Dominic Waters (PSU) @ his 2nd pre-draft workout with the Portland Trail Blazers (NBA)!  He also, just returned last night from his pre-draft workout with the Utah Jazz (on Saturday)!  Dom is supposed to have a workout with the LA Clippers this upcoming week!  Stay tuned for more info on Dom Waters journey to the NBA!

Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns), Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks) and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) talk about the fundamentals of passing and give basic passing tips to help you improve!  Such as:  reading the defense, what types of passes to use and taking PRIDE in your passing!  I know something we teach at HOOP DREAMS BASKETBALL is that “A good pass, leads to a good shot”!  So, basically saying, making sure that you deliver the pass at the right time, right place, and on the seams (passing, so the seams of the ball are lined up when the receiver catches the ball)!  So, lets get to work and enhance our passing abilities!!!

A little insight into the mind of Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics), while speaking with Magic Johnson on ESPN!

Here are some of the NBAs best guards, giving tips on dribbling, go to moves and counters.  Every basketball player should have a “go to move” as well as a “counter” to the “go to move”.  Your “go to move” is the move that is your best move and the move  that you know can get you by a defender with the most success!  Your “counter move” is a move that you use in conjunction with that “go to move” in order to set a defender up to believe that your going to use your “go to move”, but you are actually not.  Some call it a “set up move” or a “decoy move”.  This “counter move” enables you to continue to use your “go to move” with a high success rate, so that the defense cannot “read” you and steal or stop your “go to move”.  Get to work and create your “Go TO Move” and “Counter Move”!!!

Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors – NBA) is a very skilled and smart player.  His ability to shoot, drive and pass the ball at a high level has made it an easy transition for him to go from college to the NBA and still be a major contributor.  I would definitely say to watch him and pick up his ability to move without the ball, pass, shoot off the dribble and shoot on the move.  He is never out of control and controls his speed and quickness very well.

Here is an example by a fellow Hoop Dreamer, Ime Udoka, of how to use a simple play to score - the “Give n Go”!  So many players these days want to OVER dribble and the “Give n Go” is an EASY way that you and your team can score without the ball being dribbled once!  Watch how Beno Udrih passes, swims (a move used to get open on a defender guarding you closely without the ball), then changes speed on his cut and takes advantage of Will Bynum (Detroit Pistons) going over the top of the screen.  This is what we call a “READ”, that both Ime and Beno made in order to execute the “Give n Go”.  I was just talking with our Varsity (High School ages) Class today about how difficult it is to guard someone who constantly and consistently moves without the ball.  So……if it’s not in your game, please add the “Give n Go” to your repertoire!!!

Larry Bird, rated the #1 shooter in NCAA HISTORY!  From time to time I’m going to post information about players from the past.  I believe that it is vital for any player to know the history of the game.  To know about the players that came before them and paved the way for basketball to be played the way that it is now!  Larry Bird is hands down one of the best players and best shooters to EVER PLAY THE GAME OF BASKETBALL!  In this video, he makes a comment, “I believe a shooter is a player that can shoot from 15 to 18 feet and make 60 t0 70 shots in a ROW!!!”  That is something to think about, for today’s players.  Where do you stand with that?  How many shots are you able to make in a row practicing?  How many in a row in a game situation?  How many shots do you shoot a day?

Also, Larry Bird was multi-faceted and versatile.  He could not only shoot, but rebound, defend and pass the ball!  He was a COMPLETE BASKETBALL PLAYER!!! For Larry Bird’s career he averaged – 24.3 pts, 10.0 rebs, and 6.3 assists.  Sounds a lot like Lebron James! lol! Only thing is that Larry didn’t possess the body, talent and athletic ability that Lebron possesses.  Larry Bird is someone that I would say plays the game of basketball purely and efficiently.  He got the most out of himself every time he stepped on the floor.  I have heard him say in numerous interviews that, he just wanted to be THE BEST POSSIBLE BASKETBALL PLAYER HE COULD BE, SO HE WORKED HIS HARDEST EVERYDAY!!!

Hubie Brown, Hall of Fame Coach, and someone that I respect a great deal in regards to basketball knowledge, talks about the 5 Commandments on the Defensive End of the floor!  One major point that he makes, and something that we teach at Hoop Dreams is to always push the ball away from the middle of the floor (reasons why? – 1) to keep away from the basket, 2)  it’s harder to score, 3) less plays can be made to the sideline and the baseline).  This is great information for anyone who is trying to become a better defender and overall basketball player!