Keys to Developing Big Men

First, work on the big man’s coordination. Balance and strength are often a problem and they usually go hand in hand. At the same time, work on flexibility especially in the torso area. Stretching at every age is very important, even at an early age.

Although it can be thought of as “old school,” rope jumping can be very helpful as it improves conditioning and it improves overall co-ordination, particularly of the hands and feet which are two areas of weakness with big men. Jumping rope also improves leg strength and quickness in jumping. George Mikan used jumping rope in the 40′s to improve his agility. Mikan went from being a slow, clumsy, struggling athlete to the first superstar of the NBA.

I wouldn’t advise having young kids get into a weight program too early, but certainly, as they reach 14, 15 years old they can start a supervised program. But even at a young age, I would have kids doing push-ups, sit-ups, calf-raises, along with their stretching. I also would encourage them to play other sports, especially at a younger age. I know there is a lot of pressure to specialize these days, but I think getting them involved in other sports, especially in sports that emphasize a lot of running, can be very good for young athletes. I think soccer in particular is great for big men. They learn how to move and use their feet and running in general is good for them. I know when I was in high school we did a lot of cross-country running, which I thought was helpful, and I hated it. But, I also understood the value and did it every year that I was in the pros preparing for training camp.

The second point to discuss is the ways to improve the Big Man’s game. There are definite skills needed as a big man and there are specific drills designed for improving those skills. However, I think that it hinders and hurts the overall development of the big man to have him do only “big man” drills. Let them do Ball Handling drills with the rest of the players and get them confident with the ball. Have big men do perimeter moves and shoot out in the floor. Challenge the big guys to compete with the smaller players, at their skills.

By the way, I also think it is good for the smaller players to do some “big man” drills. For years I use to go to Coach Pete Newell’s famous summer camp for Big Men. Top college centers would attend along with many NBA centers. Coach Newell is widely recognized as a superior teacher of big players, and, at first, I was surprised to see that over half the time the players were out on the perimeter. I spoke with Coach Newell about it, and he told me that anything you can do to improve a center’s skill, mobility and agility, the better post player they will become. I also watched Rik Smits’ development, and our other big people, under Coach Larry Brown. Rather than matching up big against big, small against small, he would mix them up in the drills. At times be would have Rik guarding a Reggie Miller or a Mark Jackson in our defensive drills. Or he’d have a Byron Scott or a Vern Fleming guarding Rik out in the floor as Rik would try to beat them from the perimeter.

My college coach was “Tex” Winter. Coach Winter is a long time college coach and NBA assistant coach, with the Bulls and Lakers. He also is the architect of the famous “Triangle Offense”. He was the first coach that I played for that had our big people doing the drills along with the perimeter players. At times it can be frustrating for the big player, however, the coach needs to be patient and encouraging if they struggle. But I agree with Coach Newell, Coach Winter and Coach Brown that the better a big player’s overall skills develop, the better the chances are to achieve the ultimate goal of being a force in the post.
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Of course, keep in mind that we are NOT trying to make these big players into perimeter players. I see that happening a lot. As the big guy’s skills improve, they spend more and more time away from the basket, most likely because it is hard work down in the post. It is physical, and most of the time, not real glamorous. We want to make them better post players and there are certain techniques and qualities that pertain solely to being a true center. Some of these qualities are physical, in other words, the skills needed, and some of these qualities are psychological in nature. The problem is basically two- fold. There are not a lot of big people, and there are not a lot of people out there with the experience to know how to teach true low post play. Hopefully, we will be a help with the learning of how to play, or coach, post play.

So in addition to the regular drills, the post player has an own set of drills to do. This means extra time and work. Oh, the price to pay to become great! Some players may not like it, but it has been my experience that most appreciate the extra attention. The extra emphasis should include:

1. How to receive the ball in the post, the use of the Line of Deployment and learn to use the pivot in posting.

2. After receiving the ball, make a special emphasis of looking over their shoulder to the middle of the court. It is a habit that needs to become second nature. It helps in reading the defense, in passing, in making
   post moves. The importance of glancing over the shoulder is often overlooked.

3. Shooting from the post. Hook shots, turnarounds, fadeways (coming soon!)

4. Basic post moves and their footwork. Emphasize maintaining balance. (coming soon!)

5. Passing from the post. Seeing cutters. Fanning the ball to the weakside.

6. Rebounding. Work on improving their hands and reaction time. Increase their mobility, their pursuit of the ball.

7. Defending the opposing post up player. (coming soon!)

8. Defending the key.

Then there is the psychological side of being a center. I worked for many years when I was with the Pacers with Mel Daniels. Mel was an All Star center in the ABA and for most of his career he averaged over 20 points and 15 rebounds per game. He was only 6′- 9″, but he was a center in the truest sense.

We used to talk a lot about the mental side of being a center or big man. He felt that size didn’t so much to make a center, that attitude did. There is a pride about being the “man in the middle” and that the key area was his office. He was out there to patrol, and to control it. He would point out that there are 2 guards, 2 forwards, but only ONE center. It does help explain why a 7′ 4″ Ralph Sampson, though a great talent, was never considered to be a center, but his 6′ 10″ teammate Hakeem Olajuwon was. Or a 7 foot Dirk Nowitzki is an All-Star power forward, but 6′ 7″ Wes Unseld and 6’7″ Ben Wallace were All- Star centers. There is a pride that needs to be instilled in young post players. Such pride will help when they struggle, will help them when they have to do extra work.