CHRIS ATKINSON

     There aren't too many things that Chris Atkinson (class of 2015) can't do on the basketball court.  The 5'9 point guard is blessed with many physical attributes.  He's fast as lightning, can handle the rock and is a pest on the defensive end.  (I don't think he realizes how good he can be defensively yet.)  He reminds me of a young Kareem Reid.  One element that opponents better be aware of is the maturation of his outside shot.  The ability to knock down the J consistently will keep defenders off balance and open up the floor to get teammates involved.  You will be hearing about Chris @ a high-major D1 school real soon.  Chris' main objective this season is to get the Crusaders back to the State Championship-with the outcome being different this time around.  I sat down with Luhi's explosive pg to discuss the upcoming season, Coach John Buck, life off the court & a bunch of other topics.  

(Eric Harris) What part of your game do you feel needs the most improvement?

(Chris Atkinson) My pull-up game & constantly working to become a better leader.

E.H. Who was the toughest pg that you ever played against?

C.A.  His name was Josh Brown from Jersey City.  He was always strong with the ball and you couldn't rattle him.  He also knew how to get his team open shots.

E.H.  If someone came to see you play for the first time, what shoud they expect?

C.A.  They can expect to see me working hard and giving 110% on offense and defense.  Focusing on getting my teammates involved, making smart decisions

and my all around play.  Knocking down pull-ups.

E.H.  How would you describe coach John Bucks coaching style?  

C.A.  Coach Buck really knows his stuff.  He's very knowledgable about the game. 

E.H.  What part of the game does he emphasize most?

C.A.  Definitely the defensive end.  If you don't give your all and commit on D, he will let you know.

E.H.  Did he ever tell you any Chris Paul stories?  (Coach Buck played @ Wake Forest with CP3.)

C.A.  He told me that CP was a great leader and very vocal on and off the court.  He always pushed guys to do better.

E.H.  What made you want to go to Luhi?

C.A.  The fact that I was able to stay close to home.  I really liked the family atmosphere there when I visited the first time.

E.H. What's your favorite subject/teacher?  Why?

C.A.  Math and English are both interesting to me and they both come easy.  Mr. Beers is my favorite teacher because he doesn't let you slack.  He's always pushing me to do better.

E.H.  Favorite sneaker?

C.A.  Jordan 12/black and white.  Red 4's to kick it in.

E.H.  Favorite NBA player?  Why?

C.A.  Chris Paul because he's a great leader and he's always getting his teammates open shots.  I hope they win the chip.

E.H.  CP vs. Kyrie Irving.  Who would win?

C.A.  CP without a doubt.

E.H.   D Rose vs. Russell Westbrook?

C.A.  D Rose.

E.H.  What was the Nike E.Y.B.L. circuit like?

C.A.  I love EYBL.  It's very tough competition-you're playing against elite players from all over the country.  You have no choice but to get better!

E.H.  Describe the role that coach Oz and Munch (Team Scan) have played in your development?

C.A.  They're both great role models.  Coach Oz has always been there for me.  I can talk to him and he's always pushing me to do better.  The same as coach Munch-he's harder on me than anyone.  Even if I have a good game, he's always telling me what to do to get better and help my teammates get better.

E.H.  Rihanna, Alicia Keys or Beyonce?

C.A.  Alicia Keys

E.H.  Favorite rapper/album?

C.A.  Meek Mill/Dream Chasers 1.

E.H.  Favorite meal?

C.A.  Chicken, white rice & broccoli.

E.H.  What would you do with 1 Million dollars?

C.A.  First I would give back to the community in some way.  I would give the rest to my mom.  I'd also get myself some clothes and shoes.

E.H.  Anything else you would like to share with the people?

C.A.  You need to train with Eric Harris-he will definitely get your game right!

E.H.  Thanks C-bring that state championship home!

INSIDE THE MIND OF A DEFENSIVE STOPPER!

"IF HE DOESN'T TOUCH IT, HE CAN'T SCORE."
"BALL, YOU, MAN."
"HE'S GETTING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I'M MAKING HIM WORK ALL GAME."
"THE OPPOSING COACH HAS TO GAME-PLAN FOR HOW GOOD I AM DEFENSIVELY."

These are the thoughts that constantly went through my mind during my career.  If you don't have the mind-set that you're going to shut someone down-then it will never happen.  Playing defense is a grind.  You have to have the heart, will, and desire to do it.  Being on an AAU  team with Felipe Lopez & Stephon Marbury was a great experience-but I had to figure out how to be a valuable component  to that team.  "You have to be a defensive stopper.  Those guys are going to shoot all the time.  If you defend, the coach will never take you out", said my dad Eric Harris Sr.   I never forgot that advice.  

I went to scout a NYC high school game yesterday & I was very impressed with how my client Tim Quashie got after it defensively. He was supposed to be guarding an offensive threat, but Timmy let him know that "It's not going down tonight."  This was established right from the jump ball.  The kid had about 10 pts, but it was a struggle for him the whole game.  Mind you, he's a mid-major talent.  He is only a one-way player though.  Had he been a good defender-he could of easily added 10 more points to his stats.  In his defense, he is his teams only weapon & Long Island Lutheran is really good!

The game of basketball is very simple.  If you can stop people & get after it on the defensive end-you will have success on any level.  This rule will never change.  I was listening to my teammate Bobby Jackson's interview the other day (congrats on the Timberwolves position) and guess what he was stressing to the players he works with?  Defense!  "If you get after it defensively, that's what's going to get you minutes in this league", he said.  I loved knowing that I had the ability to change the outcome of a game based on being an assassin defensively.  That's what was so fun playing in that backcourt with Bobby on that Final Four team.  Our chemistry defensively was amazing.  Everyday was hell in practice.  Coach Haskins & the staff prepared us for that Big Ten grind.  Opposing backcourts knew that it was going to be a tough night every time they stepped in the "Barn."

I understand that scoring is sexy & that's what gets you the Sports Center highlights.  But defense wins championships.  The G.O.A.T. , Michael Jordan understood it.  Which trickled down to today's stars-Kobe, LeBron & D Wade.  You have to be able to play on both ends of the court.  Having good defensive principles will get you on a good HS program.  Fine-tuning your lock up skills will get you on the D1 level.  Having an all-around game with the added bonus of controlling the game on the defensive end will get you a 12-15 year career in the NBA.  

Unfortunately, most of our young talent today is not being groomed with these principles until they're in college.  THAT'S WAY TOO LATE!"  It's not their fault, that falls on the coaches.  That's like asking a freshman in college to do a calculus problem and that student doesn't have a basic math foundation. (addition, subtraction, multiplication, & division) It's not possible.  Most college coaches don't have the time to teach that stuff from the beginning.  So what happens?  The head coach goes with the kid that has a solid understanding.  I try to give my clients that foundation from the very beginning.  Sooner or later the game will get back to it's core principles.


ERIC HARRIS
trainwithericharris.com
"BRINGING BACK THE ART OF DEFENSE!"

1ST SOUTH SHORE GIRLS PRACTICE

1/14

     My boy Juelian Flowers (Walton High School) had been telling me about this team he was coaching that had tons of potential.  "E, these girls are tough, they're skilled and we're deep.  We are going to win a chip in the next year or two and build a dynasty from there", he said.  "I just need you to help me get them ready on the defensive end-that's what you do E!"  Today was my first encounter with the girls of South Shore.  Thanks to Coach Anwar Gladden and Assistant Coach Juelian Flowers-I have the opportunity to improve the lives of these ladies both on and off the court.  I don't know the ladies that well yet, but they seem like a great group.  The one message that they were able to get across to me when we first met was that they needed someone that was going to be consistent.  That's exactly what I intend to do!

     As I proceed to pull my ladder and cones out of my equipment bag, I can sense the girls glancing over at me.  Little do they know that I'm about to put them through some torture.  Before we get started I stress to them that I'm here to get them better defensively-both individually and as a team.  In order for them to get better physically, they have to buy in from a mental standpoint! 

     We mostly did a lot of conditioning (stairs, wind sprint ladders).  From a defensive standpoint, we worked on defensive positioning in the half-court set.  One pass away denial, two passes away help, and the proper closeout technique.  My biggest concern was the lack of communication from the girls.  This is so common on all levels, but I stayed on them about it.  Before you know it, the intensity picked up.  At the end of the day-progress is all you can ask for as a coach or trainer.  I just talked to Coach Gladden and he told me that the girls prevailed over Lincoln 71-33.
Tune in next time for the next phase of the South Shore Girls Project.

trainwithericharris@gmail.com