Why is footwork so important?
What do Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Deion Sanders, Barry Sanders and Hakeem Olajuwon all have in common? Besides the fact that they were all great @ their respective sports-they all had amazing footwork! For all of you aspiring basketball players out there, this is one phase of your game that you have to constantly improve. I consider it a skill that is highly underrated! This skill however has nothing to do with shooting, passing or dribbling. I'm talking about the asset called great footwork. I can't tell you how many guys I have the pleasure of working with that don't understand the importance of having great feet. Fine tuning your footwork will allow you to be more effective on both offense and defense. Defensively you'll be able to deny the wings and contain your man one on one. From an offensive standpoint, the effects of having great footwork are limitless. Coming off screens for a shot in a 1/2 pivot. Stutter steps and hesitations. Front and reverse pivots when being trapped, on the wings for pull-ups (M.J. and Kobe), or in the post. (Think vintage Tim Duncan and KG.) I can go on and on. In my opinion, a boxer can play football, a football player can play basketball and a basketball player can be a boxer. All because of their foot work capabilities.
Ways to improve your footwork.
It's not difficult to improve your footwork, you just have to be consistent with your work habits. Here are a few tools that I like to use during my workouts.
1) Jump Rope
Why do you think boxers use the jump rope as one of their main tools while training? Because it develops foot speed balance and coordination. There are different variations to it. (Both feet, alternating feet, and single leg jumps.) Using the jump rope 20 minutes a day will automatically take your footwork to another level!
2) Stairs
Yes stairs. I absolutely love the stairs. It's an old school method-but it's guaranteed to do 4 things for you. They're going to strengthen your legs and increase your jumping ability. Running the stairs will improve your conditioning level. Your balance and coordination will get better. Lastly, the stairs will enhance your footwork. The cool thing about the stairs is that you can find some almost anywhere. The beginner level for the stairs is to run up touching each one, keeping your back straight, core tight and staying on the balls of your feet. On the way down you want to work on your foot speed by touching each step and work on balance by not holding on to the rail. An advanced player should skip steps on the way up. The more flights you run and the longer you are able to sustain it-the quicker you will be able to accomplish those 4 goals.
3) Ladder
The ladder is a tool that football players primarily use to get their feet faster. There are many different variations to it-I'm sure if you google or you tube it, you will find them. As I mentioned before, the work on the ladder will translate to the court.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Use the info and take your game and footwork to the next level!! You can contact me @ trainwithericharris@gmail.com for individual or group instruction. As well as more tips and insight.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
"HOW TO PROPERLY USE A SCREEN"
As I continue to develop my craft as a trainer, I realize that there are certain areas of the game that are not being taught to our youth. As coaches and trainers we have to do a better job of strengthening these weaknesses when we see them. Once you learn a certain skill as a player-your job isn't done. You have to constantly work on that skill until it becomes second nature. I tell my clients this all of the time. We could have the greatest session in the world on a Tuesday, but if you don't work on any of your skills by the time we meet on Saturday what's the point? Today I want to talk about how to properly use a screen without the ball. I'm not going to talk about the many scoring options off of a screen-we will revisit that in a later blog. If you don't understand how to use the screen, you will never get a shot off. Players such as Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Reggie Miller and Larry Bird immediately come to mind when talking about how to use a screen. All of these guys have one thing in common: they are all great shooters. On the flip side, they were never considered the fastest, strongest or most athletic guys in the league. To their credit, they were able to figure out how to use a screen to create space for their shot. Here are some steps that will help you perfect the art of using a screen.
Step 1- Be an actor to set up the defense.When you see your teammate in position to set a screen for you, the worst thing you can do is run right for the screen. Against a weak defender that may work. However, against the Bruce Bowen's of the world you have no chance. As soon as you recognize the screen, v-cut in the opposite direction to set up the defender. In most cases that may work-when it doesn't you have to become more vocal and call for the screen even though you know it's not coming. Another way to get the defender to bite is to use your eyes in the opposite direction from where the screen is coming. Using all methods will be the best way to set up the defense.
Step 2-Stay low to the ground.After you set up the defender you want to stay as low as possible. It goes back to being ready to shoot @ all times. Shooting starts with the legs, if your knees are already bent when you come off the screen-that will allow you to get your shot off faster. In this game a split second can be the difference in getting your shot off or getting it blocked.
Step 3-Come off shoulder to shoulder.Coming off the screen shoulder to shoulder will allow you to run the defender into the screen. This will give you the space you need to get your shot off. If you come off the screen wide-the defense will be able to slip right between you and the person setting the screen.Step 4-Give the passer a target.The last step in the process is to come off the screen with your hands ready to receive the pass. It makes the job of the passer easier when you show them that you're ready to catch and shoot. If you are not able to get a quality shot off, @ least you will be able to set someone else up or initiate the offense.
ERIC R. HARRIS JR.FOUNDER/ TRIPLE THREAT ATHLETICS"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS!"
Step 1- Be an actor to set up the defense.When you see your teammate in position to set a screen for you, the worst thing you can do is run right for the screen. Against a weak defender that may work. However, against the Bruce Bowen's of the world you have no chance. As soon as you recognize the screen, v-cut in the opposite direction to set up the defender. In most cases that may work-when it doesn't you have to become more vocal and call for the screen even though you know it's not coming. Another way to get the defender to bite is to use your eyes in the opposite direction from where the screen is coming. Using all methods will be the best way to set up the defense.
Step 2-Stay low to the ground.After you set up the defender you want to stay as low as possible. It goes back to being ready to shoot @ all times. Shooting starts with the legs, if your knees are already bent when you come off the screen-that will allow you to get your shot off faster. In this game a split second can be the difference in getting your shot off or getting it blocked.
Step 3-Come off shoulder to shoulder.Coming off the screen shoulder to shoulder will allow you to run the defender into the screen. This will give you the space you need to get your shot off. If you come off the screen wide-the defense will be able to slip right between you and the person setting the screen.Step 4-Give the passer a target.The last step in the process is to come off the screen with your hands ready to receive the pass. It makes the job of the passer easier when you show them that you're ready to catch and shoot. If you are not able to get a quality shot off, @ least you will be able to set someone else up or initiate the offense.
ERIC R. HARRIS JR.FOUNDER/ TRIPLE THREAT ATHLETICS"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS!"
"THE ONE/TWO DRIBBLE PULL-UP."
On the offensive end of the court, there is one technique that I feel every great scorer must possess-that skill is the pull-up jumper. The pull-up jump shot is a lost art in today's game. Most young players either want to get all the way to the basket or rely on taking a three pointer. On the high school level that may work, but defenses are just too good in college and the pros. Without a mid-range game you will become too predictable as an offensive player. If you're a good penetrator, working on your pull-up will allow you to keep the defense off balance. As the defender is moving his or her feet to cut you off-there is nothing they can do when you rise up to shoot. Great scorers only need one or two dribbles to get off their shot-any more dribbles than that will allow a good help defense to collapse and take away your shot.The one/two dribble pull up is very easy to execute, but like anything else it will take many hours of repetition before you master it. The good thing is that you can use this move from anywhere on the court. Here are a few things to remember about the pull-up jumper. Step
1-Make a move @ full speed.When you're being guarded on the perimeter you have to get by the defender with a dribble move. It can be a single move (crossover, thru the legs, behind the back or stutter) or a combination move (in and out/crossover, crossover/thru the legs, or behind the back/in and out). The point is to get by the defender @ full-speed. The move won't work if you go half-speed!
Step 2- Stay low on an angle.As you get by the defender, your goal is to stay low so that you're already in a "triple threat" position to shoot. It makes no sense to make a great move and then rise up once you get past the man guarding you-when it's time to shoot you have to bend your knees again anyway. It just takes too much time to get your shot off. To avoid that, make your move and stay low to the ground. The second phase is to stay on a sharp angle to the basket. Go toward the basket and not away from it. You may have heard the term "north-south" being used in basketball. When a coach says that, he wants you to attack the basket as opposed to going "east-west" or left and right. Maintaining a sharp angle will make it tough for the defense to recover once you beat him.
Step 3- Stop on a dime and pull up.As the defender is trying to move their feet to recover after being beat, your job is to stop on the dime and pull-up. There is no way that the defender will be able to recover and be able to block your shot. As he or she is sliding, you're in the air taking your jumper. The only option that the defense will have will be to swipe @ the ball-so make sure that you protect it. Before you can take the shot, your footwork has to be right. If you are dribbling to your right-you always want to plant with your left foot first. As you plant with your left you immediately follow up with your right foot and jump straight up and down on your shot. Dribbling to your left you want to have a right-left pivot. (Just remember to plant with your inside foot either way you dribble). You can also use a jump stop, but I suggest working on the 1-2 step first. Either way, you have to stop right on a dime and pull-up.
Step 4- Make the shot.The move can look great-but if you don't make the shot it doesn't matter.As I mentioned earlier, adding the pull-up jumper to your arsenal will only make you a more explosive scorer. You won't perfect it overnight though. When you're watching footage of Michael Jordan-notice how many times he scored off of this move. Today's game is no different. Top scorers like Kobe, D Wade, Paul Pierce and Lebron all use this move effectively. Defenders know what's coming but they still have no way to stop it. By working on your pull-up jumper you are working on your overall midrange game. I laid it out for you, now it's time to get it done!
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."-ERIC HARRIS
1-Make a move @ full speed.When you're being guarded on the perimeter you have to get by the defender with a dribble move. It can be a single move (crossover, thru the legs, behind the back or stutter) or a combination move (in and out/crossover, crossover/thru the legs, or behind the back/in and out). The point is to get by the defender @ full-speed. The move won't work if you go half-speed!
Step 2- Stay low on an angle.As you get by the defender, your goal is to stay low so that you're already in a "triple threat" position to shoot. It makes no sense to make a great move and then rise up once you get past the man guarding you-when it's time to shoot you have to bend your knees again anyway. It just takes too much time to get your shot off. To avoid that, make your move and stay low to the ground. The second phase is to stay on a sharp angle to the basket. Go toward the basket and not away from it. You may have heard the term "north-south" being used in basketball. When a coach says that, he wants you to attack the basket as opposed to going "east-west" or left and right. Maintaining a sharp angle will make it tough for the defense to recover once you beat him.
Step 3- Stop on a dime and pull up.As the defender is trying to move their feet to recover after being beat, your job is to stop on the dime and pull-up. There is no way that the defender will be able to recover and be able to block your shot. As he or she is sliding, you're in the air taking your jumper. The only option that the defense will have will be to swipe @ the ball-so make sure that you protect it. Before you can take the shot, your footwork has to be right. If you are dribbling to your right-you always want to plant with your left foot first. As you plant with your left you immediately follow up with your right foot and jump straight up and down on your shot. Dribbling to your left you want to have a right-left pivot. (Just remember to plant with your inside foot either way you dribble). You can also use a jump stop, but I suggest working on the 1-2 step first. Either way, you have to stop right on a dime and pull-up.
Step 4- Make the shot.The move can look great-but if you don't make the shot it doesn't matter.As I mentioned earlier, adding the pull-up jumper to your arsenal will only make you a more explosive scorer. You won't perfect it overnight though. When you're watching footage of Michael Jordan-notice how many times he scored off of this move. Today's game is no different. Top scorers like Kobe, D Wade, Paul Pierce and Lebron all use this move effectively. Defenders know what's coming but they still have no way to stop it. By working on your pull-up jumper you are working on your overall midrange game. I laid it out for you, now it's time to get it done!
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."-ERIC HARRIS
"RAVENS NEVERMORE"
How do you take a Bentley and run it into the ground so quickly? The Catholic school is still located in the Parkchester section of the Bronx, the name on the front of the jerseys remain the same, and there's even a glamorous new gym (The House that Gary Built), but the once proud and prosperous St. Raymond's basketball program no longer dominates like it used to. When you saw that orange, white, and blue on the court in the 90's and early 2000's-you knew what time it was. That Raven represented excellence and a perennial national powerhouse. The Ravens you have seen the last few years are a knock off- an average team in the CHSAA @ best. This point was made evident to me the last two times I went to see my Alma Mater play. (Unimpressive win vs Loughlin & a blowout loss to Xaverian) You may ask why an alum like myself would be so critical of the institution that taught him so many lessons on and off the court. The answer is simple: It's a disgrace to see what the program has transformed into! This mediocrity has been going on for years now. I'm quite sure former players and students feel the same way as well. I hope to ruffle some feathers, because it's time for a change. I deserve the right to be critical. After all, with the help of my teammates, coaches and players before us-our goal was to continue to elevate the program every year. That's what we did. St. Raymond's basketball has become a shell of it's former self. That Bentley is now a Hyundai and it's sad. No disrespect to the current players, because there is some talent there-but when you play @ St. Raymond's you're judged on how many championships you win, not individual talent. What went wrong and how do we fix it?
As I sat in the stands watching Xaverian pummel this version of the team, I said to myself this can't be happening. It's bad enough that Xaverian was beating us by 20, but on top of that they did it in front of the 91' City Championship team. (Honored @ halftime for this accomplishment.) Adding even more fuel to the fire was the realization that Gary DeCesare, the man who orchestrated it all, wasn't even in the building. How do you have a 91' City Championship reunion without Coach DeCesare? That's insane to me. When I played from 92'-94' Xaverian couldn't beat us on their best day. They couldn't beat us even if Kareem Reid, Tyler Brown and myself sat out due to injuries. Or even if we spotted them a 20 point lead. No knock on Xaverian, but that's how well coached and how good we were.
Oliver Antigua has been the Head Coach @ St. Rays for 9 seasons. Anything good or bad related to the team has to be directed towards him. I know Oliver from our time @ St. Rays together, but we don't currently have a relationship. My feelings about this situation aren't personal-I'm just calling it how I see it. I'm just opposed to the way Oliver does things. Legendary coach Gary DeCesare wasn't perfect, but he always had his sights set on advancing the program on all levels. Ultimately, you had to respect him because when he took over @ St. Raymond's they were an average team-he built it into a national brand. He didn't inherit anything, he put the work in. His blueprint produced tons of major D1 student-athletes. Gary DeCesare started the trend of H.S. teams having their own summer travel teams (Bronx Ravens), he directed the prestigious ABCD All-American basketball camp, and at one time he was one of the most powerful figures in basketball. When coach left St. Ray's, those were some huge shoes to fill! Shoes that Oliver or anyone else for that matter would be unable to fill.
When I break down the St. Raymond's teams over the past 9 years, these are the issues that I see. First and foremost the players aren't being developed like they should be. That starts with Oliver and trickles down to the assistants. Suspect ball-handling and passing led to numerous turnovers in both games that I watched. The inability to knock down open jumpers is also a glaring weakness. Without any shooters the defense is constantly going to double and triple Daniel Dingle and Nkereuwem Okoro-the teams two biggest threats. Visionary Gary DeCesare never had these major problems with his teams. We were 10 deep and we worked on these areas constantly in practice which prepared us for game situations. If he couldn't get it done, he would find someone with the credibility to get us better. Players 6-10 challenged the 1st 5 and took our game to the next level. I don't know what the hell Oliver is doing in practice. His teams make the same mistakes over and over again.Watching a 93' game against Rice H.S. (Felipe Lopez, Reggie Freeman, Gary Saunders, Scientific Mapp, Melvin Mckey) with my former teammate Rahsaan Thompson, one thing was clearly obvious to the both of us. Our team was relentless on the defensive end of the court. The attention to detail and the constant pressure we put on our man when he caught the ball was astounding. I wouldn't want to play against that team. I would want to play against this years version. The ball-handler is always comfortable. There is no ball pressure and he can just walk the ball up if he wants to. Where is the denial of the passing lanes on the wing and the communication? Xaverian showed no fear whatsoever in our house. Gary DeCesare understood that defense wins championships. Doesn't Oliver get this? Once again, what's going on in practice? You can't blame the kids if they aren't held accountable for doing things the right way.If you're not in shape mentally and physically on the H.S., Collegiate or Pro level-you're not going to be able to compete at your maximum level. From a strength and conditioning standpoint, the players look tired on the floor. A number of players are overweight and need to hit the weight room to add lean muscle. There's state of the art weight training equipment in the school. So what's the excuse.
Mentally the kids just look confused any time a little adversity takes place on the court. None of these players would be able to handle Gary's mind games. When I played, we had what was called "Brain Power" once a week. Coach DeCesare would have a professional named Jim Sturgis come in and work on our mental development. We would meet for an hour each time and it would give us a chance to bond without coach being there. We would talk about any issues we had with coach and practice the habits of "positive affirmations" and "positive thinking". This was the early 90's way before it became a popular trend. Fast forward 20 years later, and every successful athlete, musician or doctor believes in the power of positive thinking and your thoughts becoming reality. How in the world did coach know that this method would be successful? The guy is a genius!
The house that Gary built is no longer an advantage. I call it the H.T.G.B. because coach laid the groundwork and gave his blood, sweat and tears for that gym to be there. He had a vision all along. "I'm really disappointed about how much the program has regressed over the years. From a basketball perspective, alumni relations standpoint, and all of the things that have happened off the court. I left St. Raymond's in a position to win championships for many, many years. It hurts to see where they are now", said Gary DeCesare. I mentioned to coach how the team lost to Xaverian and he wasn't surprised. He asked me what the turnout for the game was and I tell him half empty. "I would have that gym packed every game. It makes no sense for that gym to be that way. There is no home court advantage there. Xaverian forces you to make adjustments-I guess the current coaching staff wasn't able to make those necessary adjustments.
"I just think about the good old days that I had in High School and they always bring a smile to my face. We weren't always pumped about the strenuous 2 1/2 hour practices, but we knew they would get us better. I can't imagine what the repercussions would be for losing to a team by 20 points @ home. I can remember losing to a good Walton team by one or two points @ the Gauchos Gym in 93'. We were all disappointed. "Everybody get on the van and keep your uniforms on", said coach DeCesare. We were all thinking what the hell is he gonna do now. To make a long story short, we went back to St. Ray's to watch film of the just played Walton game. Here's the catch though. We get in the gym and he turns the air conditioner up full blast. Mind you, he tells us to take our coats off and leave our uniforms on. It was freezing in the gym! He points out every mishap-constantly rewinding the tape and barking on us. We didn't understand what the purpose was-but he always had a plan. The end result was that we beat the same Walton team in the State Championship. Gary was a Trail blazer, teacher, disciplinarian and father figure. He prepared me for the University of Minnesota and how to be a man. I guess my expectations are to high for St. Raymonds after all. NYC basketball as a whole is really down. I do know one thing, there will never be another Gary DeCesare. On behalf of myself, my former teammates, and all of the Ravens that you influenced- THANK YOU COACH!!!!To be continued.
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."-Eric R. Harris Jr.
As I sat in the stands watching Xaverian pummel this version of the team, I said to myself this can't be happening. It's bad enough that Xaverian was beating us by 20, but on top of that they did it in front of the 91' City Championship team. (Honored @ halftime for this accomplishment.) Adding even more fuel to the fire was the realization that Gary DeCesare, the man who orchestrated it all, wasn't even in the building. How do you have a 91' City Championship reunion without Coach DeCesare? That's insane to me. When I played from 92'-94' Xaverian couldn't beat us on their best day. They couldn't beat us even if Kareem Reid, Tyler Brown and myself sat out due to injuries. Or even if we spotted them a 20 point lead. No knock on Xaverian, but that's how well coached and how good we were.
Oliver Antigua has been the Head Coach @ St. Rays for 9 seasons. Anything good or bad related to the team has to be directed towards him. I know Oliver from our time @ St. Rays together, but we don't currently have a relationship. My feelings about this situation aren't personal-I'm just calling it how I see it. I'm just opposed to the way Oliver does things. Legendary coach Gary DeCesare wasn't perfect, but he always had his sights set on advancing the program on all levels. Ultimately, you had to respect him because when he took over @ St. Raymond's they were an average team-he built it into a national brand. He didn't inherit anything, he put the work in. His blueprint produced tons of major D1 student-athletes. Gary DeCesare started the trend of H.S. teams having their own summer travel teams (Bronx Ravens), he directed the prestigious ABCD All-American basketball camp, and at one time he was one of the most powerful figures in basketball. When coach left St. Ray's, those were some huge shoes to fill! Shoes that Oliver or anyone else for that matter would be unable to fill.
When I break down the St. Raymond's teams over the past 9 years, these are the issues that I see. First and foremost the players aren't being developed like they should be. That starts with Oliver and trickles down to the assistants. Suspect ball-handling and passing led to numerous turnovers in both games that I watched. The inability to knock down open jumpers is also a glaring weakness. Without any shooters the defense is constantly going to double and triple Daniel Dingle and Nkereuwem Okoro-the teams two biggest threats. Visionary Gary DeCesare never had these major problems with his teams. We were 10 deep and we worked on these areas constantly in practice which prepared us for game situations. If he couldn't get it done, he would find someone with the credibility to get us better. Players 6-10 challenged the 1st 5 and took our game to the next level. I don't know what the hell Oliver is doing in practice. His teams make the same mistakes over and over again.Watching a 93' game against Rice H.S. (Felipe Lopez, Reggie Freeman, Gary Saunders, Scientific Mapp, Melvin Mckey) with my former teammate Rahsaan Thompson, one thing was clearly obvious to the both of us. Our team was relentless on the defensive end of the court. The attention to detail and the constant pressure we put on our man when he caught the ball was astounding. I wouldn't want to play against that team. I would want to play against this years version. The ball-handler is always comfortable. There is no ball pressure and he can just walk the ball up if he wants to. Where is the denial of the passing lanes on the wing and the communication? Xaverian showed no fear whatsoever in our house. Gary DeCesare understood that defense wins championships. Doesn't Oliver get this? Once again, what's going on in practice? You can't blame the kids if they aren't held accountable for doing things the right way.If you're not in shape mentally and physically on the H.S., Collegiate or Pro level-you're not going to be able to compete at your maximum level. From a strength and conditioning standpoint, the players look tired on the floor. A number of players are overweight and need to hit the weight room to add lean muscle. There's state of the art weight training equipment in the school. So what's the excuse.
Mentally the kids just look confused any time a little adversity takes place on the court. None of these players would be able to handle Gary's mind games. When I played, we had what was called "Brain Power" once a week. Coach DeCesare would have a professional named Jim Sturgis come in and work on our mental development. We would meet for an hour each time and it would give us a chance to bond without coach being there. We would talk about any issues we had with coach and practice the habits of "positive affirmations" and "positive thinking". This was the early 90's way before it became a popular trend. Fast forward 20 years later, and every successful athlete, musician or doctor believes in the power of positive thinking and your thoughts becoming reality. How in the world did coach know that this method would be successful? The guy is a genius!
The house that Gary built is no longer an advantage. I call it the H.T.G.B. because coach laid the groundwork and gave his blood, sweat and tears for that gym to be there. He had a vision all along. "I'm really disappointed about how much the program has regressed over the years. From a basketball perspective, alumni relations standpoint, and all of the things that have happened off the court. I left St. Raymond's in a position to win championships for many, many years. It hurts to see where they are now", said Gary DeCesare. I mentioned to coach how the team lost to Xaverian and he wasn't surprised. He asked me what the turnout for the game was and I tell him half empty. "I would have that gym packed every game. It makes no sense for that gym to be that way. There is no home court advantage there. Xaverian forces you to make adjustments-I guess the current coaching staff wasn't able to make those necessary adjustments.
"I just think about the good old days that I had in High School and they always bring a smile to my face. We weren't always pumped about the strenuous 2 1/2 hour practices, but we knew they would get us better. I can't imagine what the repercussions would be for losing to a team by 20 points @ home. I can remember losing to a good Walton team by one or two points @ the Gauchos Gym in 93'. We were all disappointed. "Everybody get on the van and keep your uniforms on", said coach DeCesare. We were all thinking what the hell is he gonna do now. To make a long story short, we went back to St. Ray's to watch film of the just played Walton game. Here's the catch though. We get in the gym and he turns the air conditioner up full blast. Mind you, he tells us to take our coats off and leave our uniforms on. It was freezing in the gym! He points out every mishap-constantly rewinding the tape and barking on us. We didn't understand what the purpose was-but he always had a plan. The end result was that we beat the same Walton team in the State Championship. Gary was a Trail blazer, teacher, disciplinarian and father figure. He prepared me for the University of Minnesota and how to be a man. I guess my expectations are to high for St. Raymonds after all. NYC basketball as a whole is really down. I do know one thing, there will never be another Gary DeCesare. On behalf of myself, my former teammates, and all of the Ravens that you influenced- THANK YOU COACH!!!!To be continued.
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."-Eric R. Harris Jr.
"SLAM'S 10 GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL-TIME."
The experts @ Slam Magazine put together “The 500 Greatest NBA Players of All Time”. We can all agree to disagree, but the fact of the matter is that Slam put a lot of research into coming up with their final list. This is indeed a tough task! “I perused the Basketball Encyclopedia and Total Basketball and filled out index cards for more than 1,000 players”, said Al Stark. “I checked obvious stats, awards, honors, number of championships and All-Star appearances. Then, head spinning, I bounced my ideas off some basketball expert friends of mine and then numbered the cards from 1 to 500. An exhausting exercise!” I’m obviously not going thru the whole list, but I am going to take a look @ the top 10. (Starting with number 1.) I will give my own opinions and critique the list as well. I’m interested to hear what you think. Let the debate begin!
Number 1 –MICHAEL “AIR” JORDAN What can I say about this pick? For those of you that really know me, I grew up idolizing M.J.-so I guess you can say I’m a little biased. The facts speak for themselves though. He had everything-the complete game, style on and off the court, competitive drive, killer instinct, tireless work ethic and he was the ultimate winner. If you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, you patterned your game and your swagger after Michael Jordan. That includes: Kobe, LeBron, D Wade, Carmelo and all of the players of today’s generation. Even kids that don’t play basketball from the ages of 6-17 are influenced by M.J. and they never saw him play. They rush to get the newest pair of “Air Jordans” when they hit the stores. When I hear the name Michael Jordan, I think of “greatness”, “iconic figure”, and “living legend”-his name will forever be synonymous with these titles. I have this Kobe vs. Jordan debate with my younger brother and his peer group (age 25 & under) all of the time. It’s actually ridiculous; I don’t even know why I entertain it. Granted, Kobe Bryant is a flat out beast, he can score the hell out of the ball, and there are a lot of similarities to his game and M.J’s. Kobe did the best job of any player of mimicking the original prototype. Since he was a little kid he studied M.J.’s footwork, mannerisms, arsenal of moves and commitment to being great. Tons of guys have tried to reach Jordan’s status on the court (Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Harold Miner), but Kobe has come the closest. I’m not mad at Kobe though. If you’re going to be great in any industry-you have to model what you do after the person or thing that’s considered the greatest. If you’re an entertainer, you study the other M.J. (Michael Jackson) Every aspiring boxer has to study Muhammad Ali’s blueprint. If you want to design the best vehicle on the planet, you study the engineering of the classy Mercedes Benz. It’s easier said than done though. In my opinion, the pupil will never be better than the teacher! I admire Kobe for taking on that challenge, but as I try to explain to my brother Antoine-aside from similarities on the court, you can’t compare the two.
Ultimately, Michael Jordan played in an era that was way more competitive and physical. (You could hand check, and clothes lining someone wouldn’t get you ejected.) He never played with a dominant big man. No disrespect to the great Scottie Pippen, but anybody in their right mind would want to play with a dominant Shaq. Jordan is responsible for taking three struggling companies (Nike, Chicago Bulls, and the NBA), and turning them into huge financial assets. At the end of the day, players should be judged on their basketball achievements-M.J’s is ridiculous! Quick question for you. If he didn’t miss 86’ due to a broken foot, 94’, majority of 95’, and 99’ due to retirement-how many more points would he have scored? How many more rings would M.J. have won? The Rockets don’t repeat if Jordan was there. It’s my theory that the Bulls could have won 9 straight. (91’, 92’, 93’, 94’, 95’, 96’, 97’, 98’, 99’) With an average season scoring total of 2,152, he could have easily passed Kareem with 40,900 career points.RESUME-6 Rings.-6 Finals MVP’s.-5 League MVP’s.-32,292 Career Points-30.1 Career Scoring Avg.-10-Time Scoring Champ.-All-NBA 1st Team 10x’s.-All NBA Defensive Team 9x’s.-Defensive Player of the Year 88’.-All-Star Selection 14x’s.-ASG MVP 3x’s.-Slam Dunk Champ 2x’s. -Olympic Gold Medal 2x’s
“IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS.”-ERIC R. HARRIS
Number 1 –MICHAEL “AIR” JORDAN What can I say about this pick? For those of you that really know me, I grew up idolizing M.J.-so I guess you can say I’m a little biased. The facts speak for themselves though. He had everything-the complete game, style on and off the court, competitive drive, killer instinct, tireless work ethic and he was the ultimate winner. If you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, you patterned your game and your swagger after Michael Jordan. That includes: Kobe, LeBron, D Wade, Carmelo and all of the players of today’s generation. Even kids that don’t play basketball from the ages of 6-17 are influenced by M.J. and they never saw him play. They rush to get the newest pair of “Air Jordans” when they hit the stores. When I hear the name Michael Jordan, I think of “greatness”, “iconic figure”, and “living legend”-his name will forever be synonymous with these titles. I have this Kobe vs. Jordan debate with my younger brother and his peer group (age 25 & under) all of the time. It’s actually ridiculous; I don’t even know why I entertain it. Granted, Kobe Bryant is a flat out beast, he can score the hell out of the ball, and there are a lot of similarities to his game and M.J’s. Kobe did the best job of any player of mimicking the original prototype. Since he was a little kid he studied M.J.’s footwork, mannerisms, arsenal of moves and commitment to being great. Tons of guys have tried to reach Jordan’s status on the court (Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Harold Miner), but Kobe has come the closest. I’m not mad at Kobe though. If you’re going to be great in any industry-you have to model what you do after the person or thing that’s considered the greatest. If you’re an entertainer, you study the other M.J. (Michael Jackson) Every aspiring boxer has to study Muhammad Ali’s blueprint. If you want to design the best vehicle on the planet, you study the engineering of the classy Mercedes Benz. It’s easier said than done though. In my opinion, the pupil will never be better than the teacher! I admire Kobe for taking on that challenge, but as I try to explain to my brother Antoine-aside from similarities on the court, you can’t compare the two.
Ultimately, Michael Jordan played in an era that was way more competitive and physical. (You could hand check, and clothes lining someone wouldn’t get you ejected.) He never played with a dominant big man. No disrespect to the great Scottie Pippen, but anybody in their right mind would want to play with a dominant Shaq. Jordan is responsible for taking three struggling companies (Nike, Chicago Bulls, and the NBA), and turning them into huge financial assets. At the end of the day, players should be judged on their basketball achievements-M.J’s is ridiculous! Quick question for you. If he didn’t miss 86’ due to a broken foot, 94’, majority of 95’, and 99’ due to retirement-how many more points would he have scored? How many more rings would M.J. have won? The Rockets don’t repeat if Jordan was there. It’s my theory that the Bulls could have won 9 straight. (91’, 92’, 93’, 94’, 95’, 96’, 97’, 98’, 99’) With an average season scoring total of 2,152, he could have easily passed Kareem with 40,900 career points.RESUME-6 Rings.-6 Finals MVP’s.-5 League MVP’s.-32,292 Career Points-30.1 Career Scoring Avg.-10-Time Scoring Champ.-All-NBA 1st Team 10x’s.-All NBA Defensive Team 9x’s.-Defensive Player of the Year 88’.-All-Star Selection 14x’s.-ASG MVP 3x’s.-Slam Dunk Champ 2x’s. -Olympic Gold Medal 2x’s
“IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT OR IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS.”-ERIC R. HARRIS
"THE WALKER RULES"
During my playing career, I built my reputation as a defensive stopper. Cats knew that when they played against me, they were going to have a battle on their hands. I always tell the story of how my dad Eric Harris Sr. advised me when I was younger to "bring a different skill to the table-this in turn will make you a valuable asset to your team." That team was the Gauchos. If your a NYC basketball historian-you know how good those Gauchos teams were back in the late 80's and early 90's. The "Biddies" and "Midget" teams I played on were stacked. You had guys like Tyler Brown, Dennis Keenan, Wally Lynch, Camron Giles, Gary Saunders, Shammgod Wells, Stephon Marbury and Felipe Lopez-just to name a few. We're not talking about beginner level players. All of these guys had an advanced fundamental skill-set @ 12/13 years old. Our coaches Mr. Paige and Dave Jones did a great job of developing us. So had I not been receptive to what my dad told me, I would have been lost in the shuffle on those teams and never reach my potential as a Division 1 student-athlete. Don't get me wrong, my offensive game didn't resemble Ben Wallace's-but that's not what my team needed. Conversely, Ben Wallace figured it out. He realized that in order to get to the league, be successful in the league, and make a lot of money-he had to do one or two things really well. His two specialties happen to be playing defense and rebounding the ball. This leads us to our topic of the day: how do you stop Bronx product Kemba Walker?
Kemba's rags to Riches story is one of legend. A kid that goes to a basketball powerhouse (Rice H.S.) and is kind of unsure of himself to the point where he thinks of quitting the game to be a dancer. Luckily, he continues to play and his game flourishes from competing against guys like Edgar Sosa and Curtis Kelly everyday @ practice. Having coaches around like Mo Hicks, Duane Mitchell and Rasheen Davis around didn't hurt his chances either. "I remember how hard he competed everyday in practice. He never backed down from Edgar Sosa. His thing was about shutting down people on the defensive end", said current Xavier assistant coach Rasheen Davis. "We played a game against Christ The King and I'll never forget it. Kemba gets stripped by Erving Walker (University of Florida)and Erv finishes on the other end with an and 1. We wound up losing the game by 2 or 3 points. A light bulb went on for Kemba that day-he wasn't going to be inferior to anyone else again", said Davis. At press time, Kemba is halfway thru his junior year @ UConn. He's currently the 2nd leading scorer in the NCAA with a 24.4 scoring average. You can attribute his overall improved outside shooting to one thing and one thing only. Kemba made the choice to put the time in the gym this summer. The easy thing to do is to come home and be with family and friends over the summer-instead Kemba paid the price to be successful. As a Freshman @ UConn, when he took a jump shot, you didn't expect it to go in. Last year when he pulled up for a J-you would give him a 50/50 chance of making it. I noticed his progression in that area from the year before. This year you can forget about it! You expect everything the kid throws up to go in. I don't care if it's a 1 or 2 dribble pull up, fade away, step back or a buzzer beater 3 with the game on the line. I give it up to the young man for dedicating himself to his craft. He's a "throwback" type of player. Someone that I would of loved to have competed against. His offensive game has caught up to his defensive game and now he's a threat on both ends.
With that being said, how do you stop Kemba Walker? I reached into my "Triple Threat Athletics" defensive stopper grab bag and pulled out a few things. These are what I call "The Walker Rules." For those of you too young to know-these rules are named after the Jordan Rules. A strategy that the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons used to slow down Michael Jordan (The Greatest Ever) in the late 80's and early 90's. College coaches all over the country should be reaching out to me for this how to guide.***Disclaimer***Kemba Walker is a highly conditioned/highly skilled athlete with the heart of a lion. Before you try to use these rules against him, be very prepared for the consequences. The rules work depending on the player trying to implement them. One man can't stop a player like Kemba by himself, you need help.
Walker Rules
1) Pray and get a lot of sleep the night before the game.
2) Get your work done early. -You have to deny Kemba the ball before he gets it. Whether it be in a full-court or half-court situation. You're @ his mercy once he catches it, so deny, deny, and deny some more. He can't hurt you if he doesn't have the ball. Don't let him touch it!
3) Be Physical with him.-Bump him, give him a forearm shiver and even hold him from time to time if you have to. Definitely make him taste the paint when he drives the basket. This will eventually wear him down. Compete hard without any malicious intent. College basketball is not as physical as it used to be. It doesn't matter with Kemba, if you knock him down he's gonna get back up!
4) Use your offense as a defense.-The worse thing you can do is allow a great offensive player to rest when he's guarding you. You have to be a threat @ all times and make him work. This in turn will make him consume lots of energy on both ends of the court-which will make those jumpers come up short in crunch time. Also, being aggressive gives you the chance to get him in foul trouble.
5) Take away his strengths.-Any great player is considered great because they put in the time to hone all areas of their game. Kemba's game isn't perfect, (no player's game is) so you can still try to put him in situations that he isn't as comfortable in. He is right-handed, so try to force him left and look for help. The fact that he can knock down the jumper @ a high clip keeps you off balance. You have to make him beat you from the outside as opposed to giving up lay-ups. It's easier said than done though. Kemba is cat quick and he handles the ball with the best of them.
6) Hope that he has an off night.Ultimately, Kemba Walker is having a great Junior year @ UConn. Not only is he having success individually, but he willed his team to a top 5 ranking. Based on the team that UConn had returning-I would have never guessed that in a million years. Kemba will have a 13 year career in the NBA because he works hard, pays attention to detail, and is disciplined, humble and a good kid. Keep doing your thing K Walk!
Contact me for individual or group basketball instruction."IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT AND IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS"-ERIC HARRISPosted by Eric Harris at 12:10 PM 0 commentsEmail ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook
Kemba's rags to Riches story is one of legend. A kid that goes to a basketball powerhouse (Rice H.S.) and is kind of unsure of himself to the point where he thinks of quitting the game to be a dancer. Luckily, he continues to play and his game flourishes from competing against guys like Edgar Sosa and Curtis Kelly everyday @ practice. Having coaches around like Mo Hicks, Duane Mitchell and Rasheen Davis around didn't hurt his chances either. "I remember how hard he competed everyday in practice. He never backed down from Edgar Sosa. His thing was about shutting down people on the defensive end", said current Xavier assistant coach Rasheen Davis. "We played a game against Christ The King and I'll never forget it. Kemba gets stripped by Erving Walker (University of Florida)and Erv finishes on the other end with an and 1. We wound up losing the game by 2 or 3 points. A light bulb went on for Kemba that day-he wasn't going to be inferior to anyone else again", said Davis. At press time, Kemba is halfway thru his junior year @ UConn. He's currently the 2nd leading scorer in the NCAA with a 24.4 scoring average. You can attribute his overall improved outside shooting to one thing and one thing only. Kemba made the choice to put the time in the gym this summer. The easy thing to do is to come home and be with family and friends over the summer-instead Kemba paid the price to be successful. As a Freshman @ UConn, when he took a jump shot, you didn't expect it to go in. Last year when he pulled up for a J-you would give him a 50/50 chance of making it. I noticed his progression in that area from the year before. This year you can forget about it! You expect everything the kid throws up to go in. I don't care if it's a 1 or 2 dribble pull up, fade away, step back or a buzzer beater 3 with the game on the line. I give it up to the young man for dedicating himself to his craft. He's a "throwback" type of player. Someone that I would of loved to have competed against. His offensive game has caught up to his defensive game and now he's a threat on both ends.
With that being said, how do you stop Kemba Walker? I reached into my "Triple Threat Athletics" defensive stopper grab bag and pulled out a few things. These are what I call "The Walker Rules." For those of you too young to know-these rules are named after the Jordan Rules. A strategy that the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons used to slow down Michael Jordan (The Greatest Ever) in the late 80's and early 90's. College coaches all over the country should be reaching out to me for this how to guide.***Disclaimer***Kemba Walker is a highly conditioned/highly skilled athlete with the heart of a lion. Before you try to use these rules against him, be very prepared for the consequences. The rules work depending on the player trying to implement them. One man can't stop a player like Kemba by himself, you need help.
Walker Rules
1) Pray and get a lot of sleep the night before the game.
2) Get your work done early. -You have to deny Kemba the ball before he gets it. Whether it be in a full-court or half-court situation. You're @ his mercy once he catches it, so deny, deny, and deny some more. He can't hurt you if he doesn't have the ball. Don't let him touch it!
3) Be Physical with him.-Bump him, give him a forearm shiver and even hold him from time to time if you have to. Definitely make him taste the paint when he drives the basket. This will eventually wear him down. Compete hard without any malicious intent. College basketball is not as physical as it used to be. It doesn't matter with Kemba, if you knock him down he's gonna get back up!
4) Use your offense as a defense.-The worse thing you can do is allow a great offensive player to rest when he's guarding you. You have to be a threat @ all times and make him work. This in turn will make him consume lots of energy on both ends of the court-which will make those jumpers come up short in crunch time. Also, being aggressive gives you the chance to get him in foul trouble.
5) Take away his strengths.-Any great player is considered great because they put in the time to hone all areas of their game. Kemba's game isn't perfect, (no player's game is) so you can still try to put him in situations that he isn't as comfortable in. He is right-handed, so try to force him left and look for help. The fact that he can knock down the jumper @ a high clip keeps you off balance. You have to make him beat you from the outside as opposed to giving up lay-ups. It's easier said than done though. Kemba is cat quick and he handles the ball with the best of them.
6) Hope that he has an off night.Ultimately, Kemba Walker is having a great Junior year @ UConn. Not only is he having success individually, but he willed his team to a top 5 ranking. Based on the team that UConn had returning-I would have never guessed that in a million years. Kemba will have a 13 year career in the NBA because he works hard, pays attention to detail, and is disciplined, humble and a good kid. Keep doing your thing K Walk!
Contact me for individual or group basketball instruction."IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT AND IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS"-ERIC HARRISPosted by Eric Harris at 12:10 PM 0 commentsEmail ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook
EZINE
Happy New Year to all of you moms, dads, ball players, coaches and basketball enthusiasts.
I'm excited to announce that this is my very first Ezine. I will be delivering this e-zine to you on a weekly basis. An e-zine is basically an informative newsletter delivered by email. You will have the opportunity to get detailed basketball related material from someone that's been where you are trying to go. I will also have interviews with up and coming high school standouts, coaches, college players, pros and different basketball personalities.
As a former professional athlete, I know what it takes to excel both on and off the court. (93' City & State Championship @ St. Raymond's H.S., 97' Big Ten Championship & Final Four Team @ The University of Minnesota, 01' NBDL Championship with the Greenville Groove) My goal with this e-zine is to guide young people and adults through the challenges that the game of basketball presents on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This in turn will produce positive results on the court and in life. Topics will include: what it means to be coachable, how to have the right work-ethic, point guard play, the art of playing defense, time management, how to impress college coaches, life after basketball and many more.
Please feel free to send me any questions or comments. If you would like to receive my e-zine, you can email me and request to be added on. You can also email me in regards to any individual or group basketball instruction inquiries. I currently enhance the skills of the top middle school, H.S. and collegiate student-athletes in the NYC area. All skill-levels are welcome-girls as well.
Tell a friend to check out my new "Ezine." Thank you and God Bless!
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE COURT AND IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."
-Eric R. Harris Jr.
ERIC HARRIS TRAINING
Here is a great opportunity to give your son or daughter the edge they need on the court for the New Year! Eric Harris specializes in individual as well as group fundamental basketball instruction.
Clients experience training from former professional athlete Eric R. Harris Jr. (All-City Selection & State Champion @ St. Raymond's H.S., Starting Point Guard on 97' University of Minnesota Final Four Team). I have excelled on all levels of play, so I know what it takes to be successful! I will pass on the knowledge that I've learned over the years in the following areas:flexibility, strength, stamina, speed, skills, agility, core strength, and overall basketball I.Q.
I've been blessed to list some of the following collegiate standouts as clients-Kemba Walker (U Conn), Darryl Bryant (West Virginia), Russell Smith (Louisville), and Ernest Rouse (Harvard),-just to name a few. Through hard work and dedication, these players have all went to college on a full scholarship. That's my goal for your child. "Invest now for the future."
All skill levels from middle school, high school, and college are welcome. Ultimately, your son or daughter will embrace the opportunity to develop their skill-set both on and off the court under the tutelage of someone that's been where they're trying to go.
I look forward to helping your student-athletes accomplish their goals in 2011 and beyond. Thank you!
"IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL OURT AND IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS."
-Eric R. Harris Jr.
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