7/4/18

Developing the big man(woman:) – Creating the center


Having been a small forward as a basketball player, it has been very interesting to me as a coach to train players on position 1 and on position 5. Initially I believed that the two positions are very different. But coaching young tall players at the ages 13-16, my question is if I should train and help them to play inside the basket primarily or use them outside the 3-point area. When you have a thirteen years old player at the height 1,85m/6ft, can you imagine a future center or a tall point guard?

On the other hand, how difficult is it for you to do a shorter player with great dribbling but less potential to play in a higher level an injustice. Furthermore, as you try to “create” a tall point guard, many times the young player feels uncomfortable playing away from the basket when her main advantage is close to it.

Trying to solve these problems I have selected the next solutions: 1)I choose plays with 4 players outside and 1 player at the top of the key or 1-4 set plays. So I manage to have 5 players actually outside. In addition, I give the opportunity to the center to score with 1-2 dribbles, or without (because plays often finish with her inside the paint).

2) Coach Ettore Messina referred to this scheme “Developing the big man” in the coach clinic 2010 in Hamburg, Germany. He focuses firstly on 3 things: A)He insists on the young big man running offensive transition and scoring easy points B) He also keeps on pressing him to fight for offensive rebound and C) Points from free throws. By these ways we can give confidence to a young tall player who (don’t forget it) hardly controls her body most of times.


3) Then I try slowly to improve her inside game. I will not refer to drills or moves, because there are many on the net. I want to express only my view about the first period when the player starts to play near the basket. To me two things are important: A)When my player receives the ball at the low post I keep on scoring without dribble(maybe a hook shot) or with one dribble. B) When she receives the ball at  the low post we don’t want any defender at the weak side low post. It is crucial the tall player use 1on1 the moves that she has learnt during training.


I am looking forward to your views, ideas, objections, considerations via my email: kitsoleris@hotmail.com or twitter: @Gkitsoleris.

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