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Go After the Offensive Boards

Being a good post player means being able to score on the blocks, inside the paint, and from the high post.

But one of the best ways to score as a post player, and one of the things you really have to be good at to be an effective inside player is your effort and success on the offensive boards.

To put it simply:  being a good offensive rebounder can turn you from being an average player into a good player, and from being a good player into being a great player.  And because offensive rebounding is such a valuable asset to a team, if you're a force on the offensive boards, you'll get yourself loads and loads of playing time.

Why is offensive rebounding so important?  Because it gives you and your team high percentage shots, and it sucks the wind out of the sails of the opposition.  There are few things in the game that can change momentum more quickly than an offensive rebound and put-back shot.  It's a game changer.

Offensive rebounds increase you and your team's scoring average because most put-back shots are close to the basket and are therefore pretty high-percentage shots.  Also, many times players are fouled as they go back up for put-back shots.  This is valuable to your team because it puts your team on the line for easy scoring opportunities (free throws), slows the momentum of the other team, and helps put the other team in foul trouble.  That's a win, win, win for your team.

So what does it take be a good offensive rebounder?

In a word:  desire.  Another good word:  heart.  And a third:  effort.

Being a good offensive rebounder requires you to anticipate when the shot will go up, have a good feel about what direction the shot may come off the rim should it be a miss, and then finally, going after the ball with a vengeance.

Most players can learn to anticipate shots, and after playing the game for awhile will have a pretty good feel about where the shot will go if it's a miss.  But what most players lack is the absolute burning desire to go after the ball until it's theirs.  And even more important is the consistency of effort.  It's one thing to go after one rebound, then not try so hard on the next couple of shots.  Then go after the next one.

But the truly great offensive rebounders in the game are consistent in their effort.  They go after shot after shot after shot and don't rest until they get 4 or 5 or 6 offensive rebounds, game after game after game.

Offensive rebounding: desire, heart, effort, and consistency.

You can make yourself a solid offensive rebounder.  Go out and make it happen.

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