×

Cage All-American instructs youngsters

Mark Johnson | Daily Press College basketball Hall of Famer Christian Laettner pictured with some of the campers at Gladstone High School Saturday, ages 10-13 girls session.

GLADSTONE — Many know Christian Laettner from Duke University and hitting “the shot” to beat Kentucky in the NCAA championship game after the full court pass from Grant Hill.

And that he was on the “Dream Team” as the only collegian selected to play with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Laettner also played 13 years in the NBA and some recall his years with the Minnesota Timberwolves or Detroit Pistons.

Area youth basketball players and their families saw Laettner over the weekend at Gladstone High School and his basketball clinics for boys and girls ages 7-18.

Laettner has traveled the world with basketball but this was his first trip to the Upper Peninsula.

“I’ve been up to Green Bay and Shawano before but never been to the actual U.P., it is beautiful up here. I’m from Buffalo, New York and it is very similar up here.”

Saturday was age group clinics for area girls and they enjoyed their time with the former NCAA All-American.

“The drills were fun, working on our dribbling and passing,” said Mckenzie Hoffmeyer, age 12, from Bark River.

“I liked the flip-flop drill with a partner was fun,”said Hoffmeyer, in her second year of basketball.

Third-year player Kaycee DeLany, fourth grader from Gladstone, won the speed dribbling and layups game to end the ages 10-13 session.

“I enjoyed the flip-flop passing drill, “ said DeLany.

When campers were asked if they had heard of Laettner or knew of his All-American career, they said no and one said their dad told them about Laettner’s NBA playing and years at Duke.

“I liked the fun game at the end, speed dribbling” said Megan Lundin, 6th grader from Gladstone.

Laettner’s clinics are both for the advanced and beginners and he stressed the basics with the younger group girls.

“I am trying to emphasize the fundamental skills of basketball,” said Laettner.

“The catching, passing, dribbling and making layups. We don’t work on three pointers or 5 on 5’s, with the older kids we work on advanced basketball. With the younger kids, getting the basic skills down is what I emphasize. The corp and fundamentals.”

The drills lasted an hour or 90 minutes depending on the age bracket. And the most popular girls’ drill was the “flip-flop” passing drill.

“The flip-flop drill is a two ball passing drill that makes you think and use your brain while moving your feet. That is what basketball is all about,” Laettner said.

The clinics continued Sunday with area boys ages 10-13 and ages 14-18 with advanced drills with the Duke legend, and his unique style of teaching basketball he has been doing since 2010.

“I get a really good response for camps in the Midwest and from my years with the Timberwolves and the Michigan and Wisconsin things,” said Laettner.

The two-time NCAA champion with Duke was inducted into both the College Basketball Hall of Fame as an individual and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (with the Dream Team) in 2010.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today