OPENING
Pau Gasol is one of the most skilled big men ever to play the game. His ability to score over both shoulders from the LOW,MID, & HIGH POST is something special to watch. As the True Post Player is fading off into the sunset, Players & Coaches at EVERY Level can learn from his game. As you can see in the film he could not only beat you up backing ou down with his back to the basket, but also could face you up be a huge problem. I think this is a great film to break down and take multiple things from.
SCOUTING
The first thing that comes to mind in a teaching segment is his range on his hook with either hand. Being able to turn over either shoulder and literally toss the ball in from 5-7 feet is insane for a big man to do. That opens his game up to feel his defender behind him to dictate where he is going to go. In the next segment of the film I featured his spin move to the baseline as the defender tried to take the middle of the floor away as they overplayed there. When a player has size and length as Gasol does, being able to back your defender down to the middle of the floor with hooks is an essential part of your game. Once you are able to consistently score going to the middle on the back down, the defender will over play to stop the shot from getting off, opening up the baseline for dribble drop hooks/jumpers. This leaves the face up game. Once you can show that the face up game is a weapon your defender (as you can see in the video) will follow the moving foot opening up either Jab Jumpers or drives/running hooks across the lane. The high Post is the last segment to develop being able to face up from 15 Feet at the elbow and make a play with the jumper or drive the ball. Passing is a lost art as well. As you can see in the film defenders will rotate down to try to get the ball out of his hands and/or contest opening up spot up players and cutters all over the floor. Notice his eyes on the passing plays as he’s alway focusing on where the double is going to come from to open up passing situations all over the floor.
CLOSING
Pau is an extremely gifted low post player. What you can’t miss is the simplicity of his game. It starts with having range on your hook (BOTH HANDS!!) When you have those hooks in your bag of tricks you can do almost anything. You want to be able to feel your defender on your back and see if they are overplaying to one side. If they are then you have to have counters to what you are doing. You don’t need 50 moves in the post , but a couple will do with a counter to each. Work on playing with your back to the basket as well as facing up. Facing up is a great tool because it not only gives you another option offensively to not only shoot, but drive the rim. It also opens up your vision to see where the defense is aligned and if they are sending another defender at you so you can spot open spot up players/cutters. Pau is definitely someone that you can take a boatload from with his offensive package of plays.
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