Basketball Post Player Tips
        
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Playing down low is a tough game. It takes skill, technique, and lost of drive.
Not all coaches have the background and knowledge to teach their post players how to play the 4 and 5 positions. This leaves many player on their own to develop as inside players.
Read the tips listed below. They'll help you become a better post player, both on offense and defense.
What
are the 3 secrets to dominating in the post?
Playing inside is tough. The lane is filled with lots of bodies and flying elbows. But you can make a name for yourself in the paint. Here are 3 keys...the 3 secrets to dominating down low:
1.) Footwork
Most of the game of basketball is about good footwork. But this is
especially true when you play in the post. Offensive post moves are usually
successful or not because of footwork. Defensive post play is also keyed
off of using great footwork. And boxing out and rebounding is, in large
part, dependent on having good footwork.
2.) Strength
and toughness
Playing down low is a rough game. Most of the time you're in the paint,
you'll have bodies draped all over you, people hanging on your arms, or
you'll getting bumped on your way up for a shot. That's just the way it
is. So you have to play with strength and toughness. Playing in the post
is not a place for the weak or timid. But strength isn't just in the size
of your shoulders or arms. Strength means playing tough, knowing how to
use positioning and leverage, and being aggressive.
3.) Power
and quickness
The 3rd secret to dominating the inside game is using power and quickness.
Power means exploding up for rebounds or put-back shots. Power means exploding
up for a turnaround jumper or baby hook shot.
Quickness means making post moves quick enough to keep your defender off-balance. It means making your offensive move fast, but under control. Quickness means making a quick step towards the basket for good rebounding position, or to cut your opponent off from getting good position.
Great post
players use solid footwork, are strong and tough, and make quick, powerful
moves inside. Work on integrating these 3 secrets into your game and you'll
become an even greater force down low.
The offensive move you need to develop and master
No matter how good a post (or inside) player you are, you'll be even more effective offensively if you develop a good jump hook.
It's such an effective move for so many reasons, it's a wonder more players don't use it as a big part of their game down-low.
Even in the NBA, surprisingly few players use a jump hook.
A few players that do use it that quickly come to mind are Tim Duncan (no surprise, he's got the whole package), and Kevin Willis (who is nearing the end of his career, but has used a jump hook as a big part of his game for quite some time).
Why don't more players practice and use the jump hook? My theory is that it isn't taught much at the high school or college level, and it also isn't all that glamorous. But having a pretty shot isn't really what the game is about. Being effective and helping your team win is all that really matters.
The jump hook
works for a variety of reasons:
1.) It's usually shot from within a few feet from the basket, so immediately
you have some level of advantage simply by your proximity to the basket
2.) You typically shoot off of a strong, two-foot plant, so you're usually
in balance and are able to get good lift on the shot
3.) By turning your body away from the defender (so that your body is
between the defender and the ball), you automatically create space to
get the shot
4.) Because of the space it helps create between you and the defender,
it's especially useful for getting your shot off against taller defenders,
or if you don't have great jumping ability
You don't have to have great form to have an effective jump hook. Just practice it over and over again. Work on getting good lift on your shot. Work on keeping space between you and the defender (by turning your body so that your non-shooting shoulder is closest to the defender's chest).
It's a great shot to use when you catch the ball close to the basket, either in the middle of the key, or even on the block. It's also a great way to follow-up a missed shot in an offensive rebound situation. And remember to get a good angle and use the glass whenever possible.
Make the jump
hook a bigger part of your inside game and you'll be a more effective
inside scorer.
Dominant players establish themselves early in the game
Great players typically start strong, and finish stronger. This is a trick I teach my private coaching clients: establish your dominance early, set the tone for the game, and you'll do yourself a big favor. If you come out weak and hesitant, your opponent is likely to feel very confident about his chances, and will probably develop a head full of steam and a lot of momentum that can carry them through the rest of the game. Don't let this happen. You need to establish the tone, right from the opening tip.
The first 4 or 5 times down the court at the start of a game, play as aggressively and confidently as possible. Every rebound that goes up, make an extremely strong, forceful block out, no matter how big and strong the opponent happens to be. Every time you make a move in the post, be quick, strong, and powerful. The first few times down the floor on defense, play like you are an All-Star.
If the opponent
is a good player, this will be a signal that it'll be a tough game against
a worthy opponent. If the opposing player is weak-willed, this level of
effort may suck the aggressiveness and fight right out of them.
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