/ laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"
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From Caught in the Web:
Conrad Brunner
I really don't think we need any help with 3s. I would like for us to work on some defense and ball handling.
Conrad Brunner
Josh McRoberts said he's pretty sure he attended one of Billy Keller's camps during his youth, but "I was so young, I really don't remember."
Which is fine, because he's getting the Keller experience now.
The former 3-point marksman from the team's ABA era, Keller has joined the Pacers' basketball operations staff, specializing in his passion: fixing wayward shooting strokes.
"He's a hell of a shooting instructor," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "Larry (Bird) thought it would be a great idea and I seconded it without any hesitation. It's great to have a former player be a part of our staff."
A former Indiana Mr. Basketball from Washington High who starred at Purdue, Keller spent seven seasons with the Pacers from 1969-76, winning three ABA championship rings. He ranks second to Reggie Miller in franchise history in 3-pointers made with 506 and fifth in free-throw percentage at .872. Keller ranks second in ABA history in both categories.
He runs a number of youth basketball camps and has produced a video, "The Lost Art of Shooting."
Former ABA legend Mel Daniels, the Pacers' Director of Player Personnel, recommended Keller as a possible shooting instructor to team President Larry Bird, who liked the idea. The original plan was to have Keller work exclusively with McRoberts, but O'Brien wanted him to work with rookies Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush, as well. Veteran Maceo Baston also approached Keller, asking for assistance.
"It kind of snowballed," Keller said, "into a full-time situation."
O'Brien has been impressed with the results.
"I think he turned Roy's shot around in about a week," he said. "And I think Mace really feels comfortable with the improvements he's making. I think Brandon's shooting the basketball well and I think Josh is going to take a little while longer but it's going to pay major dividends for him."
The most obvious improvement has come from Hibbert, who started the season 5-of-16 from the line (.313) but has gone 32-of-43 since (.744). Hibbert started 28-of-65 from the field (.431) but has gone 62-of-111 since (.559).
"Roy was a real heavy slinger, if that makes sense," Keller said. "He actually would sling the ball to the basket. You can't get the ball up in the air and you can't get any finesse with that. So what we did was totally restructured his shot, if you will, and he has probably responded quicker than anybody else in the things we're doing."
Though Rush has been inconsistent with his shot (.390 from the field, but a respectable .363 from the 3-point line), he was in the playing rotation much of the season, even starting five games. But with Mike Dunleavy's return to health, the minutes available to Rush dissipated. So Keller has gone to work on his stroke.
"As I've told him, every three that he shoots, he shoots short because he doesn't follow through," Keller said. "I thought about trying to make some adjustments with him earlier but he was in the rotation, he was playing a lot and you just don't want to mess too much with a guy's shot when he's in the rotation and playing a lot of minutes. Now he's in a situation where I think we can work with him and it's not really going to affect too much his minutes or how he'll shoot in a ballgame."
The key for McRoberts has been developing consistency in his shooting motion. Keller's approach has been more fine-tuning than total overhaul.
"He's been working with me before and after practice," McRoberts said. "I'm trying to get more consistent on my shot, trying to get up as many shots as possible. Obviously, having the knowledge he has, I try to pick up as much as I can from him."
Keller, who has the title Director of Player Development, is passionate about teaching the fundamentals of a good shooting stroke. It's been something of a life mission. When he's asked a question or two about the basics, his face lights up, his voice rises just a bit and he speaks authoritatively yet clearly about the mechanics.
Once what he calls the "shooting-ready position" is established, the player needs to drive through the ball, extending the elbow in much the same motion as when making a one-handed pass.
Though he has spent much of his time working with much younger players, Keller has experienced no problems communicating with his new students in the NBA.
"The four guys I'm working with right now have been super," he said. "They've been very receptive, very much interested in what I'm trying to do with them. We've really had fun with it and they're really good guys. I've found that I'm enjoying it even more because they're receptive."
Which is fine, because he's getting the Keller experience now.
The former 3-point marksman from the team's ABA era, Keller has joined the Pacers' basketball operations staff, specializing in his passion: fixing wayward shooting strokes.
"He's a hell of a shooting instructor," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "Larry (Bird) thought it would be a great idea and I seconded it without any hesitation. It's great to have a former player be a part of our staff."
A former Indiana Mr. Basketball from Washington High who starred at Purdue, Keller spent seven seasons with the Pacers from 1969-76, winning three ABA championship rings. He ranks second to Reggie Miller in franchise history in 3-pointers made with 506 and fifth in free-throw percentage at .872. Keller ranks second in ABA history in both categories.
He runs a number of youth basketball camps and has produced a video, "The Lost Art of Shooting."
Former ABA legend Mel Daniels, the Pacers' Director of Player Personnel, recommended Keller as a possible shooting instructor to team President Larry Bird, who liked the idea. The original plan was to have Keller work exclusively with McRoberts, but O'Brien wanted him to work with rookies Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush, as well. Veteran Maceo Baston also approached Keller, asking for assistance.
"It kind of snowballed," Keller said, "into a full-time situation."
O'Brien has been impressed with the results.
"I think he turned Roy's shot around in about a week," he said. "And I think Mace really feels comfortable with the improvements he's making. I think Brandon's shooting the basketball well and I think Josh is going to take a little while longer but it's going to pay major dividends for him."
The most obvious improvement has come from Hibbert, who started the season 5-of-16 from the line (.313) but has gone 32-of-43 since (.744). Hibbert started 28-of-65 from the field (.431) but has gone 62-of-111 since (.559).
"Roy was a real heavy slinger, if that makes sense," Keller said. "He actually would sling the ball to the basket. You can't get the ball up in the air and you can't get any finesse with that. So what we did was totally restructured his shot, if you will, and he has probably responded quicker than anybody else in the things we're doing."
Though Rush has been inconsistent with his shot (.390 from the field, but a respectable .363 from the 3-point line), he was in the playing rotation much of the season, even starting five games. But with Mike Dunleavy's return to health, the minutes available to Rush dissipated. So Keller has gone to work on his stroke.
"As I've told him, every three that he shoots, he shoots short because he doesn't follow through," Keller said. "I thought about trying to make some adjustments with him earlier but he was in the rotation, he was playing a lot and you just don't want to mess too much with a guy's shot when he's in the rotation and playing a lot of minutes. Now he's in a situation where I think we can work with him and it's not really going to affect too much his minutes or how he'll shoot in a ballgame."
The key for McRoberts has been developing consistency in his shooting motion. Keller's approach has been more fine-tuning than total overhaul.
"He's been working with me before and after practice," McRoberts said. "I'm trying to get more consistent on my shot, trying to get up as many shots as possible. Obviously, having the knowledge he has, I try to pick up as much as I can from him."
Keller, who has the title Director of Player Development, is passionate about teaching the fundamentals of a good shooting stroke. It's been something of a life mission. When he's asked a question or two about the basics, his face lights up, his voice rises just a bit and he speaks authoritatively yet clearly about the mechanics.
Once what he calls the "shooting-ready position" is established, the player needs to drive through the ball, extending the elbow in much the same motion as when making a one-handed pass.
Though he has spent much of his time working with much younger players, Keller has experienced no problems communicating with his new students in the NBA.
"The four guys I'm working with right now have been super," he said. "They've been very receptive, very much interested in what I'm trying to do with them. We've really had fun with it and they're really good guys. I've found that I'm enjoying it even more because they're receptive."
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