Youth basketball rules changes should help game

It was one of the first days of the Mustang Basketball Camp back in the old Grand Valley High School.

The aspiring star that I was in my own mind — and no, I never came close to anything near that status — I stood out above the top of the key and hoisted up a shot that would have been from 3-point range if there were a 3-point line back in that day.

Even with launching the ball from my hip with two hands, I didn’t come close to the rim.

That’s when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Johnny,” said camp director Tom Henson. “Why don’t we take a few steps in and work on your shooting?”

I’ll never forget that day, partly because I was crushed that I couldn’t get the ball that far.

I was never more than an average basketball player — and average might be degrading to players who actually are average — but the lessons learned in my youth basketball were rather important in developing me into the basketball player I became.

Good habits started early take hold.

A few weeks back, the NBA and USA Basketball came out with recommendations to help with development of youth-aged basketball players.

Among the recommendations were: A) lowering the basket for youths, B) eliminating the 3-point shot for the youngest level of competition, and C) prohibiting zone defense. My immediate thought? Yes! Someone finally gets it.

There were also thoughts in the list of recommendations about implementing a 24-second shot clock on the high school level, and a 30-second shot clock for ages 1214, but that’s a different topic for a different day.

Here is hoping the other recommendations are followed for the better development of young basketball players.

I’m blessed enough to have seven nieces and nephews, more if I count those born to extended family members. So within the past decade or so, there have been plenty of opportunities to watch hundreds upon hundreds of kids playing youth basketball.

Most, if not all, would have benefited from the proposals recently forwarded by the NBA and USA Basketball.

• The NBA and USA Basketball recommends an eight-foot hoop for ages 7-8 and a nine-foot hoop for ages 9-11.

The proper shooting technique isn’t a one-handed baseball pass nor the twohanded hip-hoist I (imperfectly) executed at the Mustang Basketball camp.

Lowering the hoop at the young ages helps the teaching of proper shooting mechanics.

• Eliminating the 3-point shot for young ages also addresses proper shooting technique.

Even on a lowered hoop, the chances of a 7- or 8-yearold getting the ball to the hoop for a 3-pointer is remote — unless he/she gets a running start (thus committing a traveling violation) and unloads with both hands and a loud grunt.

So take away the 3-pointer. All shots are two points. Move kids in and teach them proper shooting.

• Eliminate guarding space by eradicating zone defense.

With all due respect to the coaching prowess of Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, this proposal deserves multiple exclamation points and high-fives for whoever masterminded it.

Nothing is worse than a youth team that sits in a zone. Not only does it grind the game to a halt, but it teaches a kid nothing more than to guard space.

Later on in their basketball years, players might be called on to play an active zone defense with man-to-man principles. But at that young age, kids should be learning how to defend a player by using his/her feet and not defend an area by just standing there.

It should be noted that the recommendations made by USA Basketball and the NBA cannot be enforced nationwide, mostly because those organizations don’t operate leagues and tournaments at those early ages. But that both the NBA and USA Basketball — major influences in the sport of basketball — are addressing these issues shows there are actual concerns.

USA Basketball has said they will use these rules in its youth tournaments. It’s a good start. If the aforementioned recommendations are followed, the brand of basketball — both area and nationwide — could benefit exponentially.