Steve Kerr says young basketball players ISO too much. Wants kids to also play soccer

[mbewane]

Like everything, it can help. But it's not necessary. Pretty sure all the eurobusts we've had over the decades played some soccer at some point in their life. And I say that as a eurobreh myself.

I guess this is another chapter to the good old "euro vs US fundamentals" debate. The difference is just at another level : kids in Europe play in professionnal leagues quite young where they have no choice but to walk the walk respect a rigid pecking order (there are some exceptions of course). Meaning they fall in line and do whatever they're told to. As opposed to US kids who play, well, with other US kids. And since the style of play is different (which is what Luka was talking about when he said that it was "easier" to shine in the NBA) isos just isn't something they end up doing much in Europe. There's much less money/star power anyway, even for veterans. Add all that up, it's harder to be a "star" in Euro basketball vs in the US, so the mindframe and the style of play of kids will be different. No amount of soccer or any other sport will change that, but the skills themselves that may come from another sport can of course be positive for some. Which is why I believe various players practice up boxing or whatever other sport in the offseason.

(And all that doesn't mean that europlayers are per se more team-orientated or whatever, but just that that's how they HAVE to play while in Europe. Doesnt mean they enjoy playing that way or even "naturally" inclined to do so. They grow watching the same NBA games and highlights as US kids.)

 

[threattonature]

And Kerr's point is that other sports and disciplines (in this case, soccer/football) can help players "understand how to pass and move within a team setting", especially at a developmental-age. While the players on the Warriors didn't play soccer/football, Kerr did, and his system is built on the principles of it - the same system that led to the most dominant offense of all-time.

I do find it hilarious how folks are running up in here trying to find some sort of an angle against Kerr when this board complains about how the Rockets play and any other player/team that doesn't move the ball (or move without it) particularly well.

My problem with that thinking is that it's similar to Phil Jackson shyt. No matter how good a system is you still need the amazing talent to go with it. The Warriors had probably the greatest collection of intelligent players to run the system and help make it successful as well as an all time great gravity guy like Steph to make it work. Similar to Phil having Shaq/Kobe and Jordan/Pippen. Then when they run the same system with less talented players. Hell I give Dantoni's system more credit considering how close they came to beating the Warriors with a much less talented team.

To Kerr's point I think playing soccer can be helpful but not necessarily from a passing and spacing perspective but more in regards to footwork and being more nimble on the feet. I believe in that study of playing different sports helps prevent injuries as it leads to strengthening muscles that aren't normally used when compared to only playing the one sport.

 

[Squirrel from Meteor Man]

he had no issues when KD was iso'ing in the Finals and carrying the team to rings

Exactly. Kerr can’t coach, and no amount of soccer will help that.

He has an overall point though in that these kids are all so focused on individual training that they don’t know how to operate within a team system.

 

[The Devil's Advocate]

What is viewed as Soccer today, was invented in england. A quick google search shows you that

White people taking other people's inventions and saying they were the ones who actually created it... I've seen this before

 

[David_TheMan]

Exactly. Kerr can’t coach, and no amount of soccer will help that.

He has an overall point though in that these kids are all so focused on individual training that they don’t know how to operate within a team system.

That is bullshyt, mos tof theae kids now want to play together.

Typically its coaches not implementing a system for players to run, more than anything else.

 

[LebronsJumper]

It's the kids' fault he can't coach

 

[Squirrel from Meteor Man]

That is bullshyt, mos tof theae kids now want to play together.

Typically its coaches not implementing a system for players to run, more than anything else.

They want to play on the same team together; that has nothing to do with knowing how to play basketball as a unit.

 

[David_TheMan]

They want to play on the same team together; that has nothing to do with knowing how to play basketball as a unit.

Like I said your argument is bs, its not the kids fault their coaches only want to run iso. On top of that it doesnt take cery ling for kids or young adults to play in a system if they want to. So again this whole the blacks need to play soccer, is just a round about way of not calling out poor coaching and attacking the young predominantly black boys that play basketball in yhe US.

 

[Squirrel from Meteor Man]

Like I said your argument is bs, its not the kids fault their coaches only want to run iso. On top of that it doesnt take cery ling for kids or young adults to play in a system if they want to. So again this whole the blacks need to play soccer, is just a round about way of not calling out poor coaching and attacking the young predominantly black boys that play basketball in yhe US.

I’m directly involved with the youth basketball industry and atmosphere. Kids, black, white, or other, don’t know how to play basketball. They have a ton of athleticism and skill, but they have limited concept of how to play and win.

Kids spend hours training with cones and a trainer, and don’t play as much 3 on 3 or 5 on 5. Time that was spent at the park or running 5s at the community center is now spent with a trainer playing against nobody. These are facts.

I don’t care if a kid plays soccer or not; they just need to play anything with a team concept.

To your point, most of these coaches don’t know how to do anything but get their best player the ball and let him go 1 on 5, so there’s that. Both things can be true.

 

[Mr Hate Coffee]

Coaches just gotta have some balls and force these kids to play team ball. Team ball always wins out, especially when the talent level is similar.

 

[ryderldb]

I don’t know if soccer specifically will help with basketball, but I think in general kids should play all types of sports. It’ll make them a better athlete and improves their hand eye coordination for whichever sport they finally do choose if it gets to that point.

 

[froggle]

Did anyone on his GSW dynasty play soccer?
Kukoc might have been a good passer but are we really gonna pretend he was the main key in the 2nd Bulls 3-peat?
Of the top 15 assist leaders in basketball, how many have a soccer background?

My point is, you can learn to be a legendary passer playing basketball.

the GOAT credited football/soccer with him being so devastating with his footwork

 

[David_TheMan]

I’m directly involved with the youth basketball industry and atmosphere. Kids, black, white, or other, don’t know how to play basketball. They have a ton of athleticism and skill, but they have limited concept of how to play and win.

Kids spend hours training with cones and a trainer, and don’t play as much 3 on 3 or 5 on 5. Time that was spent at the park or running 5s at the community center is now spent with a trainer playing against nobody. These are facts.

I don’t care if a kid plays soccer or not; they just need to play anything with a team concept.

To your point, most of these coaches don’t know how to do anything but get their best player the ball and let him go 1 on 5, so there’s that. Both things can be true.

100% of the so called problem is coaching, not attacking kids or daying they need to play another sport.

So you and kerr have no point

 

[Squirrel from Meteor Man]

100% of the so called problem is coaching, not attacking kids or daying they need to play another sport.

So you and kerr have no point

Fool, if parents aren’t even signing their kids up to play team basketball and instead opt to have a personal trainer teach them skills for 8 hours a week instead, what does that have to do with coaching?

Kids are showing up in high school and college being able to do windmills and euro steps but don’t know how to L-cut or roll off a screen properly. Or cut when a defender’s head is turned. Coaches don’t have time to teach that to every individual player. Their job is to win games with the talent they have. Do you even know what you’re talking about?

 

[Jekyll]

He ain't wrong. Most kids who grow up only playing basketball have terrible footwork. The only do like defensive slide drills and maybe some ladder drills in aau programs. Soccer and to a lesser extent football gets your footwork on point. And everybody know iso only teams never win shyt. Nothing controversial at all.