The former Boomers pivot took the young bigs through a series of drills and breakdowns, working on footwork, positioning, screening and defensive skills in a post "masterclass". The teaching points and detail gleaned from the NBA champion were so valuable for not only the players, but the coaches working on the floor during the session.
Below are some notes taken from the session. Huge thanks to Andrew Bogut for his generous sharing and commitment to giving back to the next generation.
Skipping – importance of this for bigs – feet. Second jump key!
- Double Leg/Single Leg, L&R/Alternating/Scissor Step/Heels
- Explosive on contact with ground, generate speed.
- Light on balls of feet
- Minimise contact with the ground
- Second jump vital for rebounding
- Vary jumps and movement patterns to strengthen physical literacy
Ball handling - partners – eye hand control
- “If you struggle with this, live with a tennis ball”
- Important to practice ball handling for control in modern game
- Need to be able to initiate action as a big in the modern game
- Single Hand Pounds into single hand pass – Partnered
- Add tennis ball catch at the same time
- Hold stance, maintain rhythm and control of dribble
- Progression
- Flip to dribbling tennis ball and passing the basketball single handed
- Cross x3 into pass to partner, switch tennis and basketball
- Detail:
- Pass to pocket
- On time, on target
McHale/Mikan Series
- Regular/Reverse – Inside Hand, Facing Baseline/ Regular/Reverse – Inside Hand, Facing Half Court
- Chest stays facing forward
- Use hands to manipulate the ball
- Everything off one foot
- Explosive on step
- Timing of feet and finish vital
- Inside hand used to seal leg and keep body between ball and defender on finish. Creates separation from defender with speed
- Single Hand Put backs on backboard
- Complete 3 then bounce to other side and meet ball, toes to baseline
- Time jump with rebound
- Minimise contact time with court
- Explosive every step
- Once back to original side, complete 3 more taps then catch two hands and dunk to finish
- Time jump with rebound
- Complete 3 then bounce to other side and meet ball, toes to baseline
Help Side Defence
- Meet ball outside key
- Guards counter with Nash dribble to keep alive and attack mismatch
- Solution: Fake & Fade
- Aggressive and sell the story
- Sell body fakes like you are going to jump early for the block
- Makes guard hesitate and gives you time
- Ideal for late help
- Second to leave feet/ground
- Sink to where you can see both ball and man
- Adjust up the floor as your man moves up to occupy space
- Attacking Drops
- Below line of roller to prevent easy release
- Show chest to roller, stab at ball to be effective slowing guard and roller
- Priority = Prevent Layup
- Read primary defender
- If primary is out of the picture:
- Commit with big hands and minimise passing angles
- Detail
- Communicate with guard
- “Leave” Call
- Tell guard to square up
- When low man has to tag post
- As much body contact as possible to hide the hold
- Connect and hold arm bar, pin help man out of position
- Communicate with guard
Verticality Drill – 1v1
- Two steps into jump
- Show both hands, high wall
- No pump fakes for offence
- Allow offence to meet for contact
- Don’t swipe or lunge
- Speed of finish/speed of feet
- Offence manipulate time and space
- Find ways to get wins
- Challenge defence to adjust
- Importance of alternate finishes to adjust to shot blockers
Verticality 2v1
- Coach drive to pass
- "Fake & fade" to provide false sense of security
- Stride step into vertical wall
- Contact through chest
Progression: Big can Wheel under charge circle on coach’s drive
- Defence focus on showing chest to ball and man
- Pump fake jumping to contest
Importance of Vision as a big
- Most important defensively
- Point guard sees everything infront of them, big sees everything above them
- Elite bigs communicate and assess the floor
Pick & Roll Play
- WMI (what’s most important) when entering into screen:
- See defender, see ball defender. What’s the coverage?
- What’s the counter to the coverage?
- How high is the on-ball defender?
- Who’s your teammate? What does he want?
- Adjust track of screen to maximise advantage
- Over vs Under Read
- Shooter – Go and get him
- Driver/Slasher – Let him bring the defence to you
- Adjust track of screen to maximise advantage
- Hard or short roll? - Based on coverage
- See defender, see ball defender. What’s the coverage?
- Does your defender stick?
- Weaker defenders struggle with smallest contact on screen and give up on possession
- Elite defenders find ways to fight through/find a way
- Importance of Separation
- First separation is from own defender to create advantage into screen
- Applies to both big and guard
- Sprint to set to keep advantage from initial contact and separation
- First separation is from own defender to create advantage into screen
- Queue for screen: Belly button to hip
- If angle isn’t there and they are forcing a reject = Rondo
- Belly button to lowest hip (twist to other side)
- If guard sticks, hold to maximise separation for guard rather than releasing
- If angle isn’t there and they are forcing a reject = Rondo
Post Offence from Trail
- Splits/pin down Action
- Read the eyes of the defender
- If you can’t see eyes of guy coming off the action. Pass is on for back cut
- What’s my defender doing?
- Is he engaged?
- Is he preparing for coverage?
- Read feet & chest
- Keep on handoff if you see feet open up
- Dribbling straight into defenders’ hip on handoff
- Belly button to hip
- Force defence to into a decision
- Attacking Good morning/Hello Bump (Checks down the floor in transition with arms)
- Example: New Zealand/Tasmania in NBL
- Bar arm and bump on dribble to win floor spot and angle for hand-off
Arm Bars when Defending Post
- Goal = Prevent post from getting into body
- Arm bar to maintain appropriate gap and control
- Balance is key = Low & Wide
- To counter arm bar
- Face Up to ball – FIBA don’t allow arm bar faced up
- Force defender to show hands and open chest, then attack opportunity
1v1 – Post Play
- Fight for real-estate
- Don’t allow defence to force you off floor spot
- Deeper catches = better catches
- Seal with Legs & Body
