3 Skills Every Player Needs

541,054 high school players, 3.4% will play in college, 1.2% of college players drafted by the NBA. How do you become part of the exclusive 1.2% club? Starting with the basics. Not exactly everybody’s favorite, but definitely the building blocks to being a successful player, the fundamentals. Imagine your game as a house, to be able to add your big screen TV, surround sound room, movie theatre style recliners etc. you need a solid foundation. The foundation is one of those things where it does not get enough appreciation until there is a problem. In this case, that problem would be non-existent.

There are 3 main skills that are NON -NEGOTIABLES, as we like to say in the coaching world. They go as follows: passing, dribbling, and finishing ALL with BOTH hands. Let me reiterate that, ALL 3 WITH BOTH HANDS.

Lets begin with passing, and I know you’re thinking how boring passing is and that you don’t want to do any drills that involve you throwing a ball against a wall. However, the wall is a useful tool for younger players to use to gain mastery of the skill, but as you get older, you need to develop these skills within game situations:

• Drive and kick strong side with outside hand

• Shovel pass in paint to bigs

• Lob to bigs

• Pocket pass

• 2 hand jump pass back to lift man

• 2 hand skip pass on a line to opposite corner

• Drift baseline 1 hand pass

• Post entry from wings/high post

• 1 hand snap pass off dribble

• Out of double team perimeter/post

These skills along with your basic chest pass, 1 & 2 handed, and bounce pass are critical in your development as a basketball player.

Next is the ability to handle the ball. Now, let me make ball handling very simple, develop a strong pound and control, use it when looking to improve an angle to pass, or making an efficient attacking move. You need to move around on the court from point A to point B, and the only way to do that is by dribbling. Everyone has come across the guy on the other team who only has 1 hand, or can’t dribble at all. Defensively, you attack and pressure that player when they have the ball. You don’t have to be Skip To My Lou with the ball in your hands, just be solid and under control!

Last of the three skills you NEED to develop, is finishing. Ever watch Kyrie Irving or Steph Curry finish around the rim? Best I’ve seen in the last 15 years, outside of Steve Nash. Not even close. Those two can adjust, finish with awkward takeoffs, and have touch enough to get it high enough over shot blockers. Mind you, this is all while being able to use either hand. Talk about a headache trying to defend. The ability to finish with both hands gives you multiple options on completing a play. Nothing worse than make a great move, or great cut, only to miss the opportunity to finish the play because adversity struck and the situation forced you into something you can’t do.

These skills are not what will get you thousands of hits on Instagram or YouTube, but they will get you more eyes watching you, recruiting you. Whether you are a 7th grader just starting out, or a freshman in college, if you don’t posses these basic skills, do not let the next summer go by without you mastering these three skills. I guarantee it will make a difference in your game. Your coaches and teammates will notice, therefore building a trust with you on the court.