The most underrated important skills in basketball

[insidehoops]

Everyone knows the bottom-line most famously important skills in basketball: shooting, defending, rebounding, passing, etc.

But in terms of additional skills that are important yet underrated, what do you think deserves mention?

Some examples of possible answers could be: setting good screens, moving without the ball (but maybe be specific in regard to types of moves/cuts/etc), or other stuff you can think to mention.

[Stanley Kobrick]

Communication, getting everyone on the same page, knowing your role to a team

[MrFonzworth]

The bounce pass.

[3ball]

The most overrated skill is personal assists

It doesn't mean a player "makes guys better"

It's probably the least understood thing in basketball

Don't get me wrong - the ability to get say, 4-5 apg is important - players must have some ability to "find" open teammates

But that's all that's needed.. Higher apg typically results in excessive ball-domination from 1 player and low TEAM assists

Ball-dominators that lead their team in scoring don't win historically, at least not without team-hopping for the extra talent needed for the suboptimal style to win

[HakeemAlHilm]

Off-ball screens

[AlternativeAcc.]

Timing

you either have it or don't

Timing in regards to when to pass the ball, when to break off a screen, when to cut to the basket etc.

Bird and Magic had incredible timing, whereas Jordan for example struggled in that area

[3ball]

Timing

you either have it or don't

Timing in regards to when to pass the ball, when to break off a screen, when to cut to the basket etc.
And when to score vs defer

That's the biggest clutch skill (other than making clutch shots) and game management skill - obviously, the better scorer you are, the more you can be a timely scorer

[HoopsNY]

In my humble opinion, I would say the most underrated skill is.....timing.

When to time your release on a jump-shot, free-throw, 3 pointer...
When to time a bounce pass, or a pass on a fast break....
When to time a steal on help defense....

To me, timing determines a good amount of both offensive and defensive basketball IQ.

[Bronbron23]

Off ball movement. Its a dying art among the best players in the world. Looks like its gonna die with steph and the warriors. Its no coincidence that the best regular season team ever were also the best off ball movers in a long while. Its also the reason greg pop and the spurs have overachieved throughout the years.

[red1]

defensive awareness and teamwork

[brownmamba00]

Anticipation. Knowing what play is being run and understanding players tendencies. Like Jordan ripping the ball of of Malone before he had the chance of turning around and dot the open guy.

Or Jackson not letting Dirk turn left shoulder to shoot. Making him put the ball on the floor and swiping it everytime he spinned back to shoot it. Don Nelson knew exactly how Dirk liked to score and he played right in to it. Result was 8th seed beating a first seed.

[ShawkFactory]

He didn’t ask for overrated skills you absolute bellend.

Number of assists also isn’t a skill

[FireDavidKahn]

The obvious answer is BBIQ.

[red1]

Anticipation. Knowing what play is being run and understanding players tendencies. Like Jordan ripping the ball of of Malone before he had the chance of turning around and dot the open guy.

Or Jackson not letting Dirk turn left shoulder to shoot. Making him put the ball on the floor and swiping it everytime he spinned back to shoot it. Don Nelson knew exactly how Dirk liked to score and he played right in to it. Result was 8th seed beating a first seed.

kawhi defending doesnt even look at the pass he just knows its a bounce pass and knows where the ball has to go so he just predicts it, dives and takes it without even looking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ZB9u7AKv8

[ArbitraryWater]

Stuff that doesnt show up in the boxscore

Swiping a guy on his way to the basket and the ball goes out of bounds is neither block nor steal. Sometimes it even goes off the players leg and you created a turnover without getting a block or steal to your name.

Dirk used to end a lot of transitions by swiping the opponent, and then they would have to re-set

[brownmamba00]

kawhi defending doesnt even look at the pass he just knows its a bounce pass and knows where the ball has to go so he just predicts it, dives and takes it without even looking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ZB9u7AKv8
Yea kawhi is a straight up thief. Just dipped in without even looking :lol

Kirilenko used to do this

[Axe]

Ball hogging

[Gougou]

Decision making and the ability to handle tough situations under pressure, some players doesn't have it, while players like Manu, Kawhi are good in the clutch times.

[Round Mound]

Offensive Rebounding and Defense...atleast the most difficult to develop

[andgar923]

Something that hasn't been mentioned and is essential: getting position. It goes hand in hand with off the ball movement, but slightly different.

It takes skill, athleticism, IQ, footwork to get the position that you want where you want and when you want it. This is a reason why the mid range and post is dead. People settle for the 3 because it's easier to get position.

But getting to your spot and getting the ball when you want it and need it is tough as hell.

[dbugz]

anticipation/timing
moving w/out the ball

[Wally450]

Off-ball screens

This. When I play pickup with people, no one besides me and maybe a friend set off ball screens. No one knows how to switch off on screens so the guy getting the ball off the screen always has an open shot.

[tpols]

Offensive Rebounding and Defense...atleast the most difficult to develop

yea because theyre less of a basketball skill and more of an athletic trait.

[Stanley Kobrick]

yea because theyre less of a basketball skill and more of an athletic trait.
tell that to Dennis Rodman

[AlternativeAcc.]

There's something to be said about... size

Anyone who played sports in high school knows that nobody respects a dude whose small.

Simply can't teach it

[tpols]

tell that to Dennis Rodman

you mean the guy phil jackson called the best athlete he's ever seen?

[sundizz]

In the NBA since everyone is already fairly tall:
-Timing
-Motor
-Hand size / grip strength

In normal world
-Height
-Timing
-Motor

[DoctorP]

jumpballs

[dbugz]

jumpballs

Winning jump ball at the start of the game only to give the 2nd and 3rd quarters 1st possession to your opponent?

The most nonsense part of pro basketball rule.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Off ball movement. Its a dying art among the best players in the world. Looks like its gonna die with steph and the warriors. Its no coincidence that the best regular season team ever were also the best off ball movers in a long while. Its also the reason greg pop and the spurs have overachieved throughout the years.
This


Anticipation. Knowing what play is being run and understanding players tendencies. Like Jordan ripping the ball of of Malone before he had the chance of turning around and dot the open guy.

Or Jackson not letting Dirk turn left shoulder to shoot. Making him put the ball on the floor and swiping it everytime he spinned back to shoot it. Don Nelson knew exactly how Dirk liked to score and he played right in to it. Result was 8th seed beating a first seed.
This

And before there stopped being a post up player. The entry pass

[Turbo Slayer]

Preventing bad matchups.

[Boki4MVP]

I gotta go with communication. You have to be able to know how to talk to teammates on the court.

[dbugz]

flopping

seriously

[BarberSchool]

Pattern recognition.

[Jasper]

running ... if you can't run , and walk up the court , your career is "why is he doing that "

[dirkdiggler41]

I might not call it a skillset, but having a hustle mindset has created careers for some players. It can make you a starter if you a ok defender and a hustler.

[dirkdiggler41]

flopping

seriously

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. We all hate floppers, but there is a skill there selling calls. Sometimes players flop even if it foul because it's hard for a ref to see.

[AussieSteve]

In 2020? The mid range jump shot.

[ArbitraryWater]

I might not call it a skillset, but having a hustle mindset has created careers for some players. It can make you a starter if you a ok defender and a hustler.

please

name a single player in the NBA who is an okay defender and a hustler

[Phoenix]

Was that supposed to flatter me?

No. It's to be taken on face value. You're probably doing your sarcasm thing but it lands awkwardly. It's just bad form trolling without an ounce of charm or even chuckle-worthy quality to it.

[Phoenix]

Well, whatever. As if your opinion matters but i think you do sound hurt about that.

Nobody's opinion matters. But everyone on this thread has made some effort to address the question. You just joined this forum( assuming you aren't an alt). You can take the high road and provide even a sliver of useful content even if its once every 5 posts. Or what you're doing now, low level trolling tone-deaf and boring drive by garbage. Every single one of your posts in this thread is useless.

[Phoenix]

Yeah but next time, make sure that you also call out somebody else worse when there are tons of them, not only me just because you know for a fact that i haven't been existing here for a long time or so it seemed. It'd be an eyesore if it's just me every other time, you know. And it bores me whenever you do.

I've called out trolling plenty of times on this forum. I'm addressing you at this point only because I'm going down the thread and all I see is 'ballhogging', 'choking', 'statpadding' and I'm like....this serves what purpose? I have no specific ill will towards you but your posts do stand out in this thread and not for good reasons. I mean I'm not trying to play rent a mod but it's like....come on bro. We have enough trolls here. No, my opinion means sweet fukk all. I'm just like....the board was opened up and we need more 'good' posters here. Choice is yours what side of the fence you plant your flag.

[Phoenix]

End scene ��

:cheers:

[insidehoops]

Some key underrated skills in basketball:

- Players who move without the ball well enough to open things up for teammates even more than for themselves

- Setting perfect screens. It's easy to set decent screens, it's extremely hard to set effective ones right at the perfect moments.