One of the primary concerns of every coach is the development of a tall beginners basketball player. By much individual coaching and special drills, the tall, awkward player often can be developed into a smooth, coordinated big man that can wreak havoc with the opposition. Most championship teams have at least one tall player to control rebounds and present a dangerous scoring threat.

Where to Begin

The beginning point for developing a tall player should be in the lower grades.

Developing Strength, Jumping Ability, and Agility

Weight training can be an important factor in developing strength and jumping ability in the tall player. A program of weight training is more important in the development of the tall player than in any other. It is the tall player that needs a good amount of strength in his upper body, particularly his shoulders, arms, and hands, for the rugged rebounding work. The increase in leg strength brought about by work with weights can add inches to his vertical jump and improve his speed.

Rope skipping is one of the better drills for developing this agility.

Developing Shooting Ability

Basketball instruction includes developing shooting ability. Most good offensive centers use the following shots:

1. Lay-up.
2. Jump shot.
3. Hook shot.
4. Tip shot.
5. Free-throw.

The “George Mikan” drill is an excellent beginning point for developing the player’s shooting ability. He stands under the basket and shoots a lay-up shot with his right hand. The shot is taken off his left foot. Jump Shot. In developing the jump shot, the tall player should start close to the basket and gradually move away as his shooting proficiency increases. A minimum of fifty shots daily is absolutely essential. Keeping a record of the number of shots attempted and made daily will enable the player to check his progress and will add incentive for additional work.

Hook Shot. The hook shot should be developed with both hands. With his back to the basket, the beginner basketball player should step onto his left foot and hook the ball with his right hand. After a number of shots with his right hand, he should move to the other side of the goal and shoot the left-handed hook shot off his right foot. As his ability to shoot the shot improves, he should move further away from the basket.

Tip Shot. The the team mate will be in offensive rebounding position on most offensive plays. The perfection of the tip shot will enable him to increase his scoring effectiveness. A variety of tipping drills are available and at least one tipping drill should be used daily. As the fundamental technique is learned, a defensive rebounder should be added to the drills to contest the tall player for the rebound and simulate game conditions.

Free-throw. Since the tall player receives the ball in the highly dangerous area around the basket, he often will receive more free-throws than any other player on his team. Therefore, he must develop his free-throw technique to reach maximum effectiveness. However, no special free-throw program is necessary. The tall player should follow the same free-throw practice plan as the other members of the squad.

Good basketball instruction involves, among other things, taking care to develop your tall player.