Advanced Post Move Principles 

1. Develop Both Hands

A player that can score with either hand in the post is a difficult player to defend. Good post defenders will anticipate which hand the offensive player prefers to use and shade their defense towards that side. If a player tries to score with their right hand 80% of the time, the defender will be ready for any shot that comes from the right side of the body.

2. Go-To Moves

Every post player should become extremely comfortable with a few different post moves that serve as the foundation for their post game. These go-to moves are the primary source of scoring for a post player who can rely on them at any point during a game (particularly in crucial parts of the game).

3. Go-To Counter Moves

Once you have developed some Go-To moves you will need to create some counter moves to punish aggressive defenders. If a defender has done their homework and is prepared for your go-to moves, you can use your counter moves to surprise them and score easy buckets. The great post players all had go-to moves and counter moves that made them nearly impossible to guard 1 on 1 in the post.

4. Play to your Strengths

The most dominant post players in the NBA (Shaq, Hakeem, Kareem, Duncan) were all dominant because they leveraged their strengths and minimized their weaknesses. Shaq never tried to shoot a lot of running sky hooks like Kareem because his dominance came from utilizing his strength and size to overwhelm opponents. Similarly, Hakeem would rarely try and muscle defenders under the rim, instead using his agility and series of fakes to score the ball.

Check out how Hakeem Olajuwon uses his quickness, intelligence, and fakes to dominate his defender.