This offseason, we are bringing back our NBA How To series that we ran last year.  Looking at how things get done on the basketball court, we are going to start this year’s series of posts looking at offensive rebounding.

Offensive rebounding might be one of the most important actions that take place on the basketball court.  When a team gets an offensive rebound, they give themselves extra opportunities to score the basketball.  There are a few different ways to grab offensive rebounds, and we are going to look at them here, using some of the best offensive rebounders (in terms of offensive rebound rate) as an example:

Working For Position:

Kevin Love finished 7th in the NBA, posting an Offensive Rebound Rate of 13.6.  While not being the most athletic player or the highest jumper, Love is able to grab offensive rebounds by using body position.  Kevin Love is always working for position as the ball goes up in the air, and at times, he is even working for position before the shot goes up:

NBA players looking to secure the defensive rebound rarely box out anymore, and this allows a player like Love to establish rebounding position every single time the shot goes up and the basketball is in the air.  As defenders turn and stare at the rim waiting for the basketball to come off, Love is slipping in front of them.  Another thing that Love does is that he fills lanes well.  As one of his teammates attacks the rim, Love makes himself available for the pass, but if it doesn’t come he doesn’t give up, he simply uses the position that he got in to follow up the shot and secure the offensive rebound.

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