High School Hoopsters Are Watching the NBA

Over the past several weeks I’ve been observing many high school basketball contests online, featuring games played on the East Coast, the West Coast and points in between. It has actually been an amazing journey through different states and cities, as well as the various gymnasiums old and new, with their unique characteristics. And it’s always fun to see communities come together to support the youngsters in their athletic endeavors as the buildup towards another series of exciting state tournaments continues. As usual, there is basketball talent galore across the country, and although opportunities to play the sport competitively will dwindle as these kids advance, many still aspire to play the game at its highest levels. As such, it should come as little surprise that based on player tendencies, it’s clear that the high school hoopsters are watching the NBA and applying what they see.

While there is still variation of styles across the country, there are a few noticeable trends in the high school game that bear watching:

THREE-POINTER BARRAGE

Just like the NBA, the high school players are cognizant of the three-point line. And just like the NBA, more players are attempting shots from that range than there should be. There are some real accurate shooters from distance at the high school level, but at least as many who look uncomfortable shooting from long range. The percentages aren’t very impressive, but the players have been given the green light from their coaches. With the large number of air balls, knuckle balls and shots hitting the sides of backboards, the result is what appears to be a bunch of guys playing a carnival game while attempting to win the large teddy bear for their girlfriends.

It only gets worse at the end of a relatively close game, where you’ll find teams firing away much sooner than necessary. Teams go down by eight points with five minutes left, and they’ll start firing up three-pointers after one or two passes.

Hence, the oft-used expression from announcers and commentators: “They don’t need a three here.”

Stephen Curry still gets “blamed” for the sudden infatuation with the three-point shot because he’s so good at it, but it’s a league-wide trend in the NBA now and it’s not going anywhere for awhile.

THE THREE-STEP LAYUP

Right handed layup “then” (with two steps): Bounce, one step with the right foot followed by a push-off with the left foot and layup.

Right-handed layup now (with three steps): Bounce, one step with the left foot and the “gather” (whatever that is) around shoulder-height, one step with the right foot followed by a push-off with the left foot and layup.

The three-step layup is actually not new, but now everyone gets away with it. And some can get away with four steps if there are two steps between final dribble and the gather.

One could imagine guys like Kevin Johnson, Rod Strickland and others wondering how much more devastating they’d have been with that extra step being legal during their playing days.

THE EUROSTEP

The kids are watching the movements of guys like James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo very intently. I saw one high school team in a layup line where everyone on the team used a Eurostep to get to the basket during pre-game warmups.

As expected, the high school kids haven’t perfected the move yet. You’ll see them with a clear path to a layup but will Eurostep their way into a charging foul, running smack into a defender who would have been beaten with a simple layup.

As effective as it may be as an offensive maneuver, I’m not a fan of the Eurostep, especially at the high school level. Seems like an unnatural movement for players that young to take consecutive steps with one going east and the next going west, or vice versa. It may not cause injuries right away, but it seems like it puts tremendous strain on some delicate areas of the knees, ankles, and feet at that age, similar to having a young pitcher toss too many curveballs in baseball. A good pair of sneakers is a must to pull that move off as well.

MOST PASSES ARE OUTSIDE THE ARC

In the halfcourt offense, whether an offensive trip consists of two or ten passes, most passes are delivered and received outside the three-point arc.

Meanwhile, as the ball makes its way around the perimeter the poor post player is moving from one side of the three-second lane to the other without the ball with his hands up and little chance of receiving it unless he grabs an offensive rebound. Even on drives to the basket, the object is to draw the defense in, leaving the spot-up shooters free on the perimeter expecting a pass one of them will end up getting.

So unless the team has an accurate low-post finisher around the rim, the priority appears to be to find an open three-point shooter if a wide-open path to a layup isn’t available.

it’s no wonder the big guys—even at the high school level—have decided to forego the low-post footwork and are now shooting threes as well. There are no Hakeem Olajuwons or Kevin Mchales in the NBA for the high school kids to emulate.

NO PULL-UP JUMP SHOTS

Since there is now a sport-wide aversion to the mid-range jump shot, on those rare instances where a ballhander drives to the basket and encounters a defender who rotates and establishes position right in his path, slamming on the brakes for a pull-up jumper is no longer an option, even if there’s some distance between ballhandler and defender.

The ballhandler now ends up plowing into the defender—who is probably wondering how the offensive player didn’t see him—on a layup attempt or plowing into the defender after passing the ball back outside the three-point arc. A floater or a pull-up jumper is the move if the player is under control. Otherwise, it’s an offensive foul.

THE STEP-BACK (AND SIDEWAYS) JUMPER

This one kills me. Remember when your coach would tell you to only practice shots you’re going to use during the game? This maneuver is another that can now be seen during pre-game warm ups, even at the high school level. James Harden, Damian Lillard and others have perfected the move and the kids are watching

You can now pick up your dribble while taking a step backwards, then pushing off on that foot upon landing to move left or right and create even more space before shooting. Once again, we’ll see this almost exclusively on three-point attempts.

Evidently, this is a legal move but it’s difficult to square that up with not being able to shift feet upon receiving a pass and before dribbling, even if no advantage is created. The referees will call a travel every time.

RUNNING TO THE CORNER ON A FAST BREAK

On a three-on-one fast break, the expected result is—or used to be—a layup. The middleman on the break used to feel secure that upon stopping at the free throw line, a bounce pass would find a guy running with him on either side and cutting to the basket would result in a layup.

The game has changed, and the lane filler isn’t guaranteed to make that sharp cut to the basket anymore once he reaches the free throw line extended. This guy is more likely to be found deep in the baseline corner outside the arc, frantically waving his arms for a pass resulting in a three-point attempt.

If the ballhandler doesn’t have a pull-up jump shot he’ll end up dishing the ball to the corner for a low percentage shot or charging into the defender.

INNOVATION NEEDED

Not all high school teams run the same pace-and-space offenses that have become popular with NBA teams, but many do, especially those teams lacking real size. But similar to NBA players trying to stay current, some high school players look completely out of place setting up camp and shooting so far from the basket. But these are the times we live in.

As usual, any significant changes in the way the game is played—like those resulting in the way the game is played now—will have to come from innovative coaches at the highest levels of the sport. Until that happens, the game action described above will continue to find its way to an NBA, G-League or International contest near you in the near future if high school action is a predictor.

Photo by Chris Moore on Unsplash