SECTION 2 THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME

After 18 years of developing players, I have come to find that there are certain key elements to any area of basketball. Any offensive skill, defensive skill, and really anything that happens on the basketball court comes down to a few common components that I really believe we as trainers and coaches must address to get the most out of our players. Throughout this program, in both our on-court and off-the-court training programs, we will address these issues. You can find every fancy terminology in the book, experiment with every gadget and unique training tool out on the market, and all will point back to these key areas.

In our evaluation section, we will define how to actually measure these areas and determine in which areas your players need improvement. But after 18 years, I have come to the point where I can watch a player play or workout for 5 minutes and have a 90% accurate assessment of which of these areas are weak and need to improve. As basketball coaches and trainers we should all know how a player is SUPPOSED to move and look out on the floor on both offense and defense. I have said many times that the goal of this program is not to simply give you drills to do with your players, but much more importantly, give you the insight into player development that will allow you to recognize weaknesses, create programs, and deliver them to your players to improve their games and/or your team. Not enough coaches and trainers go back deep enough to understand WHY a player is weak in a certain area and, as a result, are unsuccessful in creating a program for that player that actually gets him or her better. My goal is for everyone developing or coaching players is to give them such a deep understanding of the essential components, that they can quickly identify weaknesses and be able to create and administer a program that produces quick and effective results.

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 1 SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME

ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS

Fundamental Skill Development never “mastered” fundamental skills. These skills need to be constantly worked and improved - even for the best While this might seem obvious and “old-school,” this of the world. I often ask young players who have a hard is an often-overlooked area. Even with the dozens of time going to their weak hand, or can’t seem to make players we train each year to prepare for the NBA Draft shots in games, “How much time did you spend this week (many who have played at the top college programs), we focusing and working on that area?” The answer is usually find the glaring need to return to fundamentals. Without “Not enough.” As someone who has coached at the going into each area as we will in our on-court skills highest level, I understand that there are many things you section of the course, players need constant work on the have to get through with your team - offense, defense, basics of the game. Ball-handling, passing, shooting, and press breakers, etc, but when you really break it down as footwork throughout all movements need to be mastered we have at Impact, without players who can execute the and sharp to accomplish anything. fundamental skills, all these areas will simply not be good enough. It is a challenge, but our goal here in this course In my years of coaching, I realized that if we drew up is to give you the tools to “get it all done” effectively and a play for screening action on the left side of the floor efficiently. and the ball handler on the right side can’t throw a left handed pass, no matter how open the play was, he could As simple as it sounds - players can’t better without not deliver the ball against pressure because he would improving their skills. It is an essential component and, have to throw the ball across his body. In the same play, what we feel players must focus on to have a chance to how can the play work if the cutter, who is open if and get better. when he receives the ball, doesn’t have good footwork to square up and get his feet set to shoot the ball? If you Body Control, Position, and Balance have a play that sets a great cross-screen for your post player but your guards cannot handle the ball or feed Maybe the first and most often heard comment I get the post or your post player does not have the proper when people come in to our gym and see the NBA guys footwork to catch the ball and execute a move, you will workout and play is “Wow, I can’t believe how they can also find yourself in a bad spot, and a failed play. These control their bodies and movement.” This point they are a few of a thousand examples why even the best make is critical. The best players have the best balance coaching and diagramming plays will fall short of success and body control on the court. This ties into everything if your players are not skilled. we do in this program - on and off the court. In our skill development section, every move, every shot, and Our on-court skills section goes into detail on each skill dribble, must be done with control and balance. area. We will go through the details of each skill, the drills to improve that skill, and how to structure those drills The most critical aspect of almost any movement in as well. Later, in our Drill-Sequencing Section and also the game is good balance. In 2012 when Dion Waiters in our Performance Training Integration Section, we will showed in Las Vegas for me to get him prepared for the give you the tools to put it all together into one training draft, my first comment was, “He has unbelievable body program. control and balance.” And, 3 months later, Dion became the 4th pick in the draft and was 1st Team All-Rookie in One of the things I have learned about player 2012 - 2013. Now we all don’t have many Dion Waiters, development from being with players Chauncey Billups that I understand, but it is an example that as coaches and Kevin Garnett for over 16 years is that a player has and trainers, we must make sure that the basics skills

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 2 SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME of body control and balance are in place if we expect Lying beneath all of these points is the ever-famous our players to reach their potential. His ability to stay on basketball coaching point of “GET LOW.” As I have studied balance in a variety of basketball situations, allow him to the game and player development I have certainly be a very versatile and effective player on both ends of concluded that nothing in basketball can be done well the floor. from an upright position. Nothing at all! Shooting, dribbling, passing, defending, rebounding - all are done Using another example - I have watched many players much better when the player, as we say, “starts low and come in to train and noticed that on almost every shot, stays low.” Coaches and trainers everywhere have their they lose their balance, causing them to fade back or players doing wall-sits, and are constantly screaming to the side and decreasing the accuracy of their shot. our “STAY LOW.” The easiest analysis I like to use is when I have also seen players go to make a strong dribble a player is upright he is like a stretched out spring - move and fall off balance, putting them in a bas position basically powerless and worthless. But when he sits down where they cannot shoot or pass. As a trainer, my initial in that proper stance, on both sides of the ball, and keeps thought would be to make a coaching point to the his wide base, he is that same spring, mashed down and player to “Stay on balance.” But after years of seeing this, ready to explode upon release. The most important point I began to realize that many of those players did not to consider here and understand is that there are some have the physical tools, or proper body control, to keep players who CANNOT get as low as you would like them their balance no matter how much I corrected them. It to get. This has to be trained. An athlete in poor condition needed to be trained into them. Certain muscles needed with limited flexibility, tight hips, and no hamstring or to be developed and sometimes flexibility needed to be glute strength CANNOT get low - no matter now load improved. This is done both on and off the court - and you tell them. In this course, we will put you WAY ahead our drilling section will focus on this in almost every of the next coach or trainer by giving you the tools and repetition, while the Performance Program will also drills to allow all your players to play low on both sides address some of the muscle imbalances and, without of the ball. You will be AMAZED at how much better they over-complicating the system, allow you as a coach or become and how much better your team gets when this trainer to install 2 - 3 exercises that will improve your is accomplished. players in these areas. We will offer many basketball drills that force the player to be on balance, therefore We will discuss the specific uses in each section in our strengthening the proper muscles and training them On-Court Drills Section, but body control and balance This isn’t complicated, and a combination of focusing on apply to following main skills. these drills throughout the course of the workout and implementing the performance training exercises, will Change of Speed produce outstanding results and allow your players to improve in all on-court areas. I have said it many times, especially when speaking about a player making the move from college to the pros, or So what exactly am I referring to when I mention “body even from high school to college or middle school to control?” Well, that is a good question but as basketball high school - nothing is more important than ability coaches, we have our own definition. When we watch to change speed on the court. In fact, as we evaluate the game, we can tell when players are off balance or, players, speed is certainly a factor, but it is secondary literally, “out of control.” I have talked to many people to the ability to go from slow to fast, or CHANGE and debated the exact meaning of “body control,” and in SPEEDS. This is not something I invented or came up every instance, we conclude that it is a unique term that with randomly, but rather an observation from training someone in basketball, or really in any sport, would be thousands of players over 17 years - and may of the best able to identify immediately. in the world.

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 3 SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME

I remember my first day, back in 1999, training Antonio quickly is the key to staying in front of offensive players Davis, then with the Indiana Pacers. I was a young trainer and stop their progress. and very excited to get Antonio as a client. Recall my first clients were Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Tyronn Lue, Just like body control and balance, change of speed can and Joe Smith, so I had an idea of how fast, agile, and be drilled both on and off the court. In all of our drills powerful the NBA guys were. After the first 10 minutes in this course, we will constantly be reminding you as a with Antonio, I was scratching my head thinking “this guy trainer and coach to emphasize to each player that they really isn’t that good.” His pace to start the workout was a need to “change speeds at game pace.” This constant little slower than the others and, not being a particularly reminder in every drill will train their system to be more strong offensive player, his moves also started a bit slow. explosive and execute in the game. We will also provide But then, when we turned the heat up, I saw Antonio you with the Performance Training exercises to increase go from slow-to-fast SO fast that it blew me away. He your players’ ability to change speed by building the continued throughout the workout to blow me away proper muscles and training them to be more explosive with just how much explosion and change of speed he and powerful. As you will see in the course - it all works had. It made me realize, at a young age of 28, that pure together, on and off the court - to produce better speed wasn’t the key in most cases - but ability to change basketball players. Change of speed is a critical area. speeds was. Footwork Take another great example in Chauncey Billups. As a young player, Billups played very fast - all the time. In As our training program has evolved and gone through fact, I can remember him playing with the Celtics as a various minor changes and additions, the attention to rookie and people commenting that he did not play with footwork and its importance has remained a major point good “tempo,” another basketball term we use for change of emphasis. Every area of the game requires some kind of speed. Well, as Chauncey matured as a player and of footwork. And, taking it even further, good footwork began to “figure it out” he began to play at his own pace, is the absolute base for great body control, balance, and but then when it was time to make a move or create the ability to change speeds. space or find an opening, Chauncey took off like a rocket. Watch Billups run, jump, etc and he will not blow you In every skill, from shooting to defending, footwork is away with his athleticism. But watch him make a move on critical. Throughout this course, we will remind you in the court and you will see what a true “change of speed” almost every drill and situation, to check the player’s is. footwork and, if it is not correct, slow the drill down and get it right. We won’t go through everything here as I am As we take you through this course, we will constantly intending to teach footwork for every area of the game at emphasize teaching and coaching your players that they this time. But rather want to begin the course with having don’t need to be “fast all the time.” In fact, the key to all every coach or trainer know that great footwork equals of our offensive moves is ability to explode and change great things, and, maybe most importantly, as we all can’t speed, but be able to also slow back down to shoot the have 15 Kevin Garnett’s on our team, great footwork can ball under control and on-balance. Consider making compensate for lack of athleticism and other technical a cut to get open, it is the sudden burst, or change, of and tactical skills. Take a player like Paul Pierce, who, speed that will free a player from the defender. I have relatively speaking in the NBA, is not an outstanding watched hundreds of youth games where players just athlete. Yet Pierce has had a hall of fame career and is cannot get open with without the ball - all because one of the most efficient and effective scorers in the they do not have an understanding of changing speed. history of the game. Why and How?? Amazing footwork. The same goes for defense: being able to start and stop Watch Pierce for 3 minutes and you will notice he has

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 4 SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME mastered his footwork to be able to create space and get at the guys who, year in and year out, play well in the his shot off. He has also mastered it to be able to guard NBA, they are they guys who are most fit. Kobe, Durant, some of the best perimeter players in the league year and guys I know first-hand, Garnett, Billups, Rudy Gay, after year--his footwork is flawless. Rip Hamilton (and I could go on), are all in elite shape. We get young players coming in to train all the time who, in their first workout, demonstrate a complete lack of There is nothing more evident to me in youth basketball understanding of footwork. and even in college than the lack of elite fitness in the players. Players carrying too much weight, not Once we slow them down and teach the following, they conditioned enough to run the floor hard, or most improve immediately importantly, make a move at GAME SPEED, as we teach and immensely. in all our drill work. It is very simple - you cannot play this game without being in great shape. ∞∞ The 1-2 step into shots ∞∞ Keeping a wide base We will detail in this course, how to achieve this elite state ∞∞ Various pivots and how to use them of fitness at any level. It involves everything from doing all ∞∞ Sitting properly on the balls of the feet drills at game speed, to basketball specific conditioning, to eating properly and getting good sleep. Is it easy? No, Watching high school games I see players all the time but as I have always believed, there is nothing in life worth who never have their feet set, always are pivoting into achieving that comes easily. It will take some work, both the defender, and play upright with a narrow base on from you as a coach and trainer, and from the players. both sides of the ball. We will allow you to teach your But we are prepared to get you there. For me, I have been players great footwork, in progressions that will allow on a personal quest for 17 years to make players more them to improve gradually and realistically while gaining fit - period. I believe in it and I believe we do a great job an understanding of the importance of their feet. I of structuring our training to produce these results. Our have always felt that if a young player could master Drill Sequencing section will talk a lot about sequencing his footwork in the 9th grade, he or she would have a the drills to make sure the players are getting the proper tremendous advantage over most all the competition cardiovascular workout - and not stopping the workout in their age group. That is our goal here: that at the constantly. We will also deliver a series of conditioning completion of this course, you are well equipped to make drills to add to your program as well as discuss the overall every one of your players substantially better. nutritional approach players should take.

Conditioning and Overall Fitness When it is all said and done, our goal is for you to have an amazing ability to get your players to truly believe that As any player who has trained with me or at Impact over they have to be in great shape to be at their best. If they the years knows very well, I am a huge believer in elite can’t take this step, then, as I said above, all the talent in fitness and conditioning for a basketball players. In fact, the world cannot overcome fatigue and what it does to when someone asks me what I noticed MOST about NBA the body. When a player is in elite shape, his or her skills players after 17 years of training them, I always answer, can be maximized. A player who is not in shape simply quickly, “Too many of them just aren’t in elite shape.” cannot train at “game speed,” and therefore really cannot My thought process is this, and I know many of you will improve in the ways the want. Watch any workout in our agree. If a players is a great shooter, passer, defender, or facility and you will be able to tell within 3 minutes, which whatever, but he is not in shape, as soon as the fatigue sets in, all the great skills go out the window. If you look

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 5 SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE GAME players are or are not in great shape. Continue to watch, July, to begin to prepare for the upcoming season that and those players who are not in shape will begin to get officially begins in October, we will gradually bring their sloppy, not pay attention to detail, and really just “get fitness up to an elite level, allowing them to maintain through” the workout. that fitness all the way through the season. Not an easy process and it is obvious that many teams or players Of course we will discuss a very critical point here: that tend to burn out halfway through the season. Through players cannot be in “elite” shape for 12 months out of the this course, we will make sure your players continue to year. In the program, we will give you the tools necessary improve throughout the entire season. to set your training year up to make sure your players are “peaking” physically during the most important time of the year - the season. When our players arrive in June or

IMPACT BASKETBALL CERTIFICATION COURSE MANUAL 6