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The newly renovated E&S High School. The Building did not look like this when I went there.
“What is this ‘my fault’ stuff??!??! We KNOW it’s your fault! Everybody in the daggone GYM knows it’s your fault!!” – Coach Charlie Brown, HSES
Let’s start in high school. Well, actually, starting is something I rarely experienced until college. I started playing basketball at the age of 14, which overlapped my 8th grade and 9th grade years of schooling. I proceeded to try out for my high school bball team, and got cut, the first cuts, as a freshman. And again as a sophomore. And again as a junior (the details of that day can be rehashed here). I made the team as a senior, and played about 3 minutes per game, averaging about 2 points per game.
I did manage, however, to play for my neighborhood basketball team at Finley Playground during my 11th grade year. A dude named Baron was coaching, and he gave me my first real chance to be a difference- making player on a basketball team. I was either the first or second- leading scorer on the squad. Our team was pretty good- we made it to the finals of our league, a game in which I scored the first basket… and did not record another point. I bounced back from that, though, as I needed to do from a lot of hardwood setbacks over the years.
Finally making the team at E&S High School was big for me- it gave me some validation for all the work I had put in to become an at least respectable ballplayer. Even though I didn’t play much, having practice every day, one- on- one games with teammates, and observing the games from closeup were valuable experiences that would shape my future as a player.
Being a part of the team was fun. We cracked jokes on each other daily- before, during, and after practice, even during the games- and everybody came to respect everyone else’s contributions and abilities, to a point. There was occasional joking about who played how many minutes– i had to come up with good ammunition to retort those ones– but I was glad to finally be on the team after 3 years, so it didn’t bother me none.
As my senior year came to a close, I found my way onto a Sonny Hill League team that featured the best collection of talent that I have ever been a part of, by far. Dam near the entire Philadelphia All-City team was on the roster (there were so many good players that there were actually two teams, and we practiced together). I didn’t get much run in the games- I vividly recall scoring a total of 4 points in the games I played- but the practices were pivotal for me. By this time in my life, I knew I had the skills and talent to play on the same floor with the best payers my age, which was exactly what this was. I more than proved that to myself in the practice sessions, in which many times I could say I was the only player in the gym that everyone else in the gym didn’t know who he was. I could literally tell you the full name and school of every other guy in there, and I was holding my own, though far from being a star in that setting (I told you I only had 4 points).
Despite the fact that I hadn’t played many minutes for E&S and even fewer for Sonny Hill (I got into a game in the SH league once- at McGonigle Hall on Temple’s campus- while the other team was shooting free throws, and ended up on the low block to box out. The guy I was supposed to box out beat me for the offensive rebound and laid the ball in the basket. 10 seconds later, the coach– this guy– subbed me right back out of the game, which I did not re-enter. The crowd behind our bench had a ball with that one. The coach even took the time to trash my rebounding “efforts” in the locker room. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I knew I’d be playing college ball wherever I ended up matriculating. I had no evidence or reason to believe it, but there was no doubt in my mind.
Music of the Moment:
Figgaz 4 Life, Major Figgaz
Best Memory:
Finally being on the damned team! The endless joke-telling on each other- in practices, on bus trips, before games, after games. The most I laughed in all 4 yeahs of high school was the 4 months of basketball season.
Worst Memory:
Being a senior and playing less than damn near everybody. Not that I would’ve contributed anything if I had got in.
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55 Comments
Hey Dre. Seen your videos but didn’t know you were from Philly. My family on my father’s side is from Philly. My Uncle Vince Miller (you most likely know him being from Philly) played at Overbrook with Wilt, coached Frankford High and helped start the Sonny Hill and Baker League. Are you still in the area? We live in Boston, but have family in Philly still. We visit frequently. I spent some of my summers at Temple at the camps. My little brother is 6’10″ high school freshman -- Jeremy Miller. He plays prep in New Hampshire. You is listed on the ESPN top 100 prospects for 2015. We have been looking for someone to train him without any luck here in Boston. My father is willing to let him stay in the Philly area for a few weeks of training. If you are free and my father is seriously considering the idea I would like to get this going. 3 weeks / 5 days a week for 4 hours. Concentrating on wing, mid and low post moves. Ball handling with a focus of strengthening his left hand. My brother will be out of school in two weeks. So probably 3 to 4 weeks from now would sound reasonable.
Wassup Troy. Sounds like a workable idea but I don’t live in Philly anymore — I am in Miami.
Hey Dre, My parents aren’t well financially and the only way I can practice is with my 7 foot hoop in my backyard. I am 14 and my parents didn’t let me try out because of religious stuff. I can tryout next year but it will be a major challenge finding a way to practice. I’m also not in shape, I am 5 foot 10 inches but I can’t dunk on a 10 foot rim, I am working on it though. Just like you i really want to make it to the NBA but my parents have no faith and on top of that they dislike it when I practice. they don’t got faith in me bro. Please help me. Please…
Hello. Help you how?
May you help me a find a way to practice under these conditions. Like when I go to bed, I have this small toy ball that I just shoot to practice a little. Is there anything I can do with a 7 foot hoop, or just in general without a ball that will help my shot? Thanks so much.
Make use of what you have. I have over 2k vids, on and off the court, discussing the game and the mental/ motivational side of it. You still have to think for yourself, however — I cannot plan out everything for you. You are smart enough to use a computer, you can think of ways to make use of what is available to you. Good luck.
thank for all what u have being doing for the boys who love the game by providing us with video tapes
You’re welcome, hopefully you all learn something from my example
heey dre,
how do i stay commited to keep practince but i cant seem to stay commited do u have any advice for me
Im a 5 8 small forward. I’m thought of as being in the top 5 players at school. I have mid range down , but my three point shot needs work.
Im 17 moving to Fl 5’10 and to the high school im going now im gonna be smallest one on the team and i got great court vission but doont have good handles :\\ but i dunk and got decent shoot but my dam drible what i should do??? sometimes i think i will never get handles skiills
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=494E63D437B6A07F
http://www.HoopHandbook.com
why is it hard for me to score when am in practice but when i am in a reguler court chillin its easy
Only you know why
dre i bevieve in practcing as much as i can and the quote “its not the hours you put in but what you put in the hours”. in one of your vidz you said that its phyiscly impossible to go hard for than a hour in 15 mins, and you also said that you have to practice more than the people better than you to get past their level, so how does that work? ( i’m not trying to contidict you, but i got injured and the doctors said it was from me practicing hard 6 days a week for long periods of time and my knees couldn’t handle all the strss)
The 1h15min comment was told to me by a pro trainer I worked with. It is work put in over time, not doing a whole bunch every day or on one day. If you are putting in consistent work over a year or 5 years, the results will show. So think long term.
Just wondering what you did between your junior and senior your to really get yourself on the roster?
Practice.
hey dre, i am 16 and live in europe and I tried 4 times to do air alert but everytime I managed to finish only six weeks after these weeks i wasn’t able to go on to the seven’th week, I feel very tired after finishing the exercises and i have the worst dispozition I’ve ever had so after six weeks I quit because I can’t go to school with that dispozition.When do I have to do these workouts so I will manage to finish air alert 3
Stop quitting.
how much time do you train air alert 3???My english is bad,i’m sorry about that.
The program comes with instructions. follow them
hey dre
does hard work really beat talent?
work hard and find out
If the player with talent doesnt work or play harder than you then yes but if he does then im sorry to say but no……..Do what you gotta do to get on his level……..he didnt come out of his mothers womb dribbling a basketball, he puts his pants on the same way you do
Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard trust me man
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