Post Moves: The New Basketball Fundamentals

          
      All of the moves listed here should become a steady part of your scoring diet as a post player and therefore make up a good percentage of your practice time. Remember, while basketball is a game of composure and rhythm, being able to execute certain moves efficiently and quickly will also boost your ability to compete at higher levels. Treating these basic moves as your foundation or “arsenal of weapons” will impact your scoring average and make you a dangerous talent in no time. The moves are as follows:

·         Layups/Dunks

·         Jump Hook (Baseline & Lane)

·         Step-Thru (Baseline & Lane)

·         Elbow/Baseline jumper

·         Turnaround jumper (Baseline & Lane)

·         Reverse Pivot (Baseline & Lane)

Another move that is used more often by guards in post up situations or smaller post players who may posses a quickness advantage over their opponent, but lack the ideal size to score in the post, is the hop or step-back. This advanced move will test your footwork and shooting stroke, but definitely worth investing your time in.

·         Step-back

           

          Layups- Yes I included the “easiest” shot in basketball. Not to be redundant, but because most player CAN’T DO THEM! Layups include: the standard overhand layup, finger rolls, with and without using the backboard (your loving best friend), left hand, right hand, off your left or right foot, and over any part of the rim. If you can’t make these shots one on none in an empty gym, then good luck converting in an actual game.

            Jump Hook- “Jump hook” “baby hook” “sky hook” (if your fancy) whatever you wanna call it. At the end of the day, a controlled, accurate, arching hook should become a part of your DNA as a post player. Look at the front court legends Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Bill Russell. One thing you will notice they all have in common is a dependable go-to hook.

            Step-Thru- With a good upfake, solid footwork, and concentration on the finish, this move will help you make even the best of shot blockers look foolish. The key is to turn in either direction, sell the jump hook or turnaround jumper with a hard upfake (but keep the ball tight to your body), then step across your defender and finish at the rim.

            Elbow/Baseline Jumper- Traditionally these two shots weren’t necessarily a “must have” ability of any successful post player, but with certain rules in place and factors involved in most game, mastering these shots will show immediate results on your offensive ability. Your team’s pick & roll offense will be boosted if you can accurately shoot around the free throw line and zone defenders will have to respect you in the high post or short corner.

            Turnaround Jumper- If you don’t think this is a move worth practicing, I suggest you watch a Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, or Michael Jordan highlight and witness the effectiveness it can have against any defender from all over the court. The footwork is basically the same as your jump hook, except you want to rotate completely towards the basket during your turn, then shoot all in one motion. As you get better players tend to add more exaggerated drifting, fading, or even leaning, but the emphasis should be placed on your footwork and squaring you body in the air

            Reverse Pivot- This move is fundamentally similar to the step thru. After selling a believable scoring move with an upfake, instead of stepping across your defender, you you execute a drop or “reverse” pivot and spin with your back to your defender. Great shooters like Kobe Bryant use this move to shake tight, body-to-body defense, and use a defenders aggression in their favor

            Step-back- This move is great for a variety of players. Whether they be shorter, taller, slower, quicker… the step back combines deception and distance for a comfortable scoring shot. After establishing position, a hard drive step is planted towards you defender while you hop or step back to gain separation and free yourself for a shot. If you can master this move, scoring trouble will be a thing of the past in no time.



Here's a 10 minute testimony of how these "new fundamentals" can take your post game to an UNGUARDABLE level.

To recap, I’m not saying if you can’t execute these moves you’ll be a horrible post player, but those who CAN, will be preparing for success on all levels of basketball against any defender. If there's any moves you think are missing or should've been left out please feel free to comment & hope you enjoy my next article.. “The 10 Points You Never Notice and How to Score Them"

-KingNapp