Driveway Hoops: An Illustrated Guide to Basketball Fundamentals for Kids, Parents, and Coaches

The Fundamentals of Playing with the Ball

All ideas and endeavors continually evolve. The game of basketball is no exception. In the 1940s, players weaved and took set shots, in the 1960s they picked and took jump shots, and today they hoist step-back threes off crossover dribbles. Although these new skills continue to transform the game, they remain the product of the fundamentals of how to dribble, pass, and shoot.

Player development ultimately requires athleticism as defined by agility and quickness, but it is the fundamentals that enable the less gifted player to neutralize his more skilled opponent. More importantly, it is the fundamentals that give kids, regardless of their skill level, the opportunity to compete and experience moments of triumph in front of family and friends.

Every child needs something that fuels feelings of self-worth. That "something" can be academic awards, playing the piano, growing tomatoes, or even making a game-winning foul shot. How children feel about themselves is fundamental to their psychological well-being. Therefore, children must not only have the opportunity to hear cheers in their classrooms but also to receive high fives from friends in the schoolyard. The amount of time parents spend in their driveways teaching their children how to shoot foul shots and layups is evidence that parents recognize that sports can be that "something."

Through the use of illustration, Driveway Hoops attempts to help parents

and children learn the fundamentals of basketball, not to garner athletic scholarships, but to give all kids the opportunity to hear their friends and parents yell, "Good shot!"