Chapter 1: THE MECHANICS OF ALL PASSES
In Better Passing's first
chapter, Coach Torbett briefly reviews each of the 22 passes that every player
must be able to use. And Mike Bibby demonstrates all these passes. The chapter
is divided into 3 sections - (1) one hand passes, (2) two hand passes, and (3)
touch passes off the dribble. Better Basketball has earned a reputation
for packing our videos with advanced content, not boring stuff that most players
already know. And that's why we spent only a few minutes on this chapter.
However, there is still plenty of good technique in the chapter, particularly
because some of the passes, such as the two listed to the right, are somewhat
unorthodox.
Chapter 2: PERIMETER TO PERIMETER PASSING
Chapters two through 7 contain the meat of the video - 42
GAME SITUATIONS!
Chapter 2 deals with a variety of ways your teammates get open on the perimeter,
such scoring opportunities that can arise out of a pick and roll (screener
flares, screener rolls, etc), backdoor passes, swinging the ball around the
perimeter to an open shooter, passes to players v-cutting to get open, and of
course those difficult skip passes.
Whether you're being guarded or wide open, Better Passing
will teach you everything you need to know to read the situation and execute the
perfect pass. We even go into detail on how to avoid the man guarding you, so
that he doesn't deflect the pass.
Chapter 3: PASSES FROM PENETRATION
The video's third chapter discusses perhaps the most important element to
becoming a great creator and assist man - passes off penetration.
When you drive and beat your man, other defenders are going to leave their man
and help. The key is to read the entire defense's rotation, and find your the
one teammate the defense left open. He may be in the post, on the wing, or
completely across court.
Better Passing addresses all of these issues, and much more.
There's even some great thoughts from Mike Bibby on keys to drawing defenders
and making them think you're going to shoot, so that your teammates are left
completely open to catch and score.
Chapter 4: FEEDING THE POST
Feeding the post is an art form. When a big man flashes open for just an
instant, you have to execute the perfect pass quickly and accurately. If you
don't, all the sealing, footwork, and battling by your post player will go for
naught. But if you do execute the right pass, your assists will pile up. Coach Torbett explains the keys to feeding the post whether the post defender is
playing behind, dead fronting, or half fronting. He even goes into some advice
for post players receiving the pass! In addition, Mike Bibby really came up big
with some terrific pointers on feeding the post!
Chapter 5: PASSING FROM THE POST
Passing from the post is one of the most under appreciated and overlooked
methods of scoring in basketball today. It's incredibly difficult to stop these
passes because the defense is usually facing either the ball or their man, but
never both. So with a little deception (discussed in detail by Mike Bibby) a
great post passer can rack up the assists!
Coach Torbett and Mike break down 6 situations, such as hitting your teammate on
the wing out of a double team, passing out of the mid-post when you've pushed
off the block and have to pivot and face the defense, feeding a backdoor cutter
who completely schools his man, and even feeding a cutter with a delayed reverse
drop bounce!
Chapter 6: PASSING IN TRANSITION
Passing in transition, aka full court passing,
will help point guards, centers, and everyone in between.
The chapter features some relatively unknown passes (such as the discuss and
bowling pass) that aren't usually taught, but players at basketball's highest
levels use them all the time. If you can master when and how to use them, you'll
wonder how you ever got by without them!
This unique chapter also includes passes to break a press, dribble pitches for
guards looking to quickly advance the ball up the court, the baseball and
bowling pass for players taking the ball out of bounds, and even two situations
on outlet passes!
Chapter 7: FAST BREAK PASSING
Perhaps the most exciting passes in basketball come off the fast break, and Better
Passing contains some great techniques to help you
capitalize on these situations.
In addition, Mike had some phenomenal theories, passes, and techniques to make
sure every fast break results in points. He's known for his quick thinking sound
fundamentals, and that certainly came out throughout this chapter.
Chapter 8: PASSING PRINCIPLES AND GAME HINTS
Once again, Better Basketball comes up big in this video's edition of Game
Hints. These chapters have become increasingly
popular among players that use our videos, mainly because the information is
universally useful and almost always rare and unique. No doubt, the hints and
principles Coach Torbett and Mike Bibby provide in Better
Passing's Game Hints will
meet or excede the standard set by our first three videos!
Included in the thirteen principles are sections on the no-look, the European 3,
the alley-oop, the touch pass, trailers, and eight more!
Chapter 9: PASSING DRILLS
This fun chapter features 16 drills. Passing is almost entirely mental - it's
about reading the situation. So it's hard to drill yourself on the court like
you can with shooting or dribbling. But these drills give you a way to improve
your passing besides watching the tape or just playing. In fact, you can even do
these drills by yourself against a wall.
The drills in this chapter will all help at least one of the following: passing
accuracy, coordination, catching, reflexes, ball control, or strength.
Chapter 10: BIBBY ON BASKETBALL
This unique chapter goes deep inside the head of one of basketball's
brightest minds. While Better Passing's first 9
chapters deal entirely with passing, chapter 10 gives you a chance to learn from
Mike and Coach Torbett on all kinds of subjects, including Mike's: favorite move off the dribble,
favorite move out of triple threat, the easiest way to advance the ball, down the court against a tough 1 on 1 defender,
mentally preparing for a game, favorite shooting drills/workouts, dealing with a cold streak,
off season training, and much more!
Better Basketball Passing, 68
minutes, 2003. DVD.
