Kobe Bryant Rips AAU Basketball

[PurplePride92]

For all the grief he's taken on here lately, I think Coach Szabo at Trinity is trying to teach the fundamentals of basketball and not the star/AAU system.

 

How did Deiudonne flourish in that same system? What was done differently? He won Mr. Basketball also didn't he?

[gametime]

Are kids learning good fundamentals watching Kobe jack up 28 footers with 3 defenders in his face? I'm voting no...

[PurplePride92]

High school ball is every bit as bad for development as AAU. There I said it...

 

This is a true statement as well. Individual development takes place away from practice.

[PurplePride92]

Are kids learning good fundamentals watching Kobe jack up 28 footers with 3 defenders in his face? I'm voting no...

 

Weak statement. His mindset on the court has nothing to do with his skill set. Are you questioning his skill set because of his gunner mentality? Come on, GT. :lol2:

 

It also has nothing to do with his observation on the game. It's the same observation many have been making when we lose to foreign countries in international competition.

[kyyank]

It's the same observation many have been making when we lose to foreign countries in international competition.

 

Compare to international soccer, philosophy of development is to practice more and play less at lowerl evels. It's all skill development, not trophies.

[mcpapa]

Weak statement. His mindset on the court has nothing to do with his skill set. Are you questioning his skill set because of his gunner mentality? Come on, GT. :lol2:

 

It also has nothing to do with his observation on the game. It's the same observation many have been making when we lose to foreign countries in international competition.

 

Agreed.

[gametime]

Weak statement. His mindset on the court has nothing to do with his skill set. Are you questioning his skill set because of his gunner mentality? Come on, GT. :lol2:

 

It also has nothing to do with his observation on the game. It's the same observation many have been making when we lose to foreign countries in international competition.

 

One could easily argue that the way Kobe plays the game is very similar to the issues he is speaking on. He chucks up shots regardless of time and space, but because his natural ability is off the charts he gets away with poor fundamental basketball.

 

I'd love to see the US go to more of a European system. Get the kids that show the talent level early out of the high school and AAU quagmire and on to a pro club that will truly develop them for the long term. Americans aren't interested in fixing it, just complaining about AAU when they know very little about it...

[kyyank]

just complaining about AAU when they know very little about it...

 

There are so many levels to this. You have a dad who organizes a team for Jimmy vs a program. Each has it's own plusses and minuses. The parents who put their kids on teams can't even tell the difference between what is a glorified rec team and a true program. The whole process has been watered down and most are about putting together teams in tournmanets and playing a lot of games versus development.

[gametime]

There are so many levels to this. You have a dad who organizes a team for Jimmy vs a program. Each has it's own plusses and minuses. The parents who put their kids on teams can't even tell the difference between what is a glorified rec team and a true program. The whole process has been watered down and most are about putting together teams in tournmanets and playing a lot of games versus development.

 

 

Does it really matter how Jimmy that will be lucky to play NAIA develops? The elite kids are playing for big time AAU programs against other elite kids and big time programs. Those events happen less than 10 weekends a year. That's where the developmental problem lies? I simply disagree...

[PurplePride92]

Compare to international soccer, philosophy of development is to practice more and play less at lowerl evels. It's all skill development, not trophies.

 

It's hard to compare to soccer. We invented basketball in America and have no business losing to any country ever in basketball. We are a ways behind in soccer.

[PurplePride92]

One could easily argue that the way Kobe plays the game is very similar to the issues he is speaking on. He chucks up shots regardless of time and space, but because his natural ability is off the charts he gets away with poor fundamental basketball.

 

I'd love to see the US go to more of a European system. Get the kids that show the talent level early out of the high school and AAU quagmire and on to a pro club that will truly develop them for the long term. Americans aren't interested in fixing it, just complaining about AAU when they know very little about it...

 

It's the American way. That's what we do. We complain and don't fix it.

 

The only way we'd be allowed to go to a European system is if the right people are allowed to make money off of it. That's why AAU flourishes the way it does. For every one program doing things the right way there are five doing things the wrong way and making a gold mine in the process. You know as well as I do that there are a ton of people making a good living because of AAU. People have to choose wisely to get what they want out of AAU. One wrong decision costs you money you won't get back.

[kyyank]

GT, I think you and I may be closer in thought than you think.

[kyyank]

People have to choose wisely to get what they want out of AAU. One wrong decision costs you money you won't get back.

 

Good thought. This is where parents get unrealistic expectations of how good Jimmy is. Newsflash, he's 5'10 and there are a million kids bigger and quicker.

[gametime]

It's the American way. That's what we do. We complain and don't fix it.

 

The only way we'd be allowed to go to a European system is if the right people are allowed to make money off of it. That's why AAU flourishes the way it does. For every one program doing things the right way there are five doing things the wrong way and making a gold mine in the process. You know as well as I do that there are a ton of people making a good living because of AAU. People have to choose wisely to get what they want out of AAU. One wrong decision costs you money you won't get back.

 

I see far more that do it right than wrong. Of course that could be because I'm dealing with the top 25% of the system far more often than not...

[PurplePride92]

Good thought. This is where parents get unrealistic expectations of how good Jimmy is. Newsflash, he's 5'10 and there are a million kids bigger and quicker.

 

No doubt. I couldn't agree more. I'll always used AAU to figure out the level where my kids are. Despite my criticisms of AAU basketball as a whole the people in AAU that I have trusted with my kids have never steered me wrong and I am realistic with their input. If my kid isn't good enough to make the team next year then we'll likely go the individual development route with the same program. I'd rather do that than pay a bunch of money to another program that may not be up our standards just for the sole purpose of playing games on the weekend. Kids can become a lot better working out with a trainer on individual development a lot faster than playing in a bunch of tournaments every other weekend. If you're not on the right team nobody is going to see you anyways.