Can you teach defense?

[AboveLegit]

We see it all the time in the NBA where coaches continue to stress the importance of defense, and how it's imperative that they force defense upon it's players. For a lack of a better example, I'll just use my first hand knowledge of the Wizards as a jumping off point. Just last offseason, GM Ernie Grunfeld extended Andray Blatche to a 5yr/35mill contract in hopes that he could establish his frontcourt of the future alongside Javale McGee. The front office still firmly believes they are the future, and that they will progress on both ends of the court. Now while this is a logical assessment of McGee, who has the potential to be a double double player in the league while being a force downlow, this is no more than wishful thinking on the part of Blatche. There's no denying what Andray can do on offense, he has tremendous footwork in the paint, is a great passer out of double teams, and can score, but his defense still remains suspect. This approach management has taken in regards to Blatche has shown no signs of progress, he still resorts to his lackadaisical defense, cannot defend the pick and roll, and plays poor help defense.

 

My question is, can you really teach defense when a player has never shown a willingness to defend nor the potential to be a decent defender? Is defense strictly a mindset, or is it something a player can learn as he continues to play?

[Lkr]

I believe you can learn defense but you have to put forth the effort. Blatche doesn't seem to want to put in the effort or have the basketball IQ to play stellar defense. Some players seem to either get better or worse at defense over time, so I think that it is a combination of the effort you put into it along with your basketball IQ

[Real Deal]

Well, if the player isn't willing to learn, you can't teach anything to him.

 

Otherwise, yes...you can teach him how to defend. You can stress how important angles are, when to switch on screens, how to position the body defending the post, how to box out and defensive rebound, even defensive tricks that are deemed illegal unless you get away with them (ex. thumb in the back).

 

Now, obviously, you'll have guys like Nash...who are too small, not strong enough, and don't have the lateral quickness to defend many of the starting PG's in the NBA, so you can't teach Steve Nash how to grow a few inches and heal his back and knees. However, Nash can be taught how to play off of a defensive anchor (like Battier does, and Bowen used to), and he can be given clips and video to watch, learning angles and hot spots of his opponents (vintage Battier...the dude has been doing it for years).

[FindingNeemo]

It can be taught, but some guys just don't have the physical talent to defend some of these amazing athletes at the NBA level. Steve Nash was a good example. Guys like Andray Blatche though. Their excuse is a poor basketball IQ, might possibly not be in the best physical shape since playing top level defense can be demanding physically, or just laziness which seems ever so more common in todays generation of players who will routinely take plays off on the defensive end of the floor.

[Nitro]

Well, if the player isn't willing to learn, you can't teach anything to him.

 

Otherwise, yes...you can teach him how to defend. You can stress how important angles are, when to switch on screens, how to position the body defending the post, how to box out and defensive rebound, even defensive tricks that are deemed illegal unless you get away with them (ex. thumb in the back).

 

Now, obviously, you'll have guys like Nash...who are too small, not strong enough, and don't have the lateral quickness to defend many of the starting PG's in the NBA, so you can't teach Steve Nash how to grow a few inches and heal his back and knees. However, Nash can be taught how to play off of a defensive anchor (like Battier does, and Bowen used to), and he can be given clips and video to watch, learning angles and hot spots of his opponents (vintage Battier...the dude has been doing it for years).

 

Awesome post, agree 100%. Although, I do think you can teach a guy like Nash to be a good defender. He may not have great lateral quickness, but he is above average in the height department at PG, he's not painfully slow, and has good instincts on the basketball court. However, with Don Nelson and Mike D'Antoni as his coaches the majority of his career, I don't feel he was ever taught certain fundementals that could help him overcome his slow lateral quickness. Learning angles, proper rotations as a help defender, and studying game film extensively to know exactly what his opponents weaknesses are could go a LONG way into making him an effective defender (though never close to elite).

[ChosenOne]

I have always thought that defense isn't tough to learn or teach for that matter. IMO to be a good defender it's all about effort. If one plays hard non stop he will just be at the right spot at the right time making the right plays.

[?QuestionMark?]

It can be taught but there's a limit to how good a player can be. A lot of times it's not just about effort. Effort is needed to be good defensively, but effort alone doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a good defender.

 

You'll find lots of guys who play hard defensively, but they just can't keep players in front of them. Sasha Vujacic is a classic example. Physically he's not strong enough nor does he have the lateral speed, and he's kind of a dumbass defensively too. Derek Fisher is another guy. Plays hard, the mind is willing but physically he's done.

 

A guy like Blatche is the opposite. He has the tools to be a solid defender, just doesn't seem to care about playing at that end of the court. He either isn't being challenged to play harder defensively, or he hasn't suffered any reprecussions for his poor defensive play to get the message.

 

But it can be learned. Greg Popovich even got Glenn Robinson to play defense in his time with the Spurs.

[YugoRocketsFan]

I don't think you can turn a bad defender into a good one but you can definitely turn a decent defender into a great defender.

[Multi-Billionaire]

It's easier to teach team defense than individual defense. The Warriors and Lakers are two teams that got defense-minded coach... it shows. Thibs made the Bulls the best defensive team in just 1 season.

 

Individual defense often relies on the individual. e.g.

- Melo can really play D, but he chooses not to.

- Kobe was not a strong defender in his first 3 years, then ask Gary Payton for pointers and immediately made All Defense First Team in 2000.

- In early years of his career in Toronto, T-Mac was a better defender than he was a scorer... he had this All Defense potential, but he chose to focus on offense.

[TheNotoriousBANG]

yes you can,

 

Bruce Bowen used to be a scorer in college, then he went to Europe and worked hard turning himself to a defensive player

and then everyone knows what happened next