After evaluating the best players in the world, I have come to realize that the Great Ones have the common ability of speed-reading the court and making the wisest decision based upon what they see. 

The best players also get their heads up and are ever-scanning on offense, defense, in transition and during special situations (free throws, inbounds, jump balls, ...).  Are you ever-scanning and attentive with your vision?

Like every coach, Coach Ron loves to hear players ask him, "How can I get better?"

First, learn to dribble with your head up and take ownership of the ball.  Do you dribble with your head way up and your eyes speed-reading the full vision of the court or do you just take glances?

The reasons you must be able to handle the rock with either hand and own it are not totally transparent.  It is a bit complicated.  Obviously, you must have excellent ball security to garner major playing time, start on a strong team and to catch the eye of a scout.  However, if you cannot keep your head way up and speed read the action, then your whole team movement s-l-o-w-s  d-o-w-n!  Why should your teammates burst and sprint, when they KNOW you will never see them in time to actually make the pass before their cut is over?

Next, keep your hips and shoulders squared up to the action!  How can you speed-read if you cannot even see all the action???  The best playmakers do not allow their hips and shoulders to be turned for long, because they know that they cannot see the action and that they are susceptible to blind-side steals and traps.  Since college coaches want no turnovers, they learn to keep squared up in order to see all the offensive and defensive actions.  Do you understand why you must strive to keep your hips and shoulders squared-up to the action?

Basketball is a game of bursts and sprints with brief rests provided by dead balls, time-outs, free throws, etc.  The vast majority of players play the game jogging and cutting slowly with hesitation after hesitation.  When the game is moving slowly, you can bet your last dollar that the point guard and perhaps the whole team does NOT play with their heads way up and they are not continuously speed-reading the court looking for key reads!  Basketball is supposed to be fun and entertaining to watch, but if all the players are staring at the ball while they dribble; it is not!  How do you play the game?

By way of contrast, when a pro point guard takes the court who expects to post heavy double-digit assists; the whole tone of the game is different.  For example, if Steve Nash were to walk into the gym and say, "I've got point!", do you think the game may become more energized?  Would players start moving and making sharper cuts and run in transition?  Why? 

Obviously, Steve Nash plays the point with his head way up!  Without question, Steve Nash speed-reads the key reads instantly and he is not a passive guard.  The All-NBA superstar will demand that you start moving and cutting with energy, and he will start coaching and teaching you during the game with hand signals, eye movements and body language to do certain things on the court.  During time-outs, dozens of ideas about taking advantages of mismatches of size, speed and skills will be quickly identified and Steve will tell you when, where and what you can do to take advantage of various situations.  Do you understand why Steve Nash is so valuable as a playmaker?  Can you begin to play more like Steve Nash every single day?

You may be thinking, "But Coach, it will take me months to learn to dribble with my head way up!  What can I do immediately to help my teammates to move quicker and with more energy now?"  Did you know that is a great question?

Because many teams play zones, teams beat zones with passing (at least they should!).   Therefore, you simply need to learn to speed-read your key reads by keeping the ball in the passing position and speed-reading WITHOUT any dribbling.  If your teammates truly believe that you are looking for them, they will burst, sprint and cut with much more energy.  You probably will learn important posturing set-up moves like the Kobe, the Turk, the James, and other Signatures more readily than all the dribbling skills while playing with your head way up.  Right? 

Don't you feel instantly empowered now?

The Need To Accurately Speed-Read The Key Reads includes the following:

Your highly-skilled and physical low-post player must be trained to continuously fight for position and strong seals.  Therefore, the wise perimeter player is constantly looking for opportunities to move the ball to the side away from the low-post teammate's defender with a well-placed entry pass timed perfectly or to quickly deliver a swing or skip pass for entry.  The other option is to blow past the perimeter defender and get the ball to the side away from the defender with the dribble.

The low-post player, if he/she has some mobility and wants to play team-oriented ball should often post about midway up the side of the lane for several reasons.  First, this position does not start the three-second count.  Second, cutting lanes are available on both sides of the side post player, so one or two cutters can instantly move to either side.  Third, the defender will have to take a side:  Left or Right Shoulder, Front or Back.  The posted teammate can now seal his/her defender AND the perimeter playmaker can instantly speed-read the defense and make a wise decision.  If the playmaker has strong Signatures, he/she should be able to get an angle or a first step on the defender to create a switch or an instant 2 on 1 situation with an instant defensive read required or a layup will quickly follow.  Obviously, teammates must be spread in order to get the desired isolation and space to move in concert.  Do you understand the picture that has been painted?

If your low-post teammate is a strong leaper or has a significant length advantage, then look for strong bridge moves and over the top entry passes which lead your posted teammate to the rim for quick and easy passes and get the easy finish.

Another excellent way to create space and lanes is to use the Rajon Rondo explosion burst into the paint, speed read the low-post defender's help or lack and instantly decide to go hard to the hole or to draw, create a passing lane and dish.

If your low-post teammate has established superior strong-side position, then you may choose to give the entry pass, move to the blind spot of your perimeter defender for the return pass.  Next, you encourage your low-post teammate to re-establish a better low-post position to finish off his/her defender with a "Kill Zone" Signature Move.  Once your teammate gets to the "Kill Zone", look to give that assist for the finish.

Another great strategy is to speed read whether or not perimeter defenders are providing help defense with back-trapping movements when you attack inside them as you approach the paint.  If they leave the perimeter player when you hit the crease, then you should drive and kick to get your great perimeter shooter clean looks and start getting assists for your marksmen.

If you speed-read that the defenders are slow in moving and covering lanes and spaces with side-to-side skip passes, then use wing-to-wing skip passes to wear out the defense and to create bigger lanes and larger spaces to get better shots.

On the other hand, if the defense is working hard and anticipating skip passes from wing-to-wing, then consider using reverse perimeter passes to get the ball into the hands of your great shooting perimeter player for clean looks.