Courtesy of EA Sports To be a top shotblocker in
basketball, a player needs to have excellent
timing,
quickness and of course,
height. Kidzworld looks at the role of the shotblocker in
the NBA.
NBA Shotblockers - Defensive Force
A
good shotblocker can be a huge
psyhcological advantage to a team. A big blocked shot can fire up a team like a big sack does in
football or a big body check does in
hockey. When a player comes up with a huge rejection, it can pick the rest of the team up and
intimidate offensive players from going hard to the hoop. For example, when a 300 pound player like
Shaq or
Ben Wallace is standing in the middle of the key, a player is going to think twice about driving through the lane to the hoop. A good shotblocker may cause shooters to
change their shots or concentrate on the shotblocker, not on their shots.
NBA Shotblockers - Keys To Success
A good shotblocker in basketball needs to have several important skills and qualities:
Timing - A player must be able to judge when the shooter will release the ball and then block it at the right time. If a player swats a shot away after the ball is on the way down, it's called goaltending and the basket counts.
Quickness - A player needs to be able to rotate quickly to get in front of the shooter.
Height - Size matters in the NBA, especially for shotblockers. Most of the NBA's best blockers are close to seven feet or taller.
Jumping Ability - Leaping ability can help a player get to a shot sooner and force a player to hurry their shot.
Keep The Ball In Play - A shotblocker needs to be able to direct the shot to another defensive teammate or to get possession of the ball themselves. Knocking a shot away to another offensive player isn't much help.
NBA Shotblockers - Best In The NBA
Shaquille O'Neal - Not only is Shaq a dominating force offensively, his size and athletic ability make him a force on defence.
Ben Wallace - Big Ben has size, great quickness and his massive 'fro makes him even more intimidating to opposing shooters.
Tim Duncan - He's probably the most athletic "big man" in the NBA. Tim Duncan's timing is awesome and his jumping ability is amazing for someone who's nearly seven feet tall.
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