Basketball Basics

A slam-dunk instructional guide for young basketball players and their coaches.

NBA coach and Hall of Fame player Jay Triano presents the drills and fundamental skills that every young basketball player needs to excel on the hardwood. Focusing on conditioning, offense, defense, rebounds, and plays that make a difference, Triano provides step-by-step instructions for everything from balance and stretching to dribbling and passing, from shooting and catching to layups and free throws.

Essential for young players, coaches, and parents, Basketball Basics includes instructional photos, full-colour action photos of international and NBA stars, and tips from such greats as Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginubili, and Yao Ming.

In his foreword, two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash says, "If you want to improve your basketball skills, there are three things you should have with you at all times: your love for the game, your basketball, and Jay Triano's Basketball Basics."

Jay Triano is head coach of the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He has been assistant coach of the USA-B Select Team, head coach at the Nike Skills Academy, and coach at the prestigious Euro Camp in Treviso, Italy. Triano played for the Canadian national team for eleven years and was head coach of the 2000 Canadian Olympic team. A member of the Canadian Basketball and Olympic halls of fame, Triano has also worked as a basketball analyst for TSN and as a TV broadcaster for the Olympic Games. Triano lives in Toronto, ON, and Vancouver, BC.

Steve Nash, OC, OBC is a Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2001, Nash founded the Steve Nash Foundation, which aims to foster health in kids by funding projects that provide services to children affected by poverty, illness, abuse, or neglect, and create opportunity for education, play, and empowerment. It's efforts focus in both Phoenix, Arizona and Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2007, Nash received the Order of Canada in honour of his philanthropic efforts.

"Coaching and competing at the NBA level, obviously, is the apex of the game. This slim, soft-covered volume, full of photos and simplification, is aimed squarely at the grassroots, accessible to young readers. But still, how often have you heard pro players and coaches say: 'We have to get back to the basics.' Triano has solid credentials." -Toronto Star

"If you were a kid serious about basketball and actually mastered the techniques in this book and could execute them at full speed, you would become a very good player. Jay's book shows that what you need to know is simple; the trick is being determined enough to actually master them." -Globe & Mail