Alpi's free throws look considerably better. Tari's shooting all around looks better. Jalen's mechanics looked better, but maybe he needs more time to develop muscle memory.. Not sure what happened to Whitmore lol
Seems Jalen still has too much variance on how he jumps on jump shots…both how high and fading or leaning in.
Jalen is shooting 87 percent on FT this season which is really high, but I think he's shooting career low in mid ranges. Something is definitely wrong with the way he jumps.
So jump shooting has two parts, jumping and shooting. I assume shooting coaches also teach the jumping as well as the shooting mechanics. BTW, Sengun doesn't jump when he shoots. Perhaps that simplifies the mechanics.
That trainer Jalen was working with in the Summer definitely identified consistent jumping being an issue for Jalen. Jalen even commented about it. But it’s like once he gets in a game, his adrenaline makes him forget. btw: can’t believe we don’t have a game until Sunday.
Spoiler Thunder got the real shooting guru (Chip Engelland, mentioned various times below) https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/rockets-ime-udoka-coaching-staff-18183464.php Ben Sullivan, 39, will lead the Rockets' Summer League team in Las Vegas this month, and he's perhaps the most interesting assistant on Udoka's new staff. He is renowned as one of the game's leading shooting coaches after stints in San Antonio, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Boston. In Houston, Sullivan will be tasked with overhauling the presently-shaky jumper of incoming lottery rookie Amen Thompson. No team shot a worse percentage from three last season than the Rockets, so even sneaking out of the bottom 10 this year would mark a major win for Sullivan and his new team. https://www.nba.com/news/game-changers-ben-sullivan-giannis-trainer “He’s a great shooting coach,” Antetokounmpo said, “but he’s not just a shooting coach. We work on my post game. We work on my ball skills. Just becoming a better overall player.” Sullivan had been dumped in Budenholzer’s lap the year before he left, hired by GM R.C. Buford with a recommendation from player-turned-coach Ime Udoka (Udoka and Sullivan were fixtures on the Portland hoops scene.) The timing couldn’t have been better for Sullivan — the Spurs went to The Finals that season and the next, suffering from Ray Allen’s famous corner 3-pointer in Game 6 in ’13, then beating Miami for rings in ’14. When Budenholzer got an opening that summer, he called Sullivan. “The dream was always to just get a job in coaching that could pay my bills,” Sullivan recalled. “It didn’t happen till I got to the NBA.” By the way, Sullivan isn’t only a shooting coach. He works with other Bucks players, same as Antetokounmpo gets coached by Budenholzer and his other assistants. “Ben’s always out there, working as hard as any guy on the court,” said center Brook Lopez, who stretched his 3-point range with Sullivan’s aid last season. “He lets guys get out there and kind of experiment, thinking how to elevate their game. He doesn’t have you doing the same stuff to be the same player. He really helps people become better players.” https://www.houstonchronicle.com/te...on-rockets-assistant-career-path-18197974.php Over the years, Sullivan developed a reputation as a shooting coach, much as Englland had been, though he has grown into a respected assistant, rather than a specialist. Sullivan compares it to earning a college degree. Shooting is not all he studied, but it was his major. https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/20...sullivan-guides-amen-thompsons-rookie-growth/ “Ben has worked with some guys over the years like Giannis (Antetokounmpo, in Milwaukee) and different guys who have wanted to improve their shooting,” Udoka said regarding the importance of having Sullivan work to improve Thompson’s shot. “You can see that bond growing between them, and that is what we want our assistants to do,” Udoka added. “I hired certain guys for the relationship aspect. You have some specific bonds with guys, and they have hit it off really well. It will be good for him (Thompson), going forward in the future. The shooting piece was the initial, but they have found their own side relationship, which has been good.” https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com...ing-ime-udoka-and-damon-stoudamires-departure You look like a great shooter out there when I see you shooting around, and you're known for working with guys on their shots ... how did that develop for you? When I played, I definitely loved to shoot. That's another thing that I don't have any other explanation than just sheer, dumb luck. I was lucky enough to know Ime and he brought be into San Antonio, and then I was fortunate enough to be there with Pop and Tim and Tony and Manu were still playing, and young Kawhi was on the team and to be able to be a part of that was really special. It was just really lucky that I ended up getting paired with (Engelland), and he's one of my mentors, one of my close friends in the league and he really took the time to invest in me and I can't give him enough credit for teaching me how to teach shooting, not only shooting, the mechanics of it, but helping to work with guys throughout a season, the ups-and-downs, how to ride that roller coaster, because you have good nights, bad nights, good stretches, bad stretches, whatever it is and how to manage and navigate your way through a season and really help the guys that you're working with. You asked me, 'what have I done with these guys?' I'm not even thinking about me and what I've done. I'm just trying to think about how to help them be the best version of themselves, not only for themselves, but also within the team and when you get guys like Derrick and Grant, they're really bought into that. I'm not thinking about what I'm doing. I'm just thinking about how can I help? Maybe I'll, at the end of a season, look back and be like, this was good, this was bad, look through my notes and different things and different parts of the season, to try to evaluate how I can get better and how I can help them more, but it's really not about me, man, it's about the guys and helping them be the best version of themselves. When you talk about riding that (shooting) wave ... what helps guys in that sense? I always go back to routine and keeping it consistent. You've gotta be consistent with guys and you've gotta understand that it's difficult playing, being in the NBA and even getting here is difficult, and then succeeding on a consistent basis is even more difficult once you get here. Just understanding the bigger picture that not every shot's gonna go in, you're not gonna win every game and accepting that part and that aspect, and realizing that it's not perfect all the time and that's ok. That happens to everybody. It happens to the greats. I've seen Steve Nash miss two free throws in a row at the end of a game, or whoever. It happens. Just recognizing that it's a bigger picture and don't be prisoner of the moment. Recognize, you had a bad game, that happens. Coaches coach a bad game. We make bad decisions, whatever. We all make mistakes. Refs have a bad game. It's part of the game. Mistakes are a part of the game. The humanity is a part of the game, and you recognize that, you understand it, you talk through it, you work through it and then you go back to your routine and your work and you get better and go out and try again. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4714139/2023/07/24/rockets-ben-sullivan-assistant-coach/ You’ve long been regarded in some league circles as a shooting guru. What are your pillars as far as improvement in that area is concerned? Just to clear it up, I’m not a shooting guru. I’ve never said that. I don’t think of myself like that. As far as shooting, I’ve talked about this before. I worked in San Antonio with Chip Engelland, one of the great teachers of shooting and the game. And he’s also, to me, one of the best coaches of coaches out there. He really taught me how to teach. And for that I’ll never be able to repay him fully. He’s one of the people I owe a lot to. He gave me a guide on how to go about (shooting), how you assess, and how you come up with a plan. In which order do you go evaluating not only the biometrics of a person’s body, how they physically are able to hold the ball or extend their wrist and elbow and hand placement and all those things, but then also the mental side and growing their shooting mentality. And so with each individual person, it’s kind of like a baseball swing or a golf swing or a snowflake. They’re all similar, but they’re all uniquely different. And each person’s shot is very specific to their own body, their own mind and how they’re made up. And so you have to go in and evaluate where they are physically, mentally, what’s their relationship with their shot. You build a plan around that after getting to know them, what they’re about, what they’re looking to improve. That’s the mentality of going into each project. Being a shooting coach, that was my title but that’s not my current title. Now it’s more something that I do, it’s something that I’ll work on guys with, but that’s not all that I do.
Spoiler Fred VanVleet (19 games/663 minutes) FG%: 38.9 (down from last season (41.6); down from career avg (40.4) 2P%: 46.0 (up from last season (45.4); up from career avg (43.8) 3P%: 32.4 (down from last season (38.7); down from career avg (37.3) FT%: 80.0 (down from last season (86.0); down from career avg (86.6) eFG%: 47.4 (down from last season (52.7); down from career avg (50.3) TS%: 50.4 (down from last season (56.8); down from career avg (54.5) Jalen Green (20 games/642 minutes) FG%: 39.4 (down from last season (42.3); down from career avg (41.9) 2P%: 46.6 (down from last season (49.8); down from career avg (48.6) 3P%: 31.7 (down from last season (33.2); down from career avg (33.5) FT%: 86.7 (up from last season (80.4); up from career avg (80.0) eFG%: 47.0 (down from last season (49.8); down from career avg (49.4) TS%: 52.1 (down from last season (54.1); down from career avg (54.0) Dillon Brooks (20 games/618 minutes) FG%: 40.8 (down from last season (42.8); down from career avg (41.7) 2P%: 43.9 (down from last season (49.2); down from career avg (46.3) 3P%: 37.6 (up from last season (35.9); up from career avg (34.7) FT%: 83.3 (down from last season (84.4); up from career avg (80.3) eFG%: 50.0 (down from last season (51.5); up from career avg (48.5) TS%: 52.5 (down from last season (54.9); up from career avg (51.8) Jabari Smith Jr. (20 games/573 minutes) FG%: 44.9 (down from last season (45.4); up from career avg (43.2) 2P%: 53.1 (up from last season (53.0); up from career avg (51.0) 3P%: 36.0 (down from last season (36.3); up from career avg (33.7) FT%: 86.7 (up from last season (81.1); up from career avg (80.5) eFG%: 53.5 (down from last season (53.7); up from career avg (50.8) TS%: 57.9 (up from last season (57.1); up from career avg (54.5) Alperen Sengun (20 games/609 minutes) FG%: 47.5 (down from last season (53.7); down from career avg (52.2) 2P%: 49.8 (down from last season (56.7); down from career avg (55.5) 3P%: 26.7 (down from last season (29.7); down from career avg (28.3) FT%: 76.5 (up from last season (69.3); up from career avg (71.1) eFG%: 48.8 (down from last season (55.3); down from career avg (53.9) TS%: 53.8 (down from last season (58.5); down from career avg (57.7) Amen Thompson (20 games/534 minutes) FG%: 57.6 (up from last season (53.6); up from career avg (54.6) 2P%: 61.8 (up from last season (59.5); up from career avg (60.1) 3P%: 30.0 (up from last season (13.8); up from career avg (17.9) FT%: 73.4 (up from last season (68.4); up from career avg (70.1) eFG%: 59.6 (up from last season (54.5); up from career avg (55.8) TS%: 64.1 (up from last season (57.6); up from career avg (59.3) Tari Eason (20 games/455 minutes) FG%: 49.7 (up from last season (46.6); up from career avg (46.0) 2P%: 57.5 (up from last season (50.4); up from career avg (50.4) 3P%: 32.1 (down from last season (36.0); down from career avg (34.2) FT%: 77.1 (up from last season (63.6); up from career avg (73.7) eFG%: 54.6 (up from last season (51.3); up from career avg (50.6) TS%: 57.2 (up from last season (52.8); up from career avg (53.4) Reed Sheppard (20 games/237 minutes) FG%: 36.7 (down from last season [KY] (53.6) 2P%: 37.8 (down from last season [KY] (55.5) 3P%: 35.7 (down from last season [KY] (52.1) FT%: — (83.1% on 2.0 FTA/G; 54-65 overall) eFG%: 46.2 (down from last season [KY] (67.9) TS%: 46.2 (down from last season [KY] (69.9) Jock Landale (14 games/156 minutes) FG%: 44.7 (down from last season (51.5); down from career avg (51.1) 2P%: 43.9 (down from last season (57.8); down from career avg (59.7) 3P%: 50.0 (up from last season (25.0); up from career avg (28.8) FT%: 52.6 (down from last season (80.0); down from career avg (76.1) eFG%: 47.9 (down from last season (53.9); down from career avg (55.1) TS%: 49.7 (down from last season (58.4); down from career avg (58.6) Aaron Holiday (11 games/96 minutes) FG%: 45.2 (up from last season (44.6); up from career avg (41.9) 2P%: 62.5 (up from last season (51.0); up from career avg (44.9) 3P%: 39.1 (up from last season (38.7); up from career avg (38.0) FT%: 71.4 (down from last season (92.1); down from career avg (85.1) eFG%: 59.7 (up from last season (54.7); up from career avg (50.0) TS%: 61.6 (up from last season (57.8); up from career avg (53.3) Steven Adams (9 games/103 minutes) FG%: 53.3 (down from last season [22-23/MEM] (59.7); down from career avg (58.7) 2P%: 53.3 (down from last season [22-23/MEM] (59.9); down from career avg (58.9) 3P%: — FT%: 42.9 (up from last season [22-23/MEM] (36.4); down from career avg (53.5) eFG%: 53.3 (down from last season [22-23/MEM] (59.7); down from career avg (58.7) TS%: 52.0 (down from last season [22-23/MEM] (56.4); down from career avg (59.1) Cam Whitmore (8 games/79 minutes) FG%: 37.5 (down from last season (45.4); down from career avg (44.7) 2P%: 63.0 (up from last season (53.8); up from career avg (54.7) 3P%: .048 (1-21) (down from last season (35.9); down from career avg (33.2) FT%: 62.5 (down from last season (67.9); down from career avg (67.2) eFG%: 38.5 (down from last season (53.9); down from career avg (52.4) TS%: 42.7 (down from last season (56.1); down from career avg (54.8) Jae’Sean Tate (8 games/39 minutes) FG%: 58.3 (up from last season (47.2); up from career avg (49.6) 2P%: 63.6 (up from last season (55.9); up from career avg (57.2) 3P%: 0.0 (down from last season (29.9); down from career avg (30.5) FT%: 57.1 (down from last season (66.7); down from career avg (70.0) eFG%: 58.3 (up from last season (52.2); up from career avg (53.9) TS%: 59.7 (up from last season (53.8); up from career avg (56.4) Jeff Green (7 games/40 minutes) FG%: 53.8 (up from last season (45.6); up from career avg (45.0) 2P%: 80.0 (up from last season (55.3); up from career avg (49.9) 3P%: 37.5 (up from last season (33.1); up from career avg (33.7) FT%: — eFG%: 65.4 (up from last season (52.9); up from career avg (50.1) TS%: 65.4 (up from last season (59.0); up from career avg (55.0) Jack McVeigh (6 games/21 minutes) FG%: 27.3 (down from last season [NBL] (52.5) 2P%: 33.3 (down from last season [NBL] (62.4) 3P%: 25.0 (down from last season [NBL] (36.4) FT%: — eFG%: 36.4 TS%: 36.4 Nate Williams (3 games/10 minutes) FG%: 75.0 (up from last season (54.0); up from career avg (58.1) 2P%: 100.0 (up from last season (55.6); up from career avg (61.5) 3P%: 50.0 (up from last season (40.0); up from career avg (40.0) FT%: — eFG%: 87.5 (up from last year (56.0); up from career avg (61.3) TS%: 87.5 (up from last season (56.5); up from career avg (61.5) Houston Rockets, through the years 2024-25: FG%: 44.1 (26th) | 2P%: 50.9 (26th) | 3P%: 32.9 (T-25th) | FT%: 76.8 (T-22nd) | eFG%: 50.3 (27th) | TS%: 54.0 (27th) 2023-24: FG%: 45.9 (27th) | 2P%: 53.0 (23rd) | 3P%: 35.2 (T-23rd) | FT%: 77.3 (20th) | eFG%: 52.9 (T-26th) | TS%: 56.5 (24th) 2022-23: FG%: 45.7 (T-28th) | 2P%: 53.0 (T-24th) | 3P%: 32.7 (30th) | FT%: 75.4 (25th) | eFG%: 51.6 (T-29th) | TS%: 55.4 (T-28th) 2021-22: FG%: 45.6 (24th) | 2P%: 54.3 (T-9th) | 3P%: 34.9 (T-20th) | FT%: 71.3 (30th) | eFG%: 53.4 (T-16th) | TS%: 56.5 (18th) 2020-21: FG%: 44.4 (28th) | 2P%: 53.2 (15th) | 3P%: 33.9 (T-28th) | FT%: 74.0 (27th) | eFG%: 52.1 (24th) | TS%: 55.3 (27th) 2019-20: FG%: 45.1 (22nd) | 2P%: 55.7 (2nd) | 3P%: 34.5 (24th) | FT%: 79.1 (T-8th) | eFG%: 53.7 (7th) | TS%: 57.8 (5th) 2018-19: FG%: 44.9 (T-24th) | 2P%: 55.1 (3rd) | 3P%: 35.6 (T-10th) | FT%: 79.1 (9th) | eFG%: 54.2 (4th) | TS%: 58.1 (3rd) 2017-18: FG%: 46.0 (15th) | 2P%: 55.8 (2nd) | 3P%: 36.2 (T-13th) | FT%: 78.1 (9th) | eFG%: 55.1 (2nd) | TS%: 59.0 (2nd) 2016-17: FG%: 46.2 (12th) | 2P%: 55.2 (2nd) | 3P%: 35.7 (15th) | FT%: 76.6 (20th) | eFG%: 54.5 (3rd) | TS%: 58.3 (2nd) 2015-16: FG%: 45.2 (14th) | 2P%: 51.4 (T-4th) | 3P%: 34.7 (19th) | FT%: 69.4 (T-27th) | eFG%: 51.6 (T-6th) | TS%: 55.3 (6th) 2014-15: FG%: 44.4 (20th) | 2P%: 50.6 (T-4th) | 3P%: 34.8 (14th) | FT%: 71.5 (27th) | eFG%: 51.2 (7th) | TS%: 54.8 (8th) 2013-14: FG%: 47.2 (5th) | 2P%: 52.9 (2nd) | 3P%: 35.8 (T-15th) | FT%: 71.2 (28th) | eFG%: 53.1 (3rd) | TS%: 57.1 (T-2nd) 2012-13: FG%: 46.1 (9th) | 2P%: 51.1 (6th) | 3P%: 36.6 (T-8th) | FT%: 75.4 (T-16th) | eFG%: 52.5 (5th) | TS%: 56.4 (4th) 2011-12: FG%: 44.9 (14th) | 2P%: 47.7 (T-14th) | 3P%: 35.9 (T-9th) | FT%: 78.2 (T-3rd) | eFG%: 49.2 (T-11th) | TS%: 52.9 (14th)
I agree with the how high he jumps part. Ill keep an eye on leaning. Fingers crossed he gets some muscle memory and can make a shot
I can't always tell when Jalen is going to make, but I can usually tell when he's going to miss because he's leaning, fading, etc. When he stays balanced and straight up and down there's a solid chance it'll go in.
Expect you are assuming with no facts or probably even prior knowledge to my behavior as a person. I was actually sincerely asking the question because I remember in interviews in the past he said he wanted to move away from that job and focus more on general coaching. Keeping previous comments in mind I was asking what his role in that aspect was and if he still focuses on it and if so how much. Again I find it very interesting that you make these assumptions without knowing me at all. "Be strong. Stick to your guns." Trust me I have no issue saying whats on my mind.
As I said, generally speaking, I find it weak sauce when somebody asks a provocative question and the walks it back by saying "I was just asking a question". If that isn't what you were doing, then you have no reason to be defensive and move on. You also didn't provide the context that he previously said he wants to move away from being a shooting coach. I didn't know that. My take is shooting is a big problem and that chicken will come home to roost. Let's see what happens tonight with OKC. Both teams are strong defenders but OKC is a better shooting team.
Good on Ben for having Ime's back and getting ejected as well, but if he could teach these guys how to shoot then that wouldn't have been necessary.
It can’t be a coincidence that every single player shoots worse after becoming a Rocket, something is up. Think about it, over the last 25 years Dillon Brooks and Bobby Sura are pretty much the only players who have shot better since coming here.
