The Clippers have posted some good video of Blake Griffin’s workout last Saturday on their Youtube channel. Griffin’s athleticism jumps off the screen, and he moves confidently, even away from the basket. The part of Griffin’s game that needs to most work — by his own admission — is his jump shot. There’s a heaviness and lumbering quality to Griffin’s shooting form that belies his agility as a big man, something he’s already working to improve.
David Thorpe has worked with numerous top pros and prospects at the Pro Training Center at IMG. I sent him the video of the workout to find out how he’d instruct Griffin to polish his shot:
First of all, the good news: He really has no idea how to shoot the ball, save a few small but important details. That’s good news because he’ll still make shots thanks to his natural talent and feel. It’s clear he has not taken many jumpers in his life, also good news, because he’s too good racking ass in the paint. Without doubt, and with hours of practice, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be a fine shooter, and perhaps an excellent one. With a work ethic as strong as I hear he has, the hours of practice, a prerequisite for success in shooting for most players, seems a given.
Now the details:
For starters, he hunches his back before he catches the ball. Undoubtedly because he’s been taught to (it’s not natural). But bent knees are important, not a bent back. The straightening of the back during the shot is not optimal, nor is the movement of the head going backwards either, as it most assuredly does when the back goes from bent to straight. The vision center in our brain is in the back of it, and moving the head backwards risks sending the brain (sitting in fluid in our skulls) into the skull. At worst, it’s very disorienting (try moving your head back and forth a few times, or once quickly), and at best it can not be of any help. Better to have a stabilized head and therefore, brain. This is easily fixed.
On the catch he always sets the ball first, dropping it down and getting his hand on top of it before bringing it back into his shooting pocket and starting his shot. It makes for a very slow release, and a tougher one to repeat exactly the same every time. Of course, it also makes it easier to deflect for the defender. It’s best to try and get the shooting hand below the ball on the catch and get right into the shooting mechanic.
Next issue is his overall balance. Rarely does he land the same way twice, and oftentimes he actually leans backwards on the shot (think Vince Carter). That is fine when he needs to add a slight fade, but it does not appear that was his intent on the clips I watched. Straight up and down is the goal. Landing off balance typically means he started off balance. He needs to work on getting set with his feet and legs and then lifting straight up. And I like guys landing with what I call active legs, not heavy ones. Bouncing in place once or twice even. It helps with balance issues and also with utilizing the legs to begin with (most missed shots are missed short, and most of the time it’s a leg issue-with good shooters anyway).
He did a poor job directing his shooting arm and hand directly towards the rim, instead it went to the right. It’s a common problem, amazingly enough. I’ve had to work with Earl Clark and DeJuan Blair on this issue.
16 Responses
How we do send this analysis to Blake himself? Silly from me, I know, but I live in NYC now.
Posted on June 9th, 2009 at 10:02 am
*sigh*, if only David Thorpe had analyzed my J during my playground days,.. I woulda made the NBA too.. lol
Posted on June 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
just ask steve novak…
Posted on June 9th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Thorpe comments withstanding, shouldn’t the Clips look to trade the pick?
I know heresy, huh? With all the hype around Griffin, it would be tough to watch him prosper in the coming years, but…
They have an abundance of front court players and need MANY, MANY other things in order to competitive; and I think that using the lure of the only *real* guarantee of this draft might prompt some interesting trade prospects.
With the struggles/conflict between Baron and Dunleavy and their competing ideas of how to steer the team, perhaps a trade down while dumping some salary and bad contracts (I’m looking at you Zach) to get a Rubio or Evans (big PGs with potential) so that we can even look to trade Baron makes sense, doesn’t it?
Chris. Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
If the Clips trade Griffin and Randolph, then what does that leave us up front aside from 3 centers. Sure Camby can play PF but he’ll definitely be gone by the end of the year if not the trade deadline. Not a smart trade especially you say we can get a young PG and trade Baron when his stock is low now too. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all, last year we tried everything and we are lucky it landed us the #1 pick, no need to be too greedy. Camby will be a good teacher and then a useful trading chip come the deadline. Baron has a lot to prove to LA, the fans and to the rest of the NBA and I hope he will fulfill his promises.
andrew Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
any suggestions ?
Posted on June 9th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
A good point Chris. I’d like to see DeAndre get 15-20 minutes a game…but I don’t think anyone wants to see him get 35.
Posted on June 10th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I hate how he dips the ball after receiving the catch. If Karl Malone had to guard that, he would strip Blake EVERY time!
Posted on June 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Thanks John,
Unfortunately if the season wasn’t lost early on last year and Kaman wasn’t hurt I don’t think we would’ve seen DeAndre play 5 minutes a game. He has talent and an upside at a cheap price (ala Mike Taylor) but they aren’t ready to start. 3 Centers is a logjam at that position too as is 4 SG’s (Flash Gordon, Ricky Davis, Alex Ackers and Mardy Collins). Everybody is looking at big trades but what about smaller trades, we do have other expirings aside from Camby who we need to mentor Griffin and Jordan and is more valuable at the trade deadline. How about our other expirings like Acker, R. Davis, Collins and Skinner for a decent role player.
Andy Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Only value R.Davis has is for teams trying to dump salary. I’d keep Collins as a backup and if only to play him on Pierce the two times they meet! Skinner was surprisingly solid this year, but probably won’t get any time…he should bring good value to say, the Rockets who could’ve used a decent backup big.
Chris. Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Ricky Davis and Alex Acker don’t have much use, especially for us, and Skinner will not play with Griffin coming in and Collins has use but together these 4 expirings could bring in 1 decent better role player, not a blockbuster deal but more along the lines of Jason Kapono for Reggie Eveans trade that recently happened.
Posted on June 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Speaking of small forwards…imagine if we could entice Lebron to join Clipper Nation in 2010!
Assuming no real moves between now and then:
Starters: Baron, Gordon, Lebron, Griffin and Kaman
ZBo wins the 6th man award
Kaman and Randolph contracts will be expiring = trade to build around Lebron.
Would have to let Camby and Thornton walk away.
Sterling would have to agree on a higher payroll of around $10M more.
Yes, this is pie in the sky…but if in terms of personnel, the Clips have a lot more pieces than the Knicks.
Chris. Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
That’s like dreaming Dunleavy would get fired… best dream EVER but not gonna happen. What about our 3 expirings (Camby, R. Davis & Skinner) to money cutting Milwaukee for R. Jefferson? works via trade checker.
Posted on June 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Still prefer Prince…but I think we could get more value for Camby.
Posted on June 10th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
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