Caitlin Clark averages 26 points per game and leads the country in transition scoring. She controls pace by operating at 60-80% speed then exploding to 100%, hits threes and midrange pull-ups in transition, and finishes through contact with off-arm swipes and a stride-stop.
Questions this video answers
26 points per game.
February 4, 2022.
Approximately 60–80% normally, then up to 100% when attacking.
Points per game scored in transition and field goals made in transition per game.
Chapters
Caitlin Clark is maybe the best player in college basketball this season, and the numbers would back that up. She's putting up 26 a game and creeping up towards a triple double. And not only that, but she leads the country in points per game scored in transition and field goals made in transition per game. There's a lot that goes into why she's such an elite transition player, but one thing I want to focus on here is her elite ability to change pace. When she's in transition. She's constantly at about 60 to 80% of her top speed because she saves that top gear for when she needs to get by somebody and actually make her attempt to get to the back basket. And when she turns it up to 100 speed, that defender is always at a loss because reaction is always slower than the action is. So when she decides to go from 70% to 100%, that defender almost always is going to lose. So if you want to be a great transition player and a great offensive player in general, be deliberate with when you use that top speed and understand that playing at 60 to 80% speed most of the time is going to open up those opportunities for you to get by your defender with much more ease. Now this is made even more effective by the fact that she can hit shots in transition as well. From three and from the mid range. I think that especially being able to hit that pull up in the mid range in transition is a key skill that every player should have if you want to be a great transition player. Because again, this makes the defense have to respect you farther out, which is going to make your pace change even more effective. If they think that you're going to be pulling up when you're going slow and it's going to make everything easier for you. So it all goes back to being able to hit shots and going back to looking at some of her finishes in transition. She's also graded a couple key things that make her really, really good around the basket. First of all, you'll notice that she's always seeking out contact. She's never avoiding it. She doesn't view contact as something that should be avoided. She views content as something that she can use to her advantage. The first way she can do that is on the drive with her off arm. You'll notice that she's constantly swiping and getting that defender's arm off of her. If her defender is going to bring contact, then she's going to bring contact right back so she can get to where she wants to get to. She ultimately has the mindset that wherever she wants to go, she's going to go. She doesn't allow the defender to dictate that at all. And going along with that, you'll notice that she's constantly getting to two feet using a stride stop, which is stepping outside, then inside foot into her defender. That way she has a much more stable base and she's able to embrace that contact and still go up strong to be able to finish. I'll link a video above that goes more in depth into why tuba finishing is so important. But it's one of the most crucial skills for every player to have, and it's going to make you so much better, not just in transition, but in the half court as well. And these qualities are why Caitlin Clark has established herself as one of the most unguardable players in the country. And there's a lot of stuff that we can take away from watching her that can make you a better player as well. Leave a comment down below and let me know there's any other players you guys want me to break down. If you guys enjoyed this video, make sure you drop a like and subscribe and click the top link in my description below to get my free Elite perimeter scorer workout. Talk to you guys soon. Peace.
