Post Moves

Post moves in basketball are the specialized offensive techniques and footwork sequences that players use when operating with their back to the basket in the low post or mid-post areas, representing some of the most fundamental and effective scoring methods in basketball history. The art of post play has been practiced and refined by generations of great big men including Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kevin McHale, each developing signature moves and counters that made them nearly impossible to defend. The foundation of all post moves begins with proper positioning and establishing deep post position, where the offensive player uses their body, strength, and timing to seal their defender and create an advantageous position to receive the entry pass. The drop step is one of the most basic and effective post moves, where the player receives the ball, pivots away from the defender by dropping their foot toward the baseline or middle, and attacks the basket with a power move or layup. The up-and-under move is a counter to the drop step, where the player fakes the drop step to get the defender to jump or commit, then steps through underneath the defender for a close-range shot or layup. The jump hook is a signature post move popularized by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with his skyhook, involving the player jumping off one foot while hooking the ball over their head with the opposite hand, creating a shot that is nearly impossible to block when executed with proper form. The post fadeaway is a difficult shot where the player catches the ball in the post, creates space by jumping backward away from the defender, and shoots while falling away, sacrificing some accuracy for the advantage of creating separation. The dream shake, made famous by Hakeem Olajuwon, is a series of fakes and counter moves in the post that uses footwork and body control to freeze defenders before finishing with a variety of shots including hooks, fadeaways, or power moves. The up-and-under counter specifically targets aggressive defenders who bite on initial fakes, allowing skilled post players to use one more counter move to create an easy finish. Post spins involve the player using a quick spinning motion on their pivot foot to rotate their body and attack from a different angle, either toward the baseline or toward the middle of the floor. The baby hook is a softer, shorter-range version of the traditional hook shot, often used when the defender is very close and the post player needs to get the ball up quickly over outstretched arms. The face-up game from the post involves post players catching the ball with their back to the basket but then turning to face the defender, allowing them to use jab steps, drives, or jump shots as additional scoring options. The post-up fadeaway combines elements of the traditional post game with face-up skills, as players like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant perfected the ability to post up smaller defenders then turn and shoot fadeaway jumpers. The physical nature of post play requires strength, balance, and the ability to maintain position while absorbing contact from defenders who are pushing, holding, and fighting to prevent deep post position. Footwork is the foundation of all effective post moves, with players drilling precise step sequences and pivot patterns that create the angles and leverage necessary to score over taller or stronger defenders. The use of pump fakes and shot fakes in the post is essential for getting defenders to leave their feet or commit their hands, creating opportunities for finishes through contact or around the defender. Counter moves are what separate great post players from good ones, as having multiple options and the ability to read defenders allows elite post scorers to always have an answer regardless of how they're defended. The post move arsenal of elite players typically includes at least five or six different moves with multiple counters for each, creating a decision tree that overwhelms defenders who cannot possibly prepare for every option. The entry pass to the post is a crucial skill that often receives less attention than the post moves themselves, requiring passers to deliver the ball to the exact spot where the post player can catch it in position to immediately execute their move. The passing angles for post entry passes vary based on the post player's position and the defense, with bounce passes, lob passes, and chest passes all having appropriate situations. Defensive counters to post moves include fronting the post player to deny entry passes, bringing hard double teams when the ball enters the post, and using help defenders to take away the baseline or middle depending on the offensive player's tendencies. The decline of traditional post play in modern basketball has been driven by several factors including the increased emphasis on three-point shooting, the spread pick-and-roll offense, smaller and more versatile lineups, and rule changes that favor perimeter play. However, post moves remain valuable even in the modern game, particularly for exploiting mismatches when smaller defenders switch onto bigger players, for providing high-percentage scoring options in late-clock situations, and for creating offensive rebounding opportunities when shots are missed. Teaching post moves requires patient instruction and thousands of repetitions, with players learning the footwork patterns without the ball before adding live defense and game-speed execution. The use of both hands for post moves is important for versatility, as players who can only finish with their dominant hand become much easier to defend. The concept of establishing post position before receiving the ball is fundamental, as even the best post moves are ineffective if the player catches the ball too far from the basket or in poor position. Mid-post play differs from low-post play in the spacing and angles available, with mid-post players often having more room to face up or make moves in different directions. The right-handed versus left-handed post player distinction affects which moves are most natural and effective, with players typically developing their strong-hand moves first before adding weak-hand counters. Modern big men are increasingly expected to have both post moves and perimeter skills, creating versatile offensive weapons who can score from multiple areas and in multiple ways. The physicality of post play has changed over different eras, with older basketball allowing more contact and hand-checking in the post while modern basketball calls more fouls on defenders who grab or impede post players. Youth basketball instruction in post moves has declined in some areas as the game has become more perimeter-oriented, though coaches who emphasize fundamental post play often develop players with advantages over peers who lack these skills.