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 The more you advance in the game, the more the rules change. Are you prepare?
By Bob Rathbun
Another NBA draft has come and gone, and 60 players from the United States and abroad now have a new opportunity to play professional basketball. There will be quite a learning curve ahead for these players as they make the adjustment from college or international basketball to the NBA.
As a young player, you may find yourself in the same spot some day. That’s when it will be time to raise your game to the next level.
So, how can you get ready for that?
I’d like to point out what I think is a significant piece of that preparation that gets overlooked – knowledge of the rules. As you advance, either by skill level or age, there will be new rules in place for your new team and league.
Make sure you discuss these things with your new coach and league administrators before you start practice. If you can find out what the rules are, you will be ahead of the game.
Perhaps you are at an age where your league only allows you to play zone defense, with no pressing. But now you are moving into a league that allows man-to-man defense and pressing.
How will you get ready for that?
You can start by using one of the resources we have available at On Court Player Development® – our Virtual Trainer. This is a great starting point. You can focus on your defensive footwork drills or study the fundamentals of a man-to-man defense. Many of these drills can be done individually.
And if you do not feel comfortable facing a pressing defense, it is time to work on your ball handling and passing skills. Knowing where to go and what to do to defeat a press can be learned and practiced.
From where I sit, I often see players new to the NBA fail to ask about rules differences. And they learn the hard way (think turnovers).
For example, in NCAA basketball, there is a 10-second rule that requires the offensive team to advance the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt in 10 seconds or it is a violation.
In the NBA, the same rule is only eight seconds – which is a pretty good thing to know when you are bringing the ball up against pressure.
This is just one area where summer and pre-season preparation will keep you one step ahead of your competition and make you a better and smarter
basketball player.
More importantly, have fun with it. OC
BIO: Bob Rathbun is the signature television voice of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and Fox Sports South. Working more than 100 games a year, he proudly holds the seniority role of Atlanta TV play-by-play broadcasters. Rathbun, a five-time Emmy award winner also is a much-sought-after motivational speaker. |
