  • Has options for initiating wing or high ball screens
  • Teaches the need for on-time, on-target passing
Defensively:
  • Demands on and off-ball defense
  • Teaches 'jump to the ball'
  • Teaches load to the ball help defense
  • Offers chance to teach PnR defense both high and wing
  • Demands defending back cuts
  • Offers options to defend off-ball screens re: jam, through, and under options
That's all well and good, but developing core skills still comes first because vision and decision-making still require finishing.

Lagniappe.  
Lagniappe 2. "You cannot cheat the grind." 

Lagniappe 3. Maybe post defense will become obsolete. I doubt it.  

Lagniappe 4. I coached kids techniques that I thought were the best. I told them the "right way" is whatever your next coach wants.  

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