Here is video of LeBron working on his individual game with Coach Spoelstra. At the beginning of the video you see Spoelstra teaching LeBron some footwork starting from the baseline, which seemed ridiculous at first, but he does sometimes take an extra step without noticing. He is not the only one as even the great Kobe is guilty of this. I will use video from team USA to show what I mean. Most of this stuff is too fast for the human eye and seems like a bad habit that might be close to impossible to break:
That along with free throws and some post moves would be the three things I would like the King to work on. As a matter of fact, maybe he and Wade can push each other in those areas. That is what the off-season is for, to continue to perfect their games and it is also when Coach Spoelstra seems the most in his element, although it can be argued that the young players have regressed under his off-season program -- specifically last season when the Summer League was discarded in order to focus on fundamentals and explosiveness.
While I would like to see improvement in some individual areas as those two great players (Wade and James) continue to mature, I expect the real key to this season's success to be the team workouts. The Celtics and the Lakers have had their cores for three seasons, which is why I get more amped hearing this tweet from yesterday around this time than anything I could get out of these individual drills:
Just left 'The U' hooping with the team, @Oneandonlycp3, Mike miller, UD, Pat Bev, and LP. Great runs! Needed that
BY TIM REYNOLDS
ReplyDeleteAP SPORTS WRITER
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- LeBron James went back to school Thursday, working out against the Miami Hurricanes.
The NBA's two-time reigning MVP and some of his new Miami Heat teammates made a surprise stop at the university's basketball facility for some informal scrimmaging against the Hurricanes. James, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Patrick Beverley and New Orleans guard Chris Paul - a close friend of James - played pickup for more than an hour.
"Just left 'The U' hooping with the team ... Great runs! Needed that," James posted on Twitter after the workout session.
Some of Miami's players hadn't been told beforehand that James and his crew would be popping in for a workout. James and the NBA players, including injured Heat guard Mario Chalmers, stayed afterward to pose for pictures.
It's not uncommon to see NBA players working out on Miami's campus, especially those who maintain offseason homes in South Florida. As far as the Hurricanes know, Thursday marked the first time James came for a visit since joining the Heat nearly two months ago.
"No question, it's great having those guys here," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "It's a great influence for our players. They're some of the greatest players in the NBA, so it's obviously great for our guys and our program."
James had a variety of eye-popping dunks during the pickup games, which were played without an audience - and with no video.
The Hurricanes hope to see plenty more of James, who has also been invited to see a Miami football game from its sideline anytime he wants - even if that happens to be Sept. 11, when the nation's No. 13 team travels back to James' homeland to face No. 2 Ohio State.
And if he wants to see a Miami football practice, that's fine with the Hurricanes as well.
James created a buzz in Cleveland last season after saying he could be "really good" if he committed to playing football, and Browns coach Eric Mangini make a half-serious offer for the 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward to "come on down" to work out with the NFL club.
"You need to come out to the football field and show ur skills for us," Hurricanes defensive back DeMarcus Van Dyke wrote to James on Twitter as news spread of the MVP's visit to campus.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/26/1794042/hurricanes-get-a-surprise-visit.html#ixzz0xqlBQD7v
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/26/1794042/hurricanes-get-a-surprise-visit.html
ReplyDeleteArticle on that practice with the U
Loved the first video...the second video looks like it was done by a hater.
ReplyDeleteI don't need LeBron to work on anyting specific EXCEPT the chemistry he is going to need to make this team gell and gell fast. He is already a beast on the court.
Exactly. If this team gels quickly, like I expect it will they should win the title.
ReplyDeleteI think Miami will eventually be America's team and the youth that does not have a strong tie to a team will be behind us from day one, but the regular American fan hates us right now and as a result the referees could be out to get us this season. The players need to be ready for that. LBJ needs to know what a travel is and isn't... there will be much less royal treatment.