Dwight Howard wanted to refine his post moves, so he sought out Hakeem Olajuwon. John Wall wanted to refine his post moves, too, but he didn’t have to seek out anyone; one of the best post-up point guards of the modern era serves on Flip Saunders’ coaching staff, ready to school Wall (and Washington’s other eager minds) on a whim.
Courtesy of Kyle Weidie of Truth About It, we have video of Wall and Sam Cassell trading post-ups in practice, and the old man can still pull off a move or two. Head over to Truth About It to see the video.
It doesn’t take much in-depth observation to see the differences between the two players. Wall may have the advantage in speed, but Cassell’s moves are practiced and deliberate. He knows exactly where he’s going and exactly how to counter if his first option is taken away. On top of that, Wall begins most of his post-up sequences without really fighting for position at all, whereas Cassell does a stellar job of positioning himself before even receiving the entry pass.
Plus, when Wall pulls off a move against Cassell, he preens to cheers from observers. Which one of these is the superstar-in-the-making Great Hope, and which is the run-down retiree again?