PERIMETER PRESCRIPTION

I was asked a couple of days ago for some wing drills by a friend who happens to be a coach at the college level. This individual is a very good coach; I’m sure they are looking to change things up a bit with their current players.  I thought about some of my favorite drills but more importantly, when I have coffee with this coach in a few days I will be sure to present them with my 5-Tools for all Wing players. (As coaches, I’m sure you can come up with more than five, these are the ones that I often emphasize)

1-Handle: Pass and dribble.  Not only should point guards be excellent ball handlers, but wing players should also possess these important tools.  We tend to run our wings through countless shooting drills and neglect ball handling.

2-Outside Shooting: There, you got it.  The most important weapon in a wing’s gym bag.  Their outside shooting.  A player’s ability to knock down jumpers is vital. Their ability to make two’s and three’s from all angles is vital.

3-Shooting Ability Off Movement: Off the dribble to the left, right and straight ahead pull-up.

4-Move Without the Ball: All great wing players know how important it is to move without the ball.  Jim Paxson, John Havlicek, Reggie Miller and Ray Allen come to mind when I think of players who were always running off screens to get open.

5-Post-up Game: Often times you will have a smaller player guarding you.  On cue you should always take them into the post and punish them.  You need a strong ‘go-to’ move.  You also need the I.Q. and the ability to pass out of the post because the double team will come.  Magic Johnson used to call this, “mouse in the house.”

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

COACH CAL’S WAY

I came across this story written by Will Graves of the A.P. by way of MSNBC.com on John Calipari and his philosophy about basketball.  Kind of interesting if you ask me.

Over the years, I have spoken to many coaches who like Cal and many who don’t like the men’s head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky.

I like the fact that Cal wants to get his players into the NBA; he even mentions he wants 6 first round draft picks in next year’s draft (the Wildcats had 5 players chosen in the 1st round last week).

But this statement from Cal in the article made me laugh:

“It was only a few years ago Florida was the school everybody wanted to go to, and years before that everybody wanted to go to Duke or North Carolina,” he said. “I just hate to tell you right now it’s Kentucky. I know it makes a lot of people mad, but that’s where it is right now.”

Cal, until you win a championship like the above mentioned schools, please don’t put your school in the same sentence.

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me in Twitter: @CoachFinamore

HANGIN’ BANNERS

This morning I came across a great story. It was a conversation between Rick Barry and Bill Russell while they were both broadcasting a basketball game back in the day.  The subject was Dave Cowens and the Celtics about to retire his jersey. “I hope the rafters don’t collapse with all those jersey’s hanging up there in the Boston Garden.” Barry said to Russell.  Mr. Bill replied, “Oh it will be ok, we balance it out with championship banners.”

On the subject of winning championships, hopefully you have watched the HBO documentary on Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; it’s required if you love the game.

Quick take on the draft from Thursday night; not so excited about it. I’m not losing interest in the NBA, I actually have grown to enjoy it more than ever but on this night, I just wasn’t feeling it. Interesting to note that two solid players, Jon Scheyer of Duke and Sherron Collins at Kansas both win NCAA championship’s but fail to get drafted.  On the other hand, 5 Kentucky Wildcats go in the 1st round; a team which couldn’t make the Final Four.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

DRAG DRIBBLE

I watched the NBA draft last night.  But for some strange reason I’m not feeling it as much as in the past.

Years ago I used to sit in front of the television and write down the names of the players drafted as Mr. Stern would call them up to greet them. I used to actually analyze each pick.  Who was still left on the board, who might get traded, etc.  But this year I have zero desire to reach for a blank legal pad and pen. Hey, I can always print the selections out from the internet afterwards, right?

The Chicago Bulls introduced their new head coach to the media yesterday.  Tom Thibodeau, assistant coach for the Boston Celtics was hired to lead them next season. ‘Thibs’ is known as a defensive guru.  Some people tell people he is consumed in hoops 24/7. I like that.

I feel Thibodeau will do a fine job in the Windy City.  Obviously it would be big time if the Bulls were able to land Lebron James.

Here’s Jeff Van Gundy on the new Bulls coach.

“What he doesn’t get credit for is his ability to relate to players. He sometimes gets a bad rap because he’s serious about the game and works hard at his job. Really? Those are bad things? A team would be lucky to have him.”

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

KEEP ON FIGHTING

I came across some excellent material written by former NBA and college coach Jack McKinney:

That which has carried me through a very trying period of my life is the psychological factor of always thinking positively and looking forward to the best thing happening to me all the time.

It seems to me that if you think negatively, you can condition yourself to expect negations and usually end up with that.

When feeling sorry for yourself: You want to lose? Go ahead and lose. Anyone can lose. Tough guys find out some way of winning. So get tough!

No matter what happens, you can’t expend energy worrying about what people think. I have to face things head-on. To overcome any adversity, all you need is time.  Just make sure that all your steps are forward.

Taken from the book ‘The Edge’ Page 4-15

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com