The NBA’s 2019-20 season may be on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but that’s no excuse to stop training.
And Boston Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye doesn’t even need a hoop or basketball to do it — so, there’s really no excuse.
The C’s on Monday tweeted a video of Ojeleye explaining one of his favorite basketball drills from his childhood: defensive recovery slides. And, just like the rest of us, he showed off his skills in sweatpants from the comfort of his kitchen.
“The best way to do it is playing one-on-one with someone, having them try to attack you, try to beat you to the rim trying to score,” he said. “But you may not have that option right now because we’re standing at home. So, in your head, imagine someone trying to beat you going right. So, as they drive right, I slide, then I recover.”
Check out the full video below:
?️ CALLING ALL JR CELTICS @Semi's challenging you to keep working on your defensive skills with his go-to defensive recovery drill. Let's see what you've got ⬇️#JrNBAatHome #NBATogether pic.twitter.com/y9uvOgeagi
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 6, 2020
Though it’s not the same as actually playing against someone, it’s a great option for maintaining skills while practicing social distancing to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
After all, its drills like this that eventually got Ojeleye to the NBA.
