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Why the USA has Fallen Behind in Basketball Supremacy
By Randy Brown
The comment I hear all of the time is "what happened to the USA in basketball." Even the uninterested basketball fan knows that America has slipped quickly in the world basketball race.
Why is a good question because most people just don't get it.
The answer is simple, yet I could write about this topic for days. The plain truth is that the European coaches are doing a better job than our coaches. When I say our coaches, I include myself in that group. We have been out-coached in a vital area of the game.
Fundamentals! These fundamental skills of passing, catching, shooting, rebounding and playing together as a team came from the early days of James Naismith and the peach basket. Ok, so what's the problem, you say.
The problem is that the Europeans NEVER got ahead of themselves and NEVER put an individual above the team. They stayed committed to fundamental skills and drills. They call it training sessions while we call it practice. Our misfortune is that we often "practice" parts of the game that require mastery of the games' fundamentals. We go too fast and attempt to teach "the whole game", as we fail to adequately develop player skill and knowledge along the way.
When 4th graders cannot pass from point A to point B successfully, the needed skills of timing, passing, and catching have not yet developed. This is natural for 4th graders. The mistake lies in coaches that do not spend the needed time to develop these simple skills. The inpatient coach spends time on fundamental skills BUT does not commit to the mastery of each skill. What happens next is a simple check next to passing and catching on the practice plan. "Well let's see, we've been in this drill for 5 minutes, let's move on to something else. Let's work on our diamond press or amoeba defense." Too often the coach is anxious to put in plays, schemes, and presses. Are you kidding me?
During the 1990-91 season, I saw the Detroit Pistons practice under the direction of Chuck Daly. What I witnessed the day amazed me, but left me with a powerful lesson. This championship caliber team spent an hour on pass, catching and layups! Can you imagine Joe Dumars, Isaiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Vinnie Johnson and Bill Laimbeer passing and catching for an hour straight. "Ok guys, now work on the bounce pass!" Well they did and I was there to witness it. I wrote down on a piece of paper, "Never sacrifice the fundamentals of the game," as I visited briefly with the legendary coach after practice. By the way, that team was 50-32 during the regular season and lost to the Chigao Bulls in the Eastern conference finals.
Here's the ULTIMATE test: Would you turn your teenage son or daughter loose on the open highway before learning the "fundamentals" of driving? Would you sacrifice knowledge and application of vision, pedal control, steering, speed, familiarity with the road for some fancy 2-wheel turns or a Starsky/Hutch power brake move? The answer to both questions is no! Then tell me why we disregard the necessary fundamentals in our game of basketball for the sake of advanced skills and tactics. Coaches, we are slowly ruining the game we know and love as the European coaches have a lock on teaching the game.
I'm not sure about you, but this makes me furious. How about you? We can talk about the Olympics and the USA head coach or player selection all we want. These things won't make the difference. The difference maker is a no-brainer. A serious, renewed commitment to teaching the game the right way, one skill at a time.
I commit to do my part from this moment forward and I hope you'll join me.
Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA apprearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com
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