Basketball Tip
Presented by Jim Tomey, Camp Director
Nike Boys Basketball Camp at SportCenter at Alliant University
Basketball Tip: Deceptive Players
Even the best defenders in the game are susceptible to being beat by a no-look pass, or a hard jab step. Having the ability to make your opponent think you are going to do something and then doing something else is a special skill. Learning deceptive passing and footwork are all important parts of taking your game to the next level and skills commonly taught at Nike Basketball Camps. Check out these tips from Nike Basketball Coach Jim Tomey to help fake out your opponent in a basketball game and help you score more buckets.
Deceptive Passing
Being able to use your peripheral vision to look one way so the defender commits and then pass in a different direction is an important skill that takes practice. These passes look unplanned, but they can be learned and practiced just like any other pass. Next time you watch a college, NBA, or WNBA game, watch the players as they make these passes and see how they use this to get the ball to an open teammate.
The ball fake is an important pass to add to your skillset. A strong ball fake can make the defense jump so that other options open up for you to attack. It is important that you sell the fake with your entire body and not just your arms. Make sure you keep one foot planted on the ground to avoid a travel call against you. You want to make it as real as possible including looking where you are faking. Once you have faked, be ready to attack but don’t feel like you need to rush. You will get better at selling the pass as you do it more and more.
Deceptive Footwork
Imagine you are guarding the best offensive player in the world. They are holding the ball and have not used their dribble yet. They are active with their non-pivot foot and you do not know which way they are going to take off toward the basket. Now when you get the ball, think about the moves they were doing. One of those was probably the jab step. The jab step is when you are holding the ball and you stomp in a direction with your non-pivot foot. The goal is to get the defender off balance so you can open up a shot or explode on a drive with the ball.
You can also fake out an opponent with a quickstep. A quick step is when you step forward and then back and either move towards the basket or take a shot. This fast movement can confuse a defender and make you harder to guard, leading to a bucket or assist. Check out Sacramento King De'Aaron Fox and watch to see how explosive and strong his quickstep is.
Learned these two key concepts will help take your game to the next level and help you grow as a player. Check out even more basketball tips and drills and get better at a Nike Basketball Camp near you.