In a phenomenal piece for CBS Sports, Matt Moore sat down with Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez, who opened up about the two ways he views the world — the creative and the analytic — and how those worlds come together.
Lopez, a former creative writing major at Stanford University who Moore says has “a basketball IQ through the roof,” walks Moore through his decision-making with a number of video clips that showcase different facets of Lopez’s offensive game.
Here’s a snippet:
I wanted to know what goes into making a great post player, how you judge decisions when you’ve got the ball in your hands, a defender slamming his elbow into your back, help defenders looking to swipe from all directions and the clock running down.
For starters, I noticed Lopez will flow from set to set when the Nets bring the ball up. He’s not just plopping into the post and waiting. He’ll move from position to position, screen to post to flare back to screen. Lopez explained that a lot of that is about helping him get the position that he needs deep enough.
Lopez also talks about defense, angles, and whether or not the Nets are the JLA or the Avengers. It’s worth your time. Go.
Read More: CBS Sports Eye on Basketball — Behind the Screen: Brook Lopez, the man with two minds
