Thurl Bailey visits Junior Jazz

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Thurl Bailey former Jazz Man visited Emery County on July 27. He visited with the kids and then took them through a series of drills and ball handling scenarios.
Bailey played for the Jazz for nine seasons and currently works as a member of the Jazz broadcast team.
Bailey played college basketball at North Carolina State and was a member of the 1983 NCAA Championship team coached by Jim Valvano. The Jazz selected Bailey with the seventh overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft and he went on to average 14 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during his career in Utah.
In addition to his broadcast duties with the Jazz, Bailey is also a public speaker, singer and songwriter and is involved in many other community programs.
Bailey introduced two of his children he brought along to help out. Bre plays volleyball at Arizona State and is a senior and his 12 year old son, Bryson.
Bailey said, “If you want to be great you have to put the work in. Ball handling is important. Get comfortable with the ball. It’s like bike riding. Once you get comfortable with dribbling the ball you can do it without looking. Learn how to use both hands to dribble and to shoot. Shooting is fun, but it’s more fun if it goes in. You can earn scholarships, if you work hard.”
The junior Jazz players did a drill where they kept the ball bouncing and tipped a cone over and then kept the ball dribbling as they set the cones back up again. Bailey tossed a small ball at a player and he was to catch the ball with his left hand and keep the ball dribbling with his right hand. Learn how to control the ball instructed Bailey.
Bailey gave one of the players two basketballs to dribble and instructed them to pound the ball and to try to bounce each one of them at the same height. Bailey taught them to dribble the ball without worrying about it. He gave them shooting fundamentals. They should have their shooting hand and their guide hand. The shooting hand should be placed under the ball and the guide hand at the side of the ball. The power in your shot comes from the legs. Start up close practicing your shots and then slowly move back after you master the lay-up and the in-close shots. Focus on the front of the rim for close shots and the back board or front rim for lay-ups and the back rim for shots farther out. Bailey instructed the shooters to square up when they are taking a shot. Square up and follow through with your shot. Go up on two legs and come down on two legs. Keep shooting even if you miss a few shots in a game. Don’t stop shooting. Get your legs underneath you and power up.
Bailey asked the players to be coachable and to keep learning. “Never think you know all there is to know about the game of basketball. Keep learning in life as well as on the court. Do what you need to do to take your game to the next level. Believe in yourself and see your potential even if no one else does. Keep trying even if some coaches don’t see your potential. All NBA players have worked hard to get where they’re at. Work hard to get scholarships.
“If you love something, don’t give up. Be your best and go out and work on it, If you’re not working on it someone else is. Put forth the time and effort. Thanks for coming and thanks to you parents for bringing them,” said Bailey.