[ClutchFans] James Harden works out with Hakeem Olajuwon (Video)

Howard has a very limited post game, his "moves" are awkward looking and not fluid at all. Yet, Howard has the capability to be an elite roll man but his ego prevents him from accepting that fact and playing according to his abilities and not his fantasms. As for Asik, I will not hide the fact that I was very impressed with his defensive prowess and his courage ( many 1 vs 5 defending !) last season. I am appalled by the way some fans are suggesting that Asik should suck it up and accept being a back-up after he stepped up to the plate and stood up to be counted last term. Stating that this is just a cold business cuts both ways.

 

No. I didn't write more because I thought what Hakeem said was clear. But I guess not.

Let's go over what Hakeem said again:

http://on.nba.com/16PJFxX

Now, I quoted that before. But Hakeem said more than that:

In other words, Kobe was trying to rely on his natural ability rather than sound fundamentals or the techniques Hakeem was showing him. He was trying to skip steps rather than gradually acquire the fundamentals Hakeem was showing him. This isn't a compliment, it's an indictment.

"Natural ability" is the opposite of fundamentals. It's like a pitcher in baseball who throws really hard and thinks he's ready for the big leagues because he throws heat. And so, instead of working on a change-up or a curve, he just wants to throw fastballs. He doesn't know the fundamentals of how to pitch, and wants to rely on his natural ability instead.

Or another example, in mathematics. You're not going to start trying algebra or calculus if you are lacking the fundamentals of adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. Because you won't be able to do it.

When Hakeem says Kobe was "skipping steps," that wasn't a compliment meaning "he was so naturally good he could just skip ahead." It meant "he was trying to fudge the fundamentals rather than learn and execute them properly." Again, this isn't a compliment. It's an indictment. Which is why Hakeem says that Kobe began to realize that he, Kobe, didn't know as much about the post up game as he thought he knew.

Starting from point A in learning fundamentals means mastering A, then mastering B, then mastering C, etc. Eventually you get to Z. But Kobe wasn't doing that, apparently, based on what Hakeem was saying. He was trying to skip ahead to Z without properly executing A through Y. That, to me, means he was lacking in fundamentals. And instead of sound fundamentals, he was trying to rely on his natural ability. As Hakeem said, each successive move (A, B, C, D...Z) depends on being able to execute the previous move. So if Kobe is "skipping ahead" to Z from like A, he will never be able to do Z because he can't do B through Y.

A person with a mature post game isn't starting at point "A" like Hakeem said of Kobe. Now maybe that's just "Point A" in the Hakeem Post Up move set as compared to Average Joe Post Up move set.

I'm sure Kobe had good footwork and some moves in the post before working with Hakeem, but that's not the same thing as working with Hakeem. Which, again, is why I'm glad Harden is starting his work with Hakeem at age 24 rather than age 31.

 

If you still want to believe that Kobe actually learned the fundamentals of playing in the high post from Hakeem, by all means do so.

 

I couldn't hear you with the snake genitalia in your mouth.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble but a lot of hakeem's brilliance in the post was also predicated on cheating. Namely, he traveled (lifted his pivot, took an extra step, or simply quickly shuffled his feet taking 2 or 3 steps very quickly without even starting a dribble first), and he carried on a large percentage of his post moves.

You can see this even in the first few days of training footage, where he is basically teaching DMo to carry the ball every time he spins.

The NBA is incredibly liberal in it's interpretation of the rulebook, but it's well known that nba basketball is often not played or whistled "by the book."

 

Should be "low post".

 

Cheating? What?

 

Don't reach too far, breh, or you may well dislocate your shoulder pulling out such lame jokes.

 

I simply mean that hakeem, like a lot of nba players, travels/-ed and carries/-ed the ball, because the league allows/-ed it. In that sense, hakeem is not teaching "fundamentally sound" basketball, either.

Again, watch his training video with DMo. DMo is carrying the ball with every spin. Against the rules, tsk, tsk.

 

Just because he sometimes travelled does not mean that his repertoire of moves is tainted. It would have been so only if those moves actually incorporated such transgressions. as it is, they are merely the result of imperfect execution. Lebron's crab dribble on the other hand is an example of a move which is inherently illegal.

 

It is certainly not an indictment of hakeem. A lot of the nba's entertainment value is derived from allowing it's players certain liberties with regards to the rulebook, which allows for flashier play.

It's a league-wide issue, and has been for the better part of close to 4 decades.

I'm simply saying that the moves that hakeem teaches are in violation of the basketball rulebook (namely carrying and traveling), strictly interpreted. Therefore, hakeem can't really complain that he's teaching fundamentally sound basketball, or that kobe isn't being "fundamentally sound" when he doesn't do exactly what hakeem asks.

 

man, Dream whoring out the spin move on all the guys... lol

 

So much fail, WOW.

You do realize Dream is picking up his dribble on the spin move in the pivot. Therefore, your assertion that he is 'carrying' makes absolutely no sense. The dribble is stopped (i.e. the ball is not going back down to the floor).

Secondly, saying Dream travels or 'isn't being fundamentally sound' just proves you have zero knowledge of his footwork.

How old are you? Did you even watch him play?

 

I'd be happy to post video footage for you from his playing days. The point is, traveling and carrying are a league-wide issue. Forget the name 'hakeem,' insert the term 'nba.'

 

why did they post this? now every team will learn that move and how to stop it. good job revealing secrets

 

LMAO!

 

i was wondering why he wasn't in training camp this year

 

Maybe since he wasnt in training camp he hasnt gotten a chance to bless us

 

I see no Hakeem in the way Harden plays.