The Quickness Myth

“He’s just too quick – nobody can get a step on him.” “Watch out for that quick little guard – he’ll blow right past you if you fall asleep defensively.” “Man, that big guy is quick for 6’10.”

Players coaches love to go on and on about quickness and how useful it is, but they always treat it like a magical ability that some players are just born with. Half the time, “quick” is a code word for “short.” If a player on the other team is short but not muscular – if he’s not “a stocky little guard,” – he must be a “quick little guard.”

What actually is “quickness,” though? How is it different from speed? Can somebody who isn’t quick become quick?

As the term is generally used, quickness is a measure of two things: the speed/efficiency of a player’s footwork and their lateral explosiveness. That second ability – lateral explosiveness – also dictates how fast a player can change direction. So, a “quick” player is someone who has efficient footwork and can change direction rapidly without slowing down excessively.

So, is “quickness” God-given? Is it something certain players are just born with? Well – sort of.