You know, I was watching a UP Fighting Maroons game recently and it struck me how much their rebuilding process mirrors what individual players go through when they're trying to transform their basketball skills. When Oliver Almadro took over as program director and coach with that clear directive from the UP Office of Athletics and Sports Development, he wasn't just inheriting a team - he was taking on the challenge of building fundamental skills from the ground up. That's exactly what we're going to explore today - those ten basic skills in basketball that can completely transform your game, much like the Maroons are transforming their program by following in the footsteps of their now-two-time champion men's basketball team.
Let me start with shooting, because honestly, this is where most players either make or break their game. I've seen countless players who can dribble fancy but can't hit a simple jumper to save their life. The fundamental shooting form involves proper balance, elbow alignment, and follow-through - and I can't stress enough how many players get this wrong. When I first started playing seriously, my coach made me shoot 200 free throws every single day for three months straight. Sounds excessive? Maybe, but my percentage went from a pathetic 45% to a respectable 78%. The key is repetition and proper mechanics - your shooting hand should be under the ball with your guide hand on the side, your elbow should form that perfect L-shape, and your follow-through should leave your fingers pointing directly at the basket. What most people don't realize is that great shooters aren't born - they're made through thousands of hours of deliberate practice.
Now let's talk about dribbling, and I have to be honest here - this is where flashy players often fool everyone including themselves. I've always believed that effective dribbling isn't about fancy crossovers that look good on Instagram; it's about control and purpose. The basic skills involve being able to dribble equally well with both hands, keeping your head up to see the court, and using your body to protect the ball. I remember playing against this point guard who could do all sorts of fancy moves but would inevitably turn the ball over when pressured. Meanwhile, the most effective dribblers I've known could navigate tight spaces without ever looking down at the ball. They practiced basic drills like stationary dribbling, figure eights, and full-court sprints with their eyes fixed on the rim at the other end. It's boring work, but it separates the showboats from the real players.
Passing might be the most underrated of all basic basketball skills, and I'll die on that hill. Watching teams like the champion UP squads that the Fighting Maroons are trying to emulate, you notice how crisp, accurate passing creates scoring opportunities out of nothing. There are several types of passes every player should master - the chest pass, bounce pass, overhead pass, and my personal favorite, the no-look pass when executed properly. But here's what most coaches don't tell you - great passing isn't just about technique; it's about court vision and anticipation. I've found that the best passers are actually the best observers. They notice how defenders lean, where their teammates prefer to receive the ball, and they understand timing better than anyone else on the court. When I improved my passing skills, my assists jumped from maybe 2-3 per game to consistently hitting 7-8, and more importantly, my team started winning more games.
Defensive stance and footwork - now this is where games are truly won, despite what highlight reels might have you believe. I can't count how many players I've seen neglect their defensive fundamentals while obsessing over scoring. The proper defensive stance involves knees bent, back straight, weight on the balls of your feet, and arms wide. It's uncomfortable at first, but once you build the muscle memory, it becomes second nature. What transformed my defensive game was learning to slide my feet without crossing them - something my high school coach drilled into us for what felt like forever. We'd do defensive slide drills for 15 minutes every practice, and I hated it then, but now I appreciate how it made me capable of staying in front of quicker opponents.
Rebounding is all about positioning and anticipation, and I've always believed that great rebounders aren't necessarily the tallest players - they're the ones who want the ball more. There's a technique to boxing out that involves making contact, pivoting, and then going aggressively for the ball. When I focused on improving my rebounding, I went from averaging 4 rebounds per game to nearly 9, despite being only 6 feet tall in a league where many players were several inches taller. The secret? Studying how the ball comes off the rim from different angles and developing that almost instinctual sense of where it's going to land.
Footwork might not be glamorous, but it's the foundation upon which all other skills are built. The pivot move alone can save you from countless turnovers. I remember specifically working on my pivot footwork until I could spin in either direction without traveling - it took weeks of frustrating practice, but once it clicked, my post game improved dramatically. Then there's the triple threat position, which gives you the option to shoot, pass, or dribble before you put the ball on the floor. Most young players today immediately put the ball on the floor, but the truly skilled ones know how to operate from triple threat.
Layups seem simple enough, but you'd be surprised how many players mess up basic layups in game situations. There's the overhand layup, the underhand scoop, the reverse layup, and the euro step - each requiring specific footwork and touch off the glass. What transformed my layup game was practicing them at full speed with defensive pressure. Too many people practice layups casually during warmups without simulating game conditions. When I started doing full-speed layup drills with a coach lightly contesting them, my game-time finishing percentage around the rim improved from about 52% to over 70% within two months.
Court vision is that magical skill that separates good players from great ones. It's not something you're necessarily born with - you develop it through understanding spacing, anticipating movements, and most importantly, keeping your head up. I improved my court vision by consciously reminding myself to scan the entire court every few seconds, even when I didn't have the ball. This helped me recognize patterns and openings that I'd previously missed. The best players I've played with always seemed to have eyes in the back of their heads, and it's because they'd trained themselves to be constantly aware.
Conditioning might not be a skill in the technical sense, but it enables all the other skills to function under pressure. When you're tired, your shooting form breaks down, your defensive stance gets lazy, and your decision-making suffers. I made the mistake early in my career of focusing solely on skill work while neglecting conditioning, and it showed in fourth quarters when I'd become a liability. Once I committed to serious conditioning - including interval sprints, suicides, and endurance running - my performance in clutch moments improved dramatically.
Basketball IQ is the culmination of all these skills, combined with understanding the nuances of the game. It's knowing when to push the tempo versus when to slow down, recognizing mismatches, understanding time and score situations, and making smart decisions consistently. This is where programs like the Fighting Maroons under Oliver Almadro are focusing - building not just physically skilled players but intelligent ones who understand how to win games. My own basketball IQ developed mostly through watching countless games, studying film of both myself and better players, and constantly asking questions of more experienced coaches and players.
Mastering these ten basic skills in basketball requires the same systematic approach that the UP Fighting Maroons are taking in their rebuild - focusing on fundamentals, committing to deliberate practice, and building toward sustainable success. Whether you're an individual player looking to transform your game or a program director like Almadro building a team from the ground up, the principles remain the same. Start with these fundamentals, dedicate yourself to perfecting them, and watch as your game transforms in ways you never thought possible. The beautiful thing about basketball is that you're never done learning - there's always another layer to uncover, another skill to refine, another level to reach.
