Do Carolina players still point to teammates after a great pass that leads to a basket 🧺

[IDUNK4HEELS]

I can clearly remember when Dean Smith was coaching how players constantly thanked their teammates by pointing at them showing their appreciation for a great pass that lead to a easy basketball 🏀 hoop.

Maybe it is the changing of the coaching over the years or the players thinking more about their own individual stats then playing solid team ball but I just do not seem to notice the thank you pointing gesture much anymore…

 

[tarheel0910]

We still do it sometimes, but don't see it nearly enough.

 

[JimmyinVA]

i think the key to hubert's success is to re-connect more strongly with the things he learned under dean smith -- and that's one of them.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Hard to tell last year because there weren't that many great passes. But, yes, I did see that a few times last season.

If Cadeau lives up to his billing we should see a lot more pointing this year.

I hope our guys can point and get back on D at the same time.

 

[bluetoe]

I believe it was for any assist, not just a great pass....the idea being to acknowledge and encourage assists and thusly build teamwork over individual play. Building teamwork was Dean's greatest gift IMO, more so than the x's and o's.

 

[bluetoe]

I believe it was for any assist, not just a great pass....the idea being to acknowledge and encourage assists and thusly build teamwork over individual play. Building teamwork was Dean's greatest gift IMO, more so than the x's and o's.

I think NOW it's for a great pass if it's done at all.

 

[gunslingerdick]

If Cadeau lives up to his billing we should see a lot more pointing this year.

Yeah, I agree. Maybe even see a couple guys injured a game or two with soreness in their index finger.

 

[tarheels0015]

Yeah, I agree. Maybe even see a couple guys injured a game or two with soreness in their index finger.

🤣

 

[Archer2]

Cadeaupal tunnel syndrome strikes UNC basketball team.

 

[bluetoe]

Cadeaupal tunnel syndrome strikes UNC basketball team.

we could deal with that.😁

 

[bluetoe]

🤣

🤣

 

[Ozheelfan]

Hard to tell last year because there weren't that many great passes. But, yes, I did see that a few times last season.

This... UNC hasn't had good passing in quite a while.... even before Caleb arrived: Cole was a volume scorer, as was Coby... best connections in the last couple of seasons was Brady to Bacot and I can remember 'Mando pointing as he runs back down court.

 

[WhatTheHeel?]

It seems like Dean Smith said that it was also so the person keeping the statistics would know who to give the assist to. But, just in general, it does seem to be a good indicator of team chemistry when they are crediting the person who got them the ball in scoring position.

 

[bluetoe]

But, just in general, it does seem to be a good indicator of team chemistry when they are crediting the person who got them the ball in scoring position.

It doesn't just indicate team chemistry, it creates it.

Saying it was so the stats guy could keep up sounds like something Dean might say to deflect from his coaching influence on the program's success.

From the first article that appeared in doing a search for 'why Dean Smith had players pointing for assists'...

"One of the things Smith taught his players to do early on was to point their finger at the assisting passer when they made a basket. This gesture was meant to reinforce the idea of teamwork and to acknowledge the assisting passer for being selfless in passing the ball rather than trying to shoot every time, as some players would do.

This intense focus on teamwork had its roots far back in Smith’s coaching career. He used to tell the story of coaching a player at Air Force who shot every time he had the ball, never passed. Smith pulled his four teammates off the court and told the player, “Okay, play them by yourself.”

“Who takes the ball out of bounds, sir?” the player asked.

“Good,” Smith told him. “Now you’ve learned that you need two, anyway.” "



The second article that appears says he even made them point in practice.

 

[RP12]

The fact that this is a question illustrates that it’s a problem that should be solved

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

Hopefully with a true point guard running the show the offense will resemble the days of Ford, Cota and Marshall…