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 John Calipari knows. Kentucky’s head coach said that he once had his players post the definition of toughness over their beds so they wouldn’t forget to think about it all the time. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo knows, too. Listen and you will hear him tell his team that, “Players play, but tough players win.” As a player, it’s important to know that toughness doesn’t have anything to do with size, physical strength or athleticism. Toughness is a skill – one that can be developed and improved if you work at it all the time. Following are several ways that toughness is performed in basketball.
Set a good pick – Tough players are the ones who set good screens. When you set a good screen, you’re improving the chances that either you or a teammate are getting open. Good screens force the defense to make a mistake. Lazy or bad screens waste everybody’s time and energy. To be a tough player, you must be a “screener/ scorer” – one who screens hard and immediately looks for an opportunity on offense.
Set up your cut – Tough players make hard cuts and set up their cuts. Basketball is about deception. Take your defender one way, and then plant your foot in the opposite direction you want to go and cut hard. A hard cut may get you a basket, but it also may get your teammate a basket. If you do not make a hard cut, you won’t get anyone open. Setting up your cut, making the proper defensive read, and making a hard cut require alertness, good conditioning and good concentration.
Talk on defense – Tough players communicate with their teammates. It’s almost impossible to talk on defense and not be in a stance, down and ready, with a vision of man and ball. If you talk, let your teammates know you’re there.
Jump to the ball – While on defense, tough defenders move as the ball moves. Tough players move with the ball, jump with the ball and take away the ball side of the cut. Tough players don’t let cutters cut across their face. They make the cutter change his path.
Avoid picks – No coach can give you the proper footwork to get through every screen. Tough players have a sense of urgency not to get screened and to get through screens so that the cutter cannot catch the ball where he wants to. Tough players make the catch difficult.
Play with your hands up – A pass discouraged is just as good as a pass denied. Tough players play with their hands up to take away vision, get deflections and to discourage a pass in order to allow a teammate to cover up. Cutters and post players will get open, if only for a count. If your hands are up, you can keep the passer from seeing a momentary opening.
Always see your man – Most defenders see the ball and hug their man because they’re afraid to get beat. Tough defenders play the ball and see their man. There is a difference. |
