Extreme Basketball Skills

Pull-up Jump Shot

Coach Ken — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 20:50:50 +0000

This is the most important offensive shooting skill to learn after the power lay-up. If you confidently take the ball to the basket several times and then switch to a pull-up jump shot, your shot will be completely uncontested. As you develop more confidence and quickness, your shot will be uncontested even if your opponent knows exactly what you're going to do.

The Fundamentals of Basketball Intelligence

Coach Ken — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 22:31:09 +0000

Every coach wants smart, intelligent players. This isn't the same as players who blindly follow instructions. You want players who can break away from the diagrammed play and take advantage of their opponent's weakness. Basketball intelligence boils down to 5 questions that every player should ask themselves with every pass of the ball. Teach your team to take the time to ask these questions again and again until they become habit.

How to become great at basketball and just about everything…

Coach Ken — Sun, 01 May 2016 00:43:21 +0000

If you want to be great, and you're willing to work hard to get there, don't waste time. You don't have any to waste. Start practicing hard and smart. Get help from a coach who understands and utilizes deliberate practice.

Deliberate Practice

Coach Ken — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 17:23:56 +0000

I think you can spot those kids who will be successful in sports or in life by watching how they spend unsupervised time before and during practice. Do they work on their skills in a focused way or do they screw around?

Rabies and Youth Basketball

Coach Ken — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 21:19:50 +0000

When did blind aggression take over the game of basketball in the youth ranks? There's plenty of blame to go around but most resides with the referees. Simply by enforcing the rules, they can make the game more enjoyable and safer for the players.

Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by using the Pistols Position

Coach Ken — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 05:20:17 +0000

As a crutch to get help-side defenders to position their bodies in an open stance, the defensive pistols position has some value. However, the recommendation that you look straight ahead and use your peripheral vision to watch both your opponent and the ball makes absolutely no sense.

“Good try!” Good grief…

Coach Ken — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 03:24:54 +0000

As a youth basketball coach, I’ve attended many youth basketball games. As I sit there I often hear parents calling out “Good try, <insert each child’s name here>”. Usually the praise is associated with an unsuccessful attempt at something. There doesn’t actually have to be anything “good” about the action, just that the child took some action and was unsuccessful.

Inflating a Basketball

Coach Ken — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 02:46:12 +0000

If you want to be a good dribbler, you have to dribble a ball that is inflated properly. The right amount of inflation is determined by how high it bounces when dropped from a standard height.

Pick and Roll

Coach Ken — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 21:33:04 +0000

The pick and roll is the most important team skill in basketball. A properly executed pick and roll will create a size or speed advantage or will create a 2 on 1 advantage for the offense.

Boxing Out

Coach Ken — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 04:19:43 +0000

In this video we look at boxing out. A player who boxes out well is often a good rebounder.

Ripping

Coach Ken — Tue, 28 May 2013 01:57:46 +0000

In this video we look at high and low rip moves. Ripping is a good way to protect the ball from an overly aggressive defender - especially if you've already picked up your dribble.

Triple-threat Position

Coach Ken — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:46:45 +0000

In this video, we look at the triple-threat position which is a fundamental offensive basketball skill focused on protecting the ball and making you a threat to dribble, pass, or shoot.

Confidence – the luxury of forgetting

Coach Ken — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:24:12 +0000

It turns out that focusing on the future and not the past is the secret to confidence as an athlete.

Action Heros with Skills

Coach Ken — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:07:47 +0000

It's fun when you see techniques you've been teaching appear in the most unexpected places.

The Basics of Zone Defense

Coach Ken — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:22:58 +0000

In this video we look at the fundamentals of zone defense. We look at the various defensive sets, why you would want to choose one set over another and the specifics of what you should be doing as a member of a zone defense.