Build a Better Player
Some More Thoughts on Summer Camp
Part Two: Picking Up a Loose Ball
Teams are picked in the winter.
They are made in the summer.
Another detail that one rarely pays attention to when playing or watching basketball is how to pick up a loose ball. "What are you talking about?" you ask. "I know how to pick up the basketball!" Yes, we all know how to pick up the basketball, but we don't always do it. When the ball is bouncing down the court and you are chasing after it, it is hard to resist the urge to just start dribbling it without picking it up and gaining posession of the ball. We even do this when we are running away from our own basket and a defender is trailing us. The most opportunistic defensive player will always be right there to steal the ball as you dribble and casually turn toward your basket. It is amazing how many times you will see this in games when you are looking for it. Even at the men's NCAA Division I level, you will see players doing it.
It is a bad habit, but it can be broken. The first step toward breaking it is to be aware of it. Most players don't even know they are doing something wrong. They just figure that the defensive player is pretty crafty. "You mean I could have done something else?" If you are a coach, make your players actually practice picking up loose balls. Toss the ball down the floor and make them chase after it. They must pick up the ball with both hands, "chin" it, pivot toward the basket, and LOOK at the situation presented on the court. You can then either have the player dribble or pass the ball up the court. The important thing is to get into the habit of picking the ball up, "chinning" it, pivoting and LOOKING. The term "chinning" is a term I have borrowed from another coach that means we want the player to put the ball in a position similar to triple threat position, except that we want them to put the ball higher -- under the chin -- with the elbows out. This position can also be called "tough position" because if you have any strength at all, having the ball in this position will make it awfully hard for the defense to steal it. If you are a player, then it should be obvious that if your coach doesn't make you practice picking up loose balls, you should do it on your own. Think about it and you will start to do it automatically.
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