My girlfriend and I recently got a puppy named Eddie. Although he doesn’t understand that he shouldn’t go to the bathroom on the carpet or that everything in the house isn’t a chew toy, basketball players at all levels can learn something from this little pup because he plays low. One of Eddie’s things to do is try to rip a little, red stuffed animal out of my hands. He quickly realized that the only way he can pry his toy out of my hands is to get low and use all the leverage that he can muster.
We always say that players need to “live low.” It doesn’t matter if you are an NBA all star or the last guy off the bench, playing low in a universal stance (knees bent, hips dropped, straight back) is something that any player can employ to improve their game. If you are playing on ball or help D, boxing out, spotting up for a jumper, or driving to the rack, staying low will do several things to help your game.
1) You will be in a better position to create and take contact from other players.
2) Being low puts a player in position to be as explosive as possible.
Think about it. If you were testing your vertical would you jump from a straight up and down position or would you squat down and then explode upward. Obviously you would choose the latter.
Although playing lower is something you can do to make yourself better right now, you need to train you body to be able to stay in a stance at all times. In workouts, practices, and games make a conscious effort to monitor the height at which you play the game. Once you become accustomed to playing low it will be second nature. If you don’t know if you are playing low enough, remember that it is close to impossible to play “too low.” You can ask me or you can ask Eddie, but we will both tell you the same thing: The Low Man Always Wins.