Friday night I asked Musselman about practice plans leading up to the season opener against Rice and he mentioned bringing out weighted vests, and gloves in hopes of limiting turnovers. Here’s how that looked:
During today’s practice we went old school by channeling the overload theory: weighted vests and construction gloves during our offensive segments. pic.twitter.com/k2CoriPNpu
— Eric Musselman (@EricPMusselman) October 27, 2019
Could someone 'splain how that helps eliminate turnovers? Do they have to slow down and be more careful with thick gloves and a weighted vest? This is a new concept for me. How common is this?
Is this like the medicine ball that Nolan and Mike use in practice? If not, what are the differences?
It seems to me that the vest and the gloves are for different purposes. The gloves are to help the “handle” for dribbling, passing, and catching passes. You would really have to concentrate on your handle.
The weighted vests are probably for helping “explosion”. I noticed in the short video, the only dunk was by Adrio. He may have been the only player who could dunk with the vest on.
Definitely another innovative method used by Muss. The guy is full of innovations. It will be interesting to track the impact if this as the season progresses. If it works, something for other coaches to make a note of and adopt.
I’m a big fan of the medicine ball. I use it in my own workout, throwing and catching it off a mini trampoline. That has to help in catching passes cleanly. I am having a lot of trouble dribbling it though.
“Went Old School”… probably an NBA drill, maybe you can ask where these drills come from?
They are old school drills. My high school coach in the early 70s, Don Nixon used gloves, weighted shoes and vests and medicine balls at Little Rock Central. He told us they came from Adolph Rupp and Henry Iba. The gloves make you concentrate more. And, you probably are going to do less dribbling and more passing with gloves on. Harder to dribble. Move the ball instead of dribble the ball.
Obviously, wearing weighted shoes and vests increases strength.
Medicine Ball Warning label: Not intended for between the legs dribbling
Dudley would probably know, but I swear Nolan or Eddie Sutton did this at one time too (or some variation).
Richardson used to do the 3-man weave, full court, with a medicine ball. Made Oliver Miller break down as a freshman.
Is a major cardio boost, and upper body control and strength boost.
We got to watch the first 20 minutes of practice on media day 2018, and Mike Anderson had his guys do this. It was interesting to watch some of the guys who really lacked upper-body strength catch that first pass.
I remember watching a medicine ball drill with two players running down the court passing the ball back and forth. It was kind of a mis-match with a guard and a center, maybe Lee Wilson and Alex Dillard, but that was so long ago. Anyway, the center would fire the ball off hard enough to just about take the guard off his feet. Alternately, they would throw the ball up in a high arc and catch it coming down. Interesting drills back in the day of open practices.
When “Big O” was a frosh and running the drill he’d have a gutteral “unnnhhh” every time he caught it because he let it into his body and it knocked air out of him.
I also remember WIlson and Darnell Robinson taking turns on a dunk drill. It was brutal. Trainer would place a ball on the ground, they’d pick it up and have to dunk it. Then, ball on the other side of the paint. Back and forth. Think they had to get 10 in a row or start over. Wilson moved the entire goal support about 3 feet as he got tired. Nolan blew his whistle and said, “S#&T you trying to get out of the drill by moving the goal?” and then smiled and whacked him on the backside.
I love Nolan like no other coach.
Sure would be nice to have a big man or two with that kind of size again.