The greatest post players in basketball history have been distinguished by their ability to make their opponents look foolish when they back them down in the post or go up for a monster dunk. Post play is a lost art, but that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible feat. It simply takes dedication and the willingness to learn. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can start unlocking your potential and becoming a great post player. We’ll talk about how to beef up your post moves, being able to read the defense and how to take advantage of your strengths. With the right mindset and commitment, you can become a post beast sooner rather than later. So stop writing post play off, and let’s get started on the journey of unlocking your potential!
Develop Post Skills
Developing post skills is essential to becoming a great post player. By building strong post fundamentals, you will be able to overpower your opponents and make them pay the price for trying to defend the post. A good post player knows how to quickly read the defense and use their assets to gain an advantage. A key factor in being a great post player is having a quickness and agility that enables you to make well-timed fakes and spins to evade defenders while going hard to the basket.
It is also important for a post player to have good balance, core strength, and body control so that they can keep defenders off-balance. In addition, having good coordination will help you avoid bad passes and withstand contact from defenders. All of these fundamental components must be developed in order for a post player to become great.
It is important for a post player to work on mastering their jump shot to ensure they are ready for any situation on the court. A jump shot adds another dimension to the post’s game which allows them to score regardless of how tough the matchup might be. When it comes down to it, having solid shooting fundamentals will give a post player an edge over their opponents at all times.
Top Highlights
To become a great post player, it is essential to develop fundamental skills, such as quickness and agility, good balance, core strength, body control, and coordination, as well as being able to execute a jump shot. Mastering footwork and fundamentals will be necessary to unlock one’s potential as a great post player.
Footwork & Fundamentals
Once the tools for developing post skills have been established, an athlete can begin to take their post play to the next level by focusing on footwork and fundamentals. By learning the fundamentals of post play and perfecting their footwork, an athlete can become the most dangerous version of themselves in the low block.
Footwork is essential when playing a post position. A skilled player is able to anticipate and react quickly to defensive rotation and double teams. Footwork drills such as shuffling your feet, bouncing off each foot, and “L” cuts are all great exercises to practice daily. These drills help build agility, strength and overall control when maneuvering around the hoop.
Fundamentals such as turning your body into defenders, using proper pivot feet, catching passes without putting the ball on the floor, and finishing strong are just a few of the important aspects that go into becoming a great post player. To reach peak performance in these areas, athletes must focus on their technique first before increasing difficulty with speed or weight drills. With constant practice and dedication, these techniques will soon become second nature on the court.
- According to research published in the International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, post players should focus on physical (strength and power), technical (footwork, holding positions), and tactical (awareness of opponents) abilities.
- A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that post players with greater levels of physical fitness were more efficient during matches.
- According to research published in the International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, post players should possess the necessary attributes such as speed and mobility in order to effectively implement effective offensive and defensive plays.
Become Good Offensively
In basketball, the post is often viewed as an important position due to its main objective which is creating offense. Offensively, post players must take advantage of their size and strength by being able to use footwork or skill moves down low. In order to become a great post player, one must master both aspects of offense-footwork and shot selection.
When it comes to footwork, many post players struggle with foot speed. This hinders the ability to drive to the basket off the dribble, a very important part of attacking the rim from the post. Many coaches have argued that instead of coaching split step or pivot foot moves, they should coach “precision steps” which are smaller, quicker movements that utilize angles and “attack angles”. They argue that these steps give them greater leverage than most big men that rely on brute strength because they can get deeper positioning into the lane easier and use cutting angles to create more space for themselves near the rim.
Some old school coaches will advocate for teaching more traditional footwork such as spin pivots and drop steps on a separate count so players do not lose momentum as they make their move. This can help both veteran and rookie post players learn how to read defender’s body language to set up their moves better and become more efficient at scoring in the paint.
Master Shots & Moves
It is also extremely important to become a master of a few post moves and shots. Become an expert at footwork, be able to make moves quickly and accurately, and practice shooting from different angles in the post. As you continue to practice these techniques, you will develop your own style with the ball in the post, which will make you a difficult player for opponents to guard. Remember that no two players are exactly the same—even if they have a similar size or similar skills. It is important to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, as well as the tendencies of your opponents. Doing this will allow you to create different options of offense–like hook shots, back-to-the-basket jumpers, drop steps, turnarounds— that best fit you and your opponent’s play style.
While mastering offensive techniques is essential in becoming a great post player, it’s just as important to keep defense and rebounding in mind as much as possible when practicing them. Having strong fundamentals on both sides of the court can be just as valuable as being good offensively. It is essential for post players to practice maintaining good post position on defense, boxing out opponents appropriately on rebounds, and redirecting opponents away from rebounds with their hands. With enough practice and repetition, these defensive techniques can become second nature on the court and increase your overall value as a player.
Maintaining Post Defense & Rebounding
The ability to play effective defense and dominate the defensive boards is an integral part of becoming a post player. The primary goal should be to prevent plays from ever getting off and to limit offensive rebounds from being collected by the opposition. Learning techniques such as boxing-out, establishing post position, and denying dribble penetration can all assist in this endeavor.
To successfully defend the opposing team’s post players, you need to be able to use your size, strength, and physicality. You must learn how to box out using your body and how to fight for positioning when contesting shots or going for rebounds. When defending against dribble penetration, you should focus on pressuring the ball handler while remaining disciplined on the help side to allow few driving lanes and prevent easy baskets from being made. Many coaches argue that having great defensive awareness of your surroundings can make all the difference when it comes to playing great post defense.
The overall mindset is what will make the difference between great post defenders and mediocre ones—especially when it comes to rebounding inside. Working hard on every possession and being relentless on pursuing loose balls are crucial if you want to possess an advantage over your opponent; a certain level of physicality must also be brought to ensure that you get better looks at each rebound than your counterpart. Great rebounders must not only block out their opponents but they must also stay alert to capitalize off of opponents’ errors or wrong decisions by teammates.
How to Block Shots & Pursue Rebounds
Blocking shots and pursuing rebounds are two of the most effective ways for post players to protect their team’s defensive integrity. Blocking shots is an intuitive way of preventing opponents from scoring easy layups and dunks, while rebounding is a proactive approach to ensuring that the defense has adequate opportunities for stopping the offense.
To block shots, it’s important to position yourself between the ball-handler and the basket. The post player should get their feet ready and make sure they’re able to leap up quickly when needed. It’s also beneficial to anticipate which direction the ball-handler might move in order to better time your jump and maximize your blocking window.
Rebounding is just as vital when it comes to defending as blocking shots. Post defenders need to be smart about how they pursue rebounds. Knowing when to box out defensively is important so that you can deny rebound opportunities to other players. On offense, the post defender should anticipate where balls may land in order to proactively chase down offensive boards whenever possible.
Effective Post Positioning & Strategy
Effective post positioning and strategy can be essential in becoming a great post player. To maximize the effectiveness of your post play, it is important to understand and utilize proper technique to gain an edge over the defensive player. Position yourself parallel to the lane and close enough to the basket so that you can make quick, strong moves with minimal wasted motion and energy. You should also try to seal off or “box out” the defender, angling your back against theirs, as well as remain low as possible with wide set feet and bent knees. By utilizing good footwork, you can create separation between yourself and the defender and establish proper positioning once receiving the ball in the post.
The other key aspect of post play is having a proper strategy when making your move. One important movement is the “drop step”—which involves quickly stepping towards the baseline while faking a shot attempt and using your body to shield off the defender, taking away their ability to block or steal. This can effectively be combined with a variety of other moves like spin-moves, jump-hooks and step-throughs for maximum effect. Establishing an effective combination of post moves requires time and dedication but can give you great tools for scoring as well as finding space for rebounds or outlet passes.
Becoming a Great Post Player
Post players must focus on effective post positioning and strategy in order to unlock their potential as a great post player. Growing as a post player requires dedication and consistent practice to perfect positioning and strategic decision-making. Work on physical conditioning to ensure effective footwork, agility, and explosiveness. It is critical for post players to work on developing strong mental game which includes working on one’s court awareness and understanding of the tactical aspects of the game. Understand that to be an effective post player, one must have a dual appreciation of both offense and defense. When all these elements are combined, the potential for becoming a great post player will become accessible.
When debating the pros and cons of being a great post player there is no doubt that the benefits outweigh any negative effects. While playing close to the hoop may be physically demanding for some, the opportunity for being a focal point within an offense allows for greater impact in games. Post players also have more room for creativity when it comes to scoring—legitimate shots from up close make it easier to load up with potential baskets if called upon. Post players can put pressure on opposing defenses by dominating the paint, thus making it easier for teammates to cut away from double teams or drive lanes unencumbered. These advantages make it worth the effort and energy necessary to become an effective post player in today’s game.
