Recently the cry in the land among basketball pundits has been ?the lack of fundamentals in the game today.? Does this mean that players today don?t know how to dribble the ball? How to pass? How to shoot? How to rebound? How to defend? Certainly these areas are what I would call fundamentals but I haven?t seen a drop in the level of any of these areas. In fact, I would argue that today?s players are better dribblers, better passers, better shooters, and much better athletes. Fundamental defense has improved at every level- footwork, strength, quickness and defensive strategies have all improved.

While I?ll admit that the nightly highlights popularized by ESPN show breathtaking dunks rather than good passing or movement without the ball, absence from a 20 second clip doesn?t mean that defense wasn?t played. It means that to TV editors a dunk is more amazing than footwork and position. In fact, I?d argue that part of why the dunk is so amazing is that the solid defense makes it an exceptional, rather than commonplace occurrence.

The game is changing, but I believe it is changing for the better. First of all, basketball is now played year-round. This means that players receive coaching year round, they are exposed to more competition and have to matchup with a wider range of opposition. This serves to improve the game by sharpening the skills of the participants.

Second, basketball is played by more people in more places and at a higher level than ever before. The players are better athletes- stronger, taller, better conditioned and far more aware of the need for conditioning than ever before. Most players at upper levels in high school, college and the pros condition and play year round, so there is no such thing as a summer vacation anymore.

Third, the popularity of basketball continues to grow throughout the world. Internationally, this interest in the sport translates to money. Ticket, television and promotional revenues, all increase with this popularity, as do salaries. As salaries increase, employment becomes more attractive, increasing competition. As competition for employment increases, greater talent arises, making for a better overall product, (further increasing popularity).

Fourth, the increase in opportunity for competition, the improvement in conditioning and the possibility of greater financial reward all serve to increase specialization. Where multiple sport athletes were more common in the past, we now see more young people choosing to dedicate themselves to only playing basketball at a very early age. This specialization serves to increase concentration and improve fundamental skills at a much younger age. (An admittedly unfortunate side effect of this specialization is that the trends of academic laxity, off the court problems and burnout are increased by this narrow focus on basketball as
life)

Today?s expectations, whether they be that a 17 year old child is ready to play at the sport?s highest level of competition, or that rookies should instantly achieve the levels of much more experienced teammates, acknowledge, at least in part, that basketball?s popularity has accelerated the learning curve. How then can we simultaneously maintain that the fundamentals, the sport?s building blocks have diminished or disappeared?