RimTalkers: A Critical Skill for Survival on the Court
#43- RimTalkers: A Critical Skill for Team Survival
Using Your Voice As an Extra Teammate
Using Your Voice As an Extra Teammate
by Alan Lambert
Introduction
In a recent Hollywood movie starring Nicholas Cage we are transported back in time during the World War II conflict to learn the significance of different combat unit’s ability to share communications without tipping off the enemy. The focus of this movie was on a group of Navajo Indians who were pressed into service using their native language as a code all to its own, able to be spoken directly over open lines but yet no discernable to those unfamiliar with the language. Today's Playground Pointer is directed at giving you a sense of urgency about the extreme importance of talking and communicating with your teammates on the court. I title it RimTalker: A Critical Skill for Team Survival primarily because there may be no single individual/team skill on the court more important to your team’s success than communicating position and decisions on the court. Excuse me for taking a bit of Hollywood to make this point, but whatever you want to call it, talking on the court is becoming a lost art in basketball. Outside of pivoting with a basketball, I believe it is one of the poorest executed skills I have observed in more than four decades of basketball.
This Playground Pointer is meant to give you some ideas on how to communicate, when to communicate, and I'll even throw in a special translation section to help you and your teammates decipher this uncommon language so you can become an expert RimTalker. It is really a simple language but you have to work at it.
This Playground Pointer is meant to give you some ideas on how to communicate, when to communicate, and I'll even throw in a special translation section to help you and your teammates decipher this uncommon language so you can become an expert RimTalker. It is really a simple language but you have to work at it.
Since basketball is a game which involves the interaction of five players on offense, defense and in transition and your eyes have a limited field of vision you must learn to communicate with others human senses. Failure to communicate what is happening on the court to your teammates is setting your teammates and yourself up for consistent problems in executing your skills. How many times have you been blind-sided by a back pick and lost your man because your teammate didn't communicate? How many times have you gone to cover for a teammate who has lost a player but someone doesn't cover for you? How many times have you sprinted to fill a lane in transition only to have a teammate force up a shot in traffic when you were open?
Talking Reflects Unselfish Play
I think as a coach one of the most evident ways to tell a players unselfishness the court is by how much they communicate crucial information to their teammates during the heat of action. Granted some of you players may be introverts who's verbal skills are being held in cold storage, but I have not witnessed a championship team in my years of playing and coaching were every single player did not understand and strive to use their voice as an extra teammate. Think of your voice as being the sixth man. Is there a player out there today that doesn't believe with an extra player on the court they would not have a significant advantage. What is strange to me is some of the most talkative players off the court are often the least talkative on the court. I think the lack of voice communication on the court has more to do with practicing when and what to communicate which is what we will focus on next.
I think as a coach one of the most evident ways to tell a players unselfishness the court is by how much they communicate crucial information to their teammates during the heat of action. Granted some of you players may be introverts who's verbal skills are being held in cold storage, but I have not witnessed a championship team in my years of playing and coaching were every single player did not understand and strive to use their voice as an extra teammate. Think of your voice as being the sixth man. Is there a player out there today that doesn't believe with an extra player on the court they would not have a significant advantage. What is strange to me is some of the most talkative players off the court are often the least talkative on the court. I think the lack of voice communication on the court has more to do with practicing when and what to communicate which is what we will focus on next.
One last, but extremely important point. RimTalk is about communicating basketball decisions. It is NOT berating a teammate or trashing an opponent. Personal emotion or macho bravado is not required to successfully use RimTalking. RimTalk is used to give your teammates the clearest picture possible of circumstances on the court, what you are thinking, and how you will adjust to your normal skills and patterns which you have practiced. Trash talking is also not a part of the RimTalk language because it has nothing to do with good execution of individual or team skills. Too much communication (trash talking) in Signal Theory (the science of communication) becomes noise and actually interferes with the most effective communication. It is like having a cell phone with too much static. You know there is a message but you cannot clearly understand it because of the noise. Trash talking is sort of like the old adage my grandmother used to say when we were talking at the dinner table: "you can't talk and chew at the same time." Translated this means if you are wasting your breath trash talking, you are certainly not communicating (chewing) the circumstances of the next rapid action on the court and are missing the opportunity to stay alert and prepared to execute. Great basketball players are in the moment, not in the past.
Here are some examples of basic RimTalk and why it's important to use to give your team the best chance to win each time out on the court. Remember RimTalk is a simple language. The simpler key phrases you use the better. But practice during breaks in practice scrimmage situations, timeouts and dead ball situations giving a full translation if basic RimTalk isn't sufficient to get a teammate to understand what you are saying. Tell your teammates or players what you mean when you are communicating. Keep RimTalk to very basic understandable words in the heat of the battle.
Here are some examples of RimTalking:
Here are some examples of RimTalking:
Basic RimTalk (The On Court Language of Basketball Players)
On Defense
Help (left or right)- Tells your teammate where you are at relative to their position. Translation- I'm here on your left (or right) prepared, alert, ready to help you if you get beat off the dribble. You can be more aggressive defensively because I am there to help you. Have confidence in my help and stay aggressive. (note: No Help means you are on your own play cautiously!)
Rotate- Tells your teammates that someone has blown a defensive assignment and you have now committed to defender this player with an open path to the basket. Translation- I recognize you have been beaten and cannot possibly recover in time to stop your man from getting to the basket. No worry, I will step in and stop him for you. You can help us out by rotating one man closer to the basket if you one of my help defense teammates, or if you were the man beaten off the dribble rotating back to cover the last open man away from the ball. Do not stop and fret about getting beat, simply cover up for us to prevent our team defense from breaking down again. I want you to have confidence I will cover for you so that when it happens to me I can have the same confidence in you. Our team wins when we all make this effort.
I've Got Yours- This RimTalk signals that you are in a better position to guard a player in the open court than the man to which the player has been assigned. Translation- Rather than give up an easy basket because you can't get back to adequately defend your player it makes much more sense that I take your man and you take mine until the next moment in game action when it is safe to switch back without risking a defensive breakdown.
Stay- This signals a teammate to stay with the player they are guarding for the time being. Translation- Even though we have some momentary confusion on the court in terms of who is taking who, LET ME MAKE THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR, you stay where you are at and we'll be just fine. I'll stay with the man I am guarding and we'll execute our team defensive concept regardless of who we are guarding.
Switch- This tells your teammate we are in a better position to defend by exchanging defensive responsibilities on two players screening or exchanging positions. Translation- While we want to work hard defensively to keep proper player-ball-basket relationships there are times when both energy wise and time wise it makes more sense to exchange players. By my switching I am not demonstrating to you I am lazy and unwilling to work hard, but rather the coach has given us specific situations (e.g. same size player exchanges such as guard to guard, or post to post) where we can be more effective keeping pressure on passing lanes and reduce the possibility of a defensive breakdown by not being able to get through a screen. Stay alert and communicate with me you understand we have changed defensive assignments.
Fight or Get Through- This tells your teammate that they must slash their way through a screen to prevent a quick pass and score or tuck and chase and then open up with a hand in the passing lane as quickly as possible. Translation- Our team is at a higher risk of permitting a shot or allowing penetration breakdown if I switch to your man. I will temporarily show to discourage the defense from making a quick pass for a score but you must recognize that I will not stay out there very long and risk a slip cut to the basket which might allow a much higher percentage scoring change by the offense.
Stick- Your man has picked up his dribble and is no longer in a position to pass or shot from this spot. Translation- My man is not a threat to dribble penetrate or score. You should immediately close any possible passing lane to your man a complete denial fashion and we should get a turnover out of this circumstance. (note: many coaches use BALL or some other terminology when a player has picked up the dribble)
Box- Short for box-out, this term should be a red siren that the ball is up for grabs and you need to rebound. Translation- You should either make contact with your player you are assigned (or nearest to in a zone defense), seal them and release to pursue control of the ball at it contacts the rim, or explode to the rebound area if the man you are guarding makes no attempt to aggressively pursue the rebound. The red siren that goes off if you are not in a position to grab the rebound directly telling you should get your body on an opponent who might be in a better position to beat one of your teammates to the ball. It doesn't mean you stand around and play spectator while the other team snatches the rebound and puts it back in for critical second chance points.
Shot- The opposing team has shot the ball. Translation- The shot has left the opponents hand. You immediately think Box and pursue the ball. Whether you get the rebound of I, what is most critical is we, as a team, pursue and gain possession of the ball at all cost. When you don't hear the RimTalker word SHOT, you can assume that no player is in a position to shoot the ball, and you should maintain our team defensive concept. Remember SHOT tells you that something has changed and all five defenders need to adjust priorities to retrieve the ball.
Help Me!- This signals a teammate you need their assistance in stopping the player with the ball or cutting to a threat position. Translation- I am momentarily beaten. Can someone cover for me until I can regain the proper position between my man the basket and the ball. I am working hard on defense but due to a sudden lapse didn't anticipate a movement and require your assistance. I am not telling you to switch to my man because if you can help for just a moment, I will fight my way back to position so our team defense is not forced into a more difficult player rotation caused by a complete breakdown.
Double- There is a double screen coming your way. Translation- There is a tough double pick coming your direction. As the lead defender on the screener closest to the ball I will show and help until you can fight your way through. If however the player coming to the ball is the same size as the screener further away from the ball, we will call switch and exchange responsibilities. Pay attention on doubles because from time to time in the game our coach may change the strategy for defending such double screens. Doubles are dangerous when I haven't alerted you to one approaching.
Pick- There is a screen coming your way, be alert now!. Translation- Immediately loosen up on your man and be prepared to fight your way through the screen. Keep your feet moving, your lead hand up in the passing lane, and keep your feet active so that I won't have to rescue you by switching on a breakdown.
Help (left or right)- Tells your teammate where you are at relative to their position. Translation- I'm here on your left (or right) prepared, alert, ready to help you if you get beat off the dribble. You can be more aggressive defensively because I am there to help you. Have confidence in my help and stay aggressive. (note: No Help means you are on your own play cautiously!)
Rotate- Tells your teammates that someone has blown a defensive assignment and you have now committed to defender this player with an open path to the basket. Translation- I recognize you have been beaten and cannot possibly recover in time to stop your man from getting to the basket. No worry, I will step in and stop him for you. You can help us out by rotating one man closer to the basket if you one of my help defense teammates, or if you were the man beaten off the dribble rotating back to cover the last open man away from the ball. Do not stop and fret about getting beat, simply cover up for us to prevent our team defense from breaking down again. I want you to have confidence I will cover for you so that when it happens to me I can have the same confidence in you. Our team wins when we all make this effort.
I've Got Yours- This RimTalk signals that you are in a better position to guard a player in the open court than the man to which the player has been assigned. Translation- Rather than give up an easy basket because you can't get back to adequately defend your player it makes much more sense that I take your man and you take mine until the next moment in game action when it is safe to switch back without risking a defensive breakdown.
Stay- This signals a teammate to stay with the player they are guarding for the time being. Translation- Even though we have some momentary confusion on the court in terms of who is taking who, LET ME MAKE THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR, you stay where you are at and we'll be just fine. I'll stay with the man I am guarding and we'll execute our team defensive concept regardless of who we are guarding.
Switch- This tells your teammate we are in a better position to defend by exchanging defensive responsibilities on two players screening or exchanging positions. Translation- While we want to work hard defensively to keep proper player-ball-basket relationships there are times when both energy wise and time wise it makes more sense to exchange players. By my switching I am not demonstrating to you I am lazy and unwilling to work hard, but rather the coach has given us specific situations (e.g. same size player exchanges such as guard to guard, or post to post) where we can be more effective keeping pressure on passing lanes and reduce the possibility of a defensive breakdown by not being able to get through a screen. Stay alert and communicate with me you understand we have changed defensive assignments.
Fight or Get Through- This tells your teammate that they must slash their way through a screen to prevent a quick pass and score or tuck and chase and then open up with a hand in the passing lane as quickly as possible. Translation- Our team is at a higher risk of permitting a shot or allowing penetration breakdown if I switch to your man. I will temporarily show to discourage the defense from making a quick pass for a score but you must recognize that I will not stay out there very long and risk a slip cut to the basket which might allow a much higher percentage scoring change by the offense.
Stick- Your man has picked up his dribble and is no longer in a position to pass or shot from this spot. Translation- My man is not a threat to dribble penetrate or score. You should immediately close any possible passing lane to your man a complete denial fashion and we should get a turnover out of this circumstance. (note: many coaches use BALL or some other terminology when a player has picked up the dribble)
Box- Short for box-out, this term should be a red siren that the ball is up for grabs and you need to rebound. Translation- You should either make contact with your player you are assigned (or nearest to in a zone defense), seal them and release to pursue control of the ball at it contacts the rim, or explode to the rebound area if the man you are guarding makes no attempt to aggressively pursue the rebound. The red siren that goes off if you are not in a position to grab the rebound directly telling you should get your body on an opponent who might be in a better position to beat one of your teammates to the ball. It doesn't mean you stand around and play spectator while the other team snatches the rebound and puts it back in for critical second chance points.
Shot- The opposing team has shot the ball. Translation- The shot has left the opponents hand. You immediately think Box and pursue the ball. Whether you get the rebound of I, what is most critical is we, as a team, pursue and gain possession of the ball at all cost. When you don't hear the RimTalker word SHOT, you can assume that no player is in a position to shoot the ball, and you should maintain our team defensive concept. Remember SHOT tells you that something has changed and all five defenders need to adjust priorities to retrieve the ball.
Help Me!- This signals a teammate you need their assistance in stopping the player with the ball or cutting to a threat position. Translation- I am momentarily beaten. Can someone cover for me until I can regain the proper position between my man the basket and the ball. I am working hard on defense but due to a sudden lapse didn't anticipate a movement and require your assistance. I am not telling you to switch to my man because if you can help for just a moment, I will fight my way back to position so our team defense is not forced into a more difficult player rotation caused by a complete breakdown.
Double- There is a double screen coming your way. Translation- There is a tough double pick coming your direction. As the lead defender on the screener closest to the ball I will show and help until you can fight your way through. If however the player coming to the ball is the same size as the screener further away from the ball, we will call switch and exchange responsibilities. Pay attention on doubles because from time to time in the game our coach may change the strategy for defending such double screens. Doubles are dangerous when I haven't alerted you to one approaching.
Pick- There is a screen coming your way, be alert now!. Translation- Immediately loosen up on your man and be prepared to fight your way through the screen. Keep your feet moving, your lead hand up in the passing lane, and keep your feet active so that I won't have to rescue you by switching on a breakdown.
On Offense
Go or Cut- Your man is between my pass and you. Translation- I cannot possibly get a pass to you where you are standing. Cut hard immediately up the court, or to the basket and I will make sure you get the ball to our teams offensive advantage.
Step-out- I am being guarded without my dribble and need an outlet pass. Translation- I am not in a position where I can safely pass you the ball without making a turnover. Make a hard V cut, or step into your defense and seal them off prior to popping out hard to an safe open spot in the court where I can pass you the ball so we can continue our offense.
Fill- This tells your teammate that there is an open position or whole in the offense that can cause the offense to be dysfunctional. Translation- We are bunching up with too many players in one position or area of the court where one defender can guard two of us. In addition court balance is important to keeping good spacing on offense and if you will fill the next open position on the offensive end of the court we have a much better chance of converting a basket then if you stand and watch from a non-threatening position next to me.
Screen-Away- This tells a teammate who is not in a position to catch the ball to set a pick away from the ball to open up a teammate. Translation- Do not stand like a statue and expect me or a teammate to pass you the ball. If you will screen away to help a teammate, I will do the same for you when the time comes so that you won't have to work so hard to get open.
Flash- This tells a teammate that their defender is sleeping away from the ball. Translation- If you will duck behind the eyes of your defender and explode to the ball I will get you the pass in an excellent position to score or draw a foul.
In Transition
Outlet- This tells your teammate off a rebound that you are available to advance the ball safely up the court. Translation- You can try to dribble out of traffic with quick dangerous defenders lurking all about but it is much safer and easier to locate my voice and pass me the ball so we can more rapidly initiate the fast break with numbers. The quicker you find my voice and pass the more likely we will successfully finish the break with a score.
Numbers (e.g. 3 on 2, 3 on 3, 4 on 1)- This tells your teammates how many attackers we have and how many defenders are back. Translation- This depends on the numbers. Telling your teammates we have a 3 on 2 indicates push the ball up the court and keep good spacing and lanes and we should score. If you yell the numbers 4 on 1 it indicates that we will likely score but that at least one attacker should stay back as a safety to protect the basket.
I'm Left/Right- This signals your teammate you are in good position to their left or right on the fast break. Translation- I am sprinting ahead of the ball with good spacing to give you the best possible passing opportunity to score a lay-up out of transition. Without making eye contact, you should at least be aware that I am here and working so that we have a numbers advantage and don't blow this great scoring opportunity by selfish or forced play.
Trailer- This tells a player ahead of you with the ball you are coming behind them and will be a threat to score. Translation- I am sprinting up from behind you to beat my defender to the basket. Keep alert and if one of your primary options ahead of you on the break is not open you don't have to force the shot. I will come a second late and surprise the defense by my hustle.
Push It Up-This tells your teammates you have the defense at a disadvantage, advance the ball! Translation- The defense is caught out of position and if we all push up the court quickly it is very likely we will get an easy scoring chance.
I'm Basket- This tells your defensive teammates that you are the first one back in position to protect the basket. Translation- I am the first one back and will protect the fort until we get all the troops back into our best defensive position. I will not give up the basket until at least one or more teammates gets back to help me and who are better suited size wise to defend the interior. In worst case scenario I will take a charge but I will not give any player a direct line path to the basket, so hustle your tail back and help cover up additional attackers. If we buy enough time by forcing additional passes we can stop this thing.
There are literally dozens of RimTalk words you can learn and should be using daily in practice and game situations. Practice your RimTalk as much as you practice your jumper and your whole team will benefit. Now I already know what some of you are thinking. I know all this stuff. It is simple; any player worth their weight in salt knows the importance of talking. But if that is what you are thinking you are missing the main point of this Playground Pointer. Knowing it and doing it are two completely different animals. Learn to communicate in one or two word burst and be consistent. Most coaches will give you the correct RimTalk for your team, but you are the one who have to recognize its value. As you can see it's not the term that is said that is so important, but what it is you communicate. No matter what you want to call it, SAY SOMETHING PLEASE! Let your voice be the sixth man so crucial to your teams drive to the Championship.
Go or Cut- Your man is between my pass and you. Translation- I cannot possibly get a pass to you where you are standing. Cut hard immediately up the court, or to the basket and I will make sure you get the ball to our teams offensive advantage.
Step-out- I am being guarded without my dribble and need an outlet pass. Translation- I am not in a position where I can safely pass you the ball without making a turnover. Make a hard V cut, or step into your defense and seal them off prior to popping out hard to an safe open spot in the court where I can pass you the ball so we can continue our offense.
Fill- This tells your teammate that there is an open position or whole in the offense that can cause the offense to be dysfunctional. Translation- We are bunching up with too many players in one position or area of the court where one defender can guard two of us. In addition court balance is important to keeping good spacing on offense and if you will fill the next open position on the offensive end of the court we have a much better chance of converting a basket then if you stand and watch from a non-threatening position next to me.
Screen-Away- This tells a teammate who is not in a position to catch the ball to set a pick away from the ball to open up a teammate. Translation- Do not stand like a statue and expect me or a teammate to pass you the ball. If you will screen away to help a teammate, I will do the same for you when the time comes so that you won't have to work so hard to get open.
Flash- This tells a teammate that their defender is sleeping away from the ball. Translation- If you will duck behind the eyes of your defender and explode to the ball I will get you the pass in an excellent position to score or draw a foul.
In Transition
Outlet- This tells your teammate off a rebound that you are available to advance the ball safely up the court. Translation- You can try to dribble out of traffic with quick dangerous defenders lurking all about but it is much safer and easier to locate my voice and pass me the ball so we can more rapidly initiate the fast break with numbers. The quicker you find my voice and pass the more likely we will successfully finish the break with a score.
Numbers (e.g. 3 on 2, 3 on 3, 4 on 1)- This tells your teammates how many attackers we have and how many defenders are back. Translation- This depends on the numbers. Telling your teammates we have a 3 on 2 indicates push the ball up the court and keep good spacing and lanes and we should score. If you yell the numbers 4 on 1 it indicates that we will likely score but that at least one attacker should stay back as a safety to protect the basket.
I'm Left/Right- This signals your teammate you are in good position to their left or right on the fast break. Translation- I am sprinting ahead of the ball with good spacing to give you the best possible passing opportunity to score a lay-up out of transition. Without making eye contact, you should at least be aware that I am here and working so that we have a numbers advantage and don't blow this great scoring opportunity by selfish or forced play.
Trailer- This tells a player ahead of you with the ball you are coming behind them and will be a threat to score. Translation- I am sprinting up from behind you to beat my defender to the basket. Keep alert and if one of your primary options ahead of you on the break is not open you don't have to force the shot. I will come a second late and surprise the defense by my hustle.
Push It Up-This tells your teammates you have the defense at a disadvantage, advance the ball! Translation- The defense is caught out of position and if we all push up the court quickly it is very likely we will get an easy scoring chance.
I'm Basket- This tells your defensive teammates that you are the first one back in position to protect the basket. Translation- I am the first one back and will protect the fort until we get all the troops back into our best defensive position. I will not give up the basket until at least one or more teammates gets back to help me and who are better suited size wise to defend the interior. In worst case scenario I will take a charge but I will not give any player a direct line path to the basket, so hustle your tail back and help cover up additional attackers. If we buy enough time by forcing additional passes we can stop this thing.
There are literally dozens of RimTalk words you can learn and should be using daily in practice and game situations. Practice your RimTalk as much as you practice your jumper and your whole team will benefit. Now I already know what some of you are thinking. I know all this stuff. It is simple; any player worth their weight in salt knows the importance of talking. But if that is what you are thinking you are missing the main point of this Playground Pointer. Knowing it and doing it are two completely different animals. Learn to communicate in one or two word burst and be consistent. Most coaches will give you the correct RimTalk for your team, but you are the one who have to recognize its value. As you can see it's not the term that is said that is so important, but what it is you communicate. No matter what you want to call it, SAY SOMETHING PLEASE! Let your voice be the sixth man so crucial to your teams drive to the Championship.
Check back next month for another Playground Pointers courtesy of The Basketball Highway®.