Posts Tagged ‘NBA skill development training’

Continuous Improvement, by Luke Meier

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

As the NBA season gets close to tip-off, I am always interested to see what skills or moves players have added to their games over the summer.  When players return with a new and/or improved skill set for the beginning of a season, it means that they have put a great deal of time and hard work into their games.  It also means that the player has a desire to be better, they aren’t satisfied with where they are.

Regardless of what you did or didn’t do over the summer as players there is always room for improvement.  Working on your game isn’t about where you are right now; it’s about where you are going.  Where will you be in a month, six month, a year from now?  Making large improvements in the culmination of several smaller improvements over time.

Throughout the course of you season I challenge you to not settle, and put in the extra time to really get better.  Set goals for yourself to accomplish before or after each practice.  Maybe its 15 minutes of extra 2 ball drills and 15 minutes of extra shooting off the catch.  Schedule your workouts, write them down, and then make a commitment to completing them each day. If you are detailed and efficient with you time, you will be amazed at the improvements you can make over the course of time.

Anything Is Possible with the Right Mind, by Mike Lee

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

I spent the last week working out Avery Smith, standout player at UW-Milwaukee, who is heading over to Italy tomorrow for his rookie pro season.  One aspect of his game that pro scouts had questioned was his shot and after our first workout I could see why.  It was inconsistent, didn’t have much rotation and his guide hand often “thumbed” the ball.  After the workout he asked me what I thought he needed to work on and told him that his shot was what most people are going to question and rightfully so.  We proceeded to spend the week focusing on his release and he made strides I didn’t think were realistic.

For example, the first night we worked out he never made it past the 7th spot in “Celtics 3’s”.  Of the 8 times we did the drill only made it half way most of the time.  5 days and thousands of shots later he consistently made it to the last spot.  Although Avery never beat the drill, my point is that he made huge strides in just a few days because he committed to shooting thousands of shots and believed in what he was doing.

Good luck to Avery and all the rookies striving with passion and purpose to keep their professional basketball dreams alive!

See Celtics Threes below, an excerpt of the Three Ball Threat download, available at the store here.

The founder of Mike Lee Basketball Services (formerly Playmakers Basketball), Mike is known throughout the country for individual player skill development.  He has been a speaker at several events and has also recently authored several instructional workout DVDs, which will be released over the next year.  Titles out right now include, 25 Killer Scoring Moves, Secrets of Unstoppable Guard Play and Secrets of Unstoppable Shooting.  Since 2006 Mike Lee Basketball has trained over 3,600 boys and girls through their skill development programs. Dozens of  players that Mike has worked with have gone on to play collegiate basketball, some at the NCAA DI level.  In addition to his own basketball services, Mike is a Nike Girls Skills Trainer and a member of the Nike sponsored, Ganon Baker Basketball.

From 2001-2006, Mike participated as a player and assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. During the fall of 2006 he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Coach K and Duke University Leadership Conference in Durham, NC.  In December of 2006 he graduated from the University of Wiconsin-Stout with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a self-planned concentration in Basketball Entrepreneurship.

mike@mikeleebasketball.com

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Drill 4 Skill Development System Coming Soon!

Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Mike Lee Basketball’s Drill 4 Skill Development System will change the way you train. Guaranteed!

Drill 4 Skill Development System Highlights

  • NBA Scoring Moves
  • Kobe Bryant Triple Threat Series
  • Dribble Drive Motion Drills
  • 1 Ball, 2 Ball and Tennis Ball Dribbling Drills
  • NBA Shooting Drills
  • NBA Point Guard Finishing Series
  • Situational, Game Speed, 1 on 1 Drills
  • Motivational Quotes throughout the Drill Book
  • Downloadable Videos viewed with computer or transferred to iPod or iPhone:  Take to the gym!
  • Detailed teaching points for shooting the basketball along with a breakdown video!
  • Individual Workout Outlines
  • Steve Nash Change of Pace Workout
  • Free  Drillbook Updates for the life of the eBook

Subscribe to our mailing list on our home page to be notified of the release and limited time introductory discount!

Stephen Curry Article from Brian McCormick

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Steph Curry and the 24-Hour Athlete
August 21st, 2009 by Brian McCormick
On True Hoop, I found a link to an interview with the trainer for Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry. When asked about the biggest mistake that NBA players make in their training, Steve Kostorowski answers:

If I could improve two areas in the lives of almost every player it would be recovery and nutrition. Most guys need to spend much more time stretching, foam rolling and getting massages than they do. The quality of tomorrow’s performance begins with the recovery from today’s work.

I would also like to see the quality of calories improve both in and out of season. Many guys think, “Oh, I’ll burn it off in the game.”, which may be true…. but late night, lousy eating takes its toll on the inside and can negatively impact blood pressure, cholesterol levels etc. not to mention adding a few unwanted pounds!

Quality performance begins with quality calories. Oh…and quality sleep.

His answer reflects Vern Gambetta’s 24-Hour Athlete. What an athlete does between workouts or games is as important to his or her development as the workout. An athlete can undo all the benefits of a great 2-hour workout with his or her lifestyle and choices during the other 22 hours of the day.

Unfortunately, because of our hard work ethos, we overlook the importance of stretching, nutrition, sleep, massages and other areas which are not effortful, and most people – especially young athletes – fail to see the connection between sleep and performance or a post-workout stretch and foam roll and tomorrow’s performance.

2009 Fall Events, Host An Event in Your City!!!

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Mike Lee Basketball Services has announced their 2009 fall schedule, highlighted by Preseason Training Academies in Milwaukee, Wausau, and Eau Claire.  More information and registration forms are available online at www.mikeleebasketball.com

If you are interested in having Mike Lee workout your players, speak at your coaches clinic or are interested in hosting a camp at your gym please contact us immediately.  Dates are filling up fast!  Email Mike directly at mike@mikeleebasketball.com.

OFFENSIVE SKILLS CAMPS

September 6-27, Milwaukee, WI

October 17-18  Wausau, WI

October 18-November 8 Milwaukee, WI

November 15  Eau Claire, WI

November 21  Marshfield, WI

December 28-29 Chippewa Falls, WI*

December 30-31 Milwaukee, WI

* Mike Lee will direct all Offensive Skills Camps.  Luke Meier will direct October 18 in Wausau.

PRESEASON TRAINING ACADEMIES

October 18-November 8 Milwaukee, WI

Director:  Mike Lee     Boys Only

November 14  Wausau, WI

Director:  Luke Meier     Boys and Girls Combined

November 14-15  Eau Claire, WI

Director:  Mike Lee     Separate Sessions for Boys and Girls

Luke Meier and Mike Lee are available for Personal and Small Group Skill Development Training in Milwaukee, WI.  Mike is available to travel internationally to conduct events.

The founder of Mike Lee Basketball Services (formerly Playmakers Basketball), Mike is known throughout the country for individual player skill development.  He has been a speaker at several events and has also recently authored several instructional workout DVDs, which will be released over the next year.  Titles out right now include, 25 Killer Scoring Moves, Secrets of Unstoppable Guard Play and Secrets of Unstoppable Shooting.  Since 2006 Mike Lee Basketball has trained over 3,600 boys and girls through their skill development programs. Dozens of players that Mike has worked with have gone on to play collegiate basketball, some at the NCAA DI level.  In addition to his own basketball services, Mike is a Nike Girls Skills Trainer and a member of the Nike sponsored, Ganon Baker Basketball.

From 2001-2006, Mike participated as a player and assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. During the fall of 2006 he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Coach K and Duke University Leadership Conference in Durham, NC.  In December of 2006 he graduated from the University of Wiconsin-Stout with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a self-planned concentration in Basketball Entrepreneurship.

www.mikeleebasketball.com

mike@mikeleebasketball.com

http://www.youtube.com/mikeleebasketball

Get Efficient to Get Quick, by Luke Meier

Monday, July 27th, 2009

When you make a between the legs dribble it is extremely important to be efficient with your footwork.  A lot of players make the mistake of skipping out to the side when they make this move.  This “skip” is wasted movement that makes you slower and often times forces you to veer out to the side, rather than playing in a straight line.  Here are a couple tips on making a more efficient between the legs change of direction.

1.  Come to stop before you make the move.  Trying to change direction with a between the legs dribble at full speed is nearly impossible and results in wasted movement.
2.  After you stop, take a pound dribble and split your legs.  When you make your split, point your toes in the direction you want to go.  Pointing your toes will allow you to eliminate the “skip”.
3.  After you make the between the legs dribble, you want to push off your front foot and reach with your back foot.  This is the quickest way to make this move.

Start slow and make sure your footwork is correct.  Once you get the form down, increase the speed.

NBA Concepts: Pick N Roll Basketball, by John Willkom

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Having just returned from NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, I couldn’t help but notice the tremendous emphasis on playing pick & roll basketball on the offensive end of the floor.  When we talk about advanced skill sets, being able to effectively run a pick and roll (both as a dribbler and as a screener) is something that coaches and scouts alike pay close attention to.  Based on my observations, two point guards really stood out in their ability to correctly read pick and roll situations:

The Good:  Darren Collison.  The former UCLA Bruin and current New Orleans Hornet thrives in pick and roll situations.  His decision making is second to none, and he attacks each ball screen aggressively, forcing the defending post player to really move his feet.  Collison does a great job going to body on each screen and then stretching the defense with his dribble.  Going into this event, I wasn’t a huge Collison fan, but watching him run the pick and roll erased all doubt about his first round draft selection.

The Improving:  Jonny Flynn.  Coming out of Syracuse, you can tell that Flynn didn’t play as much pick and roll basketball as someone like Collison.  Flynn is an incredible athlete, whose quickness often overshadows missed reads and over dribbling.   While Collison dragged the big men away from the basket, Flynn often dribbled back towards the screener and ruined the spacing that a pick and roll creates.  Flynn will be an all star caliber point guard in the league.  However, you can be sure that Timberwolves coaches are working with him as you read this.

Wausau Skills Camp…Reps and Character, by Mike Lee

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Camp went great this past week in Wausau, WI.  Over 100 players came to drill for skill and left prepared to work on their game.  It’s always exciting to run our annual camp in Wausau because the kids listen well, are appreciative and eager to learn.  Several players in the younger session have potential to be great players someday, but we’ll see where they are in a year.  Someone out there is always working harder than you!

Reps and Character…

I’d like to point out a senior who attended our high school boys skills academy, Brandon Gries, from Kiel, WI.  Here is a player who epitomizes what coaches look for in a player.  First of all, the kid has character.  He was constantly encouraging some of the younger players at camp when they made a mistake or told them “good move” in our situational 1 on 1 games.  He also understands the importance of getting in game speed reps and the fact that no matter how good you are, you can always get quicker with the ball and fine tune your footwork.

If you are a college coach looking for a solid combo guard with good strength and athleticism you’ll want to give Brandon a look!

Point Guard Essentials…Decision Making, by Mike Lee

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Kenny Smith was talking last night on NBA TV about the how many point guards were taken in the first round of the draft. He said so many players are really skilled, but few have the decision making ability to make their teams better. Do you know when to speed it up and when to slow it down? When to look to create and when to get other people the basketball? How do you become a better decision maker?

1. Watch the game

2. Watch Your games on film

3. Know your team’s system

4. Study your team’s system

5. Study other great point guards

The founder of Mike Lee Basketball Services (formerly Playmakers Basketball), Mike is known throughout the country for individual player skill development. He has been a speaker at several events and has also recently authored several instructional workout DVDs, which will be released over the next year. Titles out right now include, 25 Killer Scoring Moves, Secrets of Unstoppable Guard Play and Secrets of Unstoppable Shooting. Since 2006 Mike Lee Basketball has trained over 3,600 boys and girls through their skill development programs. Dozens of players that Mike has worked with have gone on to play collegiate basketball, some at the NCAA DI level. In addition to his own basketball services, Mike is a Nike Girls Skills Trainer and a member of the Nike sponsored, Ganon Baker Basketball.

From 2001-2006, Mike participated as a player and assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. According to Men’s Head Coach Ed Andrist, “If everyone worked as hard as Mike we would win a national championship every year”. As an assistant coach he was responsible for scouting reports and individual instruction for the Blue Devils, who achieved the best record in school history, as well as earned the program’s first ever NCAA tournament berth.  During the fall of 2006 he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Coach K and Duke University Leadership Conference in Durham, NC.  In December of 2006 he graduated from the University of Wiconsin-Stout with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a self-planned concentration in Basketball Entrepreneurship.

www.mikeleebasketball.com

mike@mikeleebasketball.com

www.youtube.com/mikeleebasketball

Video: NBA Concepts and Intensity

Sunday, June 28th, 2009