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I challenge you²why do most of our skill development workouts focus on having the ball in the
player¶s hands?

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Teach all PLAYERS the same, without positions and pre-judgment.
NBA draft---7 foot perimeter players with great perimeter skills.
They teach players HOW to play.
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Playing away from the ball vs. playing with the ball in your hands.
Less than 5 minutes a game ball is in player¶s hands.
Heard that Jeff Bzdelik, Wake Forest said this: Antwan Jamison---NC vs. Duke, he scored 31
points and had the ball for 48 seconds in his hands.

TRY THIS: I took a player from Gilbert HS, an all-conference play, this summer and we worked
out for an hour without him taking ONE shot. We walked the floor and talked about every
possible scenario that could happen on offense and defense away from the ball.

How are you teaching the art of playing away from the ball on Offense and Defense?

Could you imagine the IMPACT on the game this would have if our YOUTH basketball model
adopted this? It¶s not plays, it¶s teaching kids how to play!

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--26 of the 40 skills for all players do not involve the having the ball or guarding the ball. ***See
list of these 40 skills at the end of this document.

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I call this PRE-SCORING or GET YOUR WORK DONE EARLY or thinking a play ahead.

--Plays in basketball are made BEFORE the play is made.

Example--Two guys on an island. Both have a big job to do. One relaxes first and wastes a day.
The other gets busy right away and completes his work. The latter is the guy on the Corona
commercial, on the beach content and relaxed. He is being rewarded for his previous work.

--Pre-Scoring is opposite of catching and then deciding what to do! This is called
PLAYING IN THE MOMENT and it¶s hard to score that way, the NBA way.

--The shot is made before the leather hits your hands, ie-Ray Allen, Reggie Miller.
--The ball is caught by an open player in the lane after a screen and slip.
--The basket is made in post scoring area before the ball is even delivered.
--The rebound is won before the ball hits the rim.

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--PURPOSEFUL MOVEMENTS--Being effective away from the ball has to do with being
PURPOSEFUL in every movement. STAND, WALK, CUT, SPACE, SCREEN, FOOTWORK.
--Jim Crews (Army head coach, former Evansville head coach and University of Indiana player
and assistant coach) comment to me once²
What is the purpose of this possession?

On DEFENSE we have a definite purpose, what is it on offense?

--BE INVOLVED in the game away from the ball. That¶s where the ACTION is!

 
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--90-95% of the time in a game a player is without the ball.

--Michael Jordan had the ball in his hands less than 10% of the time.
--Antwan Jamison has 31 points and had the ball 48 seconds.
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--Personally, when you watch a game, do you watch the ball, or action away from the ball. It
may tell you about how you teach the game if you watch the game that way.

--Playing away from the ball efficiently is opposite of BALL WATCHING. The best way to
catch the ball is to NOT watch the ball.

DON¶T FIND the ball, LET the BALL FIND YOU! It will end up in your hands!

--Don¶t be predictable.
--Using changes of speeds and directions.
--You must RUN THROUGHT THE BALL every time you catch.

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SCORING mentality²Play with the intent of scoring every time you catch the ball. This will
automatically put you in a position to be a player in triple threat.

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--Post MAGNET drill
--Playing ONE play ahead makes you effective. Example when ball is one wing then reversed to
the top. One player pre-scores the other one plays in the moment.

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--Techniques for getting open: Checkmark, Walk, Crotch, L cut.
Take the defender OPPOSITE of your desired cut.

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--Baseline separation drill.
--Cone and cut drill, catch 5 passes.
!!






--All penetration creates specific action by the four players away from the ball. Player
movements like step outs, slide, and cover are based on where the ball is being driven, the
basket, and the location of each of the four players without the ball.

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--Speed Drill²Players possession catching 5 passes at their speed. Same possession cutting and
playing at MY speed.

--2 on 2 NO WALK
--3 on 3 NO WALK

--3 on 3 No Dribble ½ court

--4 on 4 ½ court game to 25 points. No dribble, 1 for catch, 5 for lay-up, 3 for foul while
shooting.

ZIG ZIGLAR²The more you help others get what they want, the more you get what you want!
Same for playing away from the ball!




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--Weak Side Seal technique for offensive and defensive player.

--Rebounding Down technique²Guards block out and rebound inside the elbow areas where a
lot of the balls are tipped or come off the rim long. Guards are responsible for all rebounds that
land in these areas.

--Defending cutters using screens.

--Teach technique, follow on outside hip vs. wide.
--Trail Drill. One cutter, one defender, and six simulated screens. Defender negotiates six
different screens on the floor, trailing on the outside hip. On a catch by the cutter on the
perimeter, the defender has to be there on the catch to defend the dribble or open shot.
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