You cant teach height or speed

[Ogaju]

this is an old sports adage. I believe it to be largely true. Largely because with new technology and drugs and training I know you can enhance speed and quicks, but the type of instinct you need to play with Hakeem Olajuwon's quickness cannot be taught. If that is the case why are these players spending 100K a week to go to him. He has something that cannot be imparted to them, no?

PP, the captain, has his own skill set that makes his game. He does not need Hakeem because they have different skill sets. Who was it that started the pilgrimage to Houston. I wont be surprised if it was the attention grabbing Kobe Bryant.

Hakeem played center like a small forward - he said as much in his training session with Howard. Very few have that combination of height, grit, and quickness.

[danglertx]

What made Hakeem affective offensively wasn't his quickness, it was his footwork.  Same with McHale. 

[Big Rondo]

You're misinterpreting the expression
It's not meant to be taken literally

It means height and speed are natural gifts that can't be imparted upon someone who lacks them. A 6'1" basketball player can never have the length advantage of a 6'7" player even if their mechanics, abilities and everything else is virtually identical.

Hence the expression "you can't teach height."

[Ogaju]

o course I understand that.....Hakeem's game was seriously enhanced by his quicks... you cant teach quicks. Quickness is a combination of speed, reflex, and instinct.

[ManUp]

I don't think Hakeem's moves are something that can just be taught. His moves were just a ridiculous combination of speed, quickness, natural instincts, and creativity. His fakes are just legendary a guy has to have a feel for that type of thing. Imo, its like ballhandling anyone can be taught to be decent, but not everyone can be a Steve Francis type ankle breaker.

[lightspeed5]

fab melo is the future.

[mqtcelticsfan]

Sullinger is totally screwed.

[Boris Badenov]

Sullinger is totally screwed.

You can't teach rebounding instincts either. There's hope.

[CelticG1]

Height you can't teach but speed, quickness, agility, footwork are all things that can and are taught

[angryguy77]

If he needs height, I have a solution.

[moiso]

Height you can't teach but speed, quickness, agility, footwork are all things that can and are taught

Too bad Aaron Grey never worked with Russell Westbrook and Derrick Roses speed coaches.

[flyofchange]

Everybody has a certain genetic make-up. Therefore some things can be taught and some cant.

The thing that makes players more than talent, physical or otherwise is a players heart and determination.

You can have all the talent in the world and still dont reach your potential if you dont "want it" enough.

You can teach speed but only to a certain point cause one body will only go so fast compared to another cause of genetics.

You cant teach height though.

And you cant ever teach heart.

[Ogaju]

Height you can't teach but speed, quickness, agility, footwork are all things that can and are taught

Too bad Aaron Grey never worked with Russell Westbrook and Derrick Roses speed coaches.

This.....ROFL

[Ogaju]

Everybody has a certain genetic make-up. Therefore some things can be taught and some cant.

The thing that makes players more than talent, physical or otherwise is a players heart and determination.

You can have all the talent in the world and still dont reach your potential if you dont "want it" enough.

You can teach speed but only to a certain point cause one body will only go so fast compared to another cause of genetics.

You cant teach height though.

And you cant ever teach heart.

Based on your logic, you can teach height by increasing leaping ability.

[Boris Badenov]

Hanging from that swing set totally worked for Bobby Brady.