You Don’t Have To Be a Superstar To Influence a Game
Swen Nater

A few years ago, a female co-worker asked me if I would recommend a coach for her child’s 5th-6th grade recreation basketball team. They were one game into the season and still didn’t have a leader. It was the team nobody wanted. I couldn’t think of anyone. Then I thought about me and that it would be a good experience. So I told her I would do it and two days later, I was in the gym ready to begin.

I was determined not to tell the players that I was once a professional in the NBA. I sat them down behind the basket, along the wall, and began my address. Starting with a smile, I told them I was very happy to be their coach. I shared the concept of Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success—that all I expected from each of them was to give it their best, all the time. I told them, “Don’t spend your time worrying about not being as good as someone else. Instead, spend that time working hard to become the best you can be. If you do, you will be successful, even if you don’t score a point all season.” So far so good; none of them knew I played in the NBA. But then it happened.

I shared a list of team rules I wanted them to follow. “Rule #1 is: We help each other.” That rule was designed to cover almost anything a player would do, that would undermine the welfare of the others. No sooner had I said that, but Nick, a brown-haired 5th grader, raised his hand. I said, “Yes, Nick.”

He replied very enthusiastically, “Do you know Yao Ming?” My cover was blown; the cat was out of the bag, but Nick didn’t know I played decades before Yao. I let it go and didn’t answer the question. 

“Nick, we are going over the rules right now.” I gave them my second rule, “You will call me ‘Coach Nater’. Before any question or anything you say to me, you will say, ‘Coach Nater’.”

Nick raised his hand again. “Coach Nater, do you know Yao Ming. Do you know Yao Ming? Do you, Coach Nater?” I went on to rule number 3.

“Rule #3 is.” Again, I was interrupted.

“Coach Nater; do you know Yao Ming?”

Nick’s incessant questioning was like an irritating dripping faucet. He had become a real problem and difficulty to me presenting the rules. Finally, I gave in and said, “Nick. I do not know Yao Ming. I played NBA basketball long before he did and I’ve never met him.” 

Last Thursday, I attended the University of Washington vs. UCLA men’s basketball game, held at UW. I was there for two reasons: To support the Bruins and to watch Josh Smith, the freshman UCLA backup center who went to high school in Kent, a suburb of Seattle. I sat right behind the Bruin bench and Josh’s brother was seated next to me.

Josh is a very talented player. At 6’10”, I guessed he weighed around 320 pounds or more. He’s a big kid but he can move and jump pretty well. And he has a nice touch with the ball. In the first half, Josh was having a very good game, especially in the defensive rebounding department. UW had difficulty getting second shots at the hoop. But he wasn’t much of a factor on the offensive glass. I watched further and saw that he was easily blocked out and didn’t make an effort to get to the missed shots. That’s when I turned to his brother.

“Right now, Josh has two of the three ingredients to becoming a problem for the other team on the offensive boards. He has size and agility. What he needs is persistent pursuit. Josh has to do three things and he will influence a game. First, he has to assume every shot is going to be missed. Second, he needs to maneuver his way to inside position by spinning or cutting early, well before the ball reaches the basket. Last, he has to go after the ball. And, he must do all three, every time one of his teammates shoots.” 

The all-time greats, like Mikan, Abdul-Jabbar, Chamberlain, Russell, Petit, Hayes, K. Malone, Havlicek, Magic, Jordan, Irving, Walton, Bird, Lucas, and Robertson, controlled the outcome in many categories. Still others helped their teams win through great scoring. Some of those players are, Gervin, Iverson, McAdoo, Maravich, King, Allen, and English just to name a few. Still others controlled the outcome through great leadership. Some of those are, Cousy, Stockton, Nash, Archibald, and Kidd. But throughout basketball history, there have been players who were not superstars but influenced the outcome of games by their excellence in defense or offensive rebounding. Some of those players are: M. Malone, Silas, Howard, B. Williams, B. Wallace, Cooper, B. Jones and yes—Rambis.

For example, when I was in my second ABA season, Moses Malone became a rookie. He was fresh out of high school but very good. His coach had him playing all over the floor which was a mistake. Moses was a tremendous offensive rebounder because of his quickness and pursuit of the ball. I had a hard time blocking him out. So, I was very glad when his coach played him on the perimeter.

When Moses joined the NBA’s Houston Rockets, Coach Tom Nissalke put him close to the basket. I was always tired after a basketball game but never so fatigued as when I played against Malone. He and I wrestled for rebound position every trip down the floor. Moses was not a good shooter, not a great defender, and certainly not a good passer. But he went to the offensive glass like someone had stolen his wallet and it was up on the rim. Moses was great at one thing and he was capable of winning a game with it. And that was a problem.

In that game, an example of how to be a real problem was right in front of Josh Smith’s nose. On the other team was a guard, Venoy Overton, one of the best one-on-one defenders I have ever seen. Venoy can make the most experienced point guard look like he has never dribbled the ball before. He watches that ball, wants it like a little boy who just had his Caterpillar dump truck taken away from him, and will steal it if the dribbler makes one mistake. He has the same disposition no matter who, on the other team, has the ball. He will swipe and slash at any ball he thinks he can get his hands on. I have seen Overton change a game, almost singlehandedly. If Josh learns, from Venoy, how to be a problem, who knows? Someday, I might add his name to the list, right after Kurt Rambis.

Offensive rebounding and one-on-one defense are the two main areas any player can become a problem for the opponent. But rebounding is not limited to tall players and one-on-one defense is not limited to guards. Dennis Johnson is still one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding guards. Dikembe Mutombo used to win games by going on a shot-blocking rampage. It doesn’t matter how tall you are; you can change a game by becoming a problem with your defense and offensive rebounding.

As I attempted to give my 5th-6th grade team the team rules, little Nick became a real problem. He negatively affected what I had planned. Likewise, through offensive rebounding and defense, any player can adversely affect the plans of the other team and influence the score. You don’t have to be a superstar. And Nick, if you’re reading this, I still haven’t met Yao Ming. If I do, I’ll let you know.