Have you been watching a lot of Raptors basketball and are intrigued by Pascal Siakam’s spin move? Here are some tips on how to do it.
In Raptors’ land, Pascal Siakam is the Knight of Spin Moves.
He’s constantly spinning left and right to evade defenders, and he can spin out of the post or whilst attacking the basket.
There was this one time in 2019 when he ordered Joel Embiid to be put in a spin cycle.
It was in the first quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
The Toronto Raptors had beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1. Siakam was still feeling the highs of that win and of his phenomenal performance, where he put up 29 points.
He called for the ball and got everyone to clear out. He wanted to ISO Embiid, an elite defender, to show his fellow countryman what he’s made of.
Siakam starts dribbling. He crosses Embiid up once, then immediately again.
But Embiid was able to recover.
Realizing this, Siakam spins left, away from the basket, leaving Embiid in the dust for an easy layup.
Siakam ended the game with 21 points. Unfortunately, the Raptors fell to the 76ers this one instance.
However, if you’re curious, Kawhi Leonard and Siakam did lead the Raptors past the 76ers to go to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Anywhoo, this article isn’t about the Raptors’ glorious 2019 playoff run -it’s about Siakam’s spin move.
How to do Pascal Siakam’s Spin Move
So, how does he do it and how can you learn how to do it?
Well first off, Siakam is a versatile player that has many fundamental skills down.
Second (and hence), he knows how to move like a ballerina.
Siakam’s footwork is so clean and he is well balanced, like Nina Sayers from the film “The Black Swan.”
He can pirouette all over the court and spin on defenders like a Beyblade.
Thus, if you want to be able to do the spin move, you have to first master the fundamentals of basketball footwork.
You have to increase your balance, mobility, and coordination.
And one of the best ways to achieve those is with James Harden’s mobility and footwork workout.
You can learn how to do it here.
Another skill you have to master is the fundamentals of ball handling, specifically, your off-hand dribbling.
The reason why is because you want to be able to spin in both directions, and that requires your off-hand (or weak hand).
You can learn how to strengthen your off-hand handles here.
Once you have the footwork and ball-handling fundamentals down, then you can start learning and practicing the spin move.
Watch the following tutorial to learn how to do the basic spin move:
Key Notes:
- Take it slow.
- Get comfortable with the footwork part before adding in the ball-handling.
- Then, get comfortable with the ball-handling (ball exchange) part before practicing the move full out.
Benefits of Learning Siakam’s Spin Move
The spin move is a handy move to have in your bag.
It’s a pretty easy move (once you get comfortable with it) that can cover a lot of space and that can be used to quickly evade a defender.
The spin move is also a versatile move that can be used in the post or on the perimeter (it’s really just a nice option to have to mix things up).
Additionally, if you get creative with it, a lot of good things can result from a successful spin.
You can clear space and get open for a shot or layup. Or you’ll draw help defenders and it’ll lead to you assisting an open teammate.
Or you’ll just disrupt the defence, which will lead to hockey assists.
The variety of things that he can do out of a spin move is one of the reasons why Siakam uses it so frequently.
Via Red Bull:
“I’ve learned that I’m going to get double-teamed, and stuff, so once I spin and you know they’re expecting me to spin… there’s a defender waiting for me. I think the next option for me is a pass. Because you know, I have two defenders on me. I can also fade-away, which is something I’ve been working on, too. So, I think it’s just the situation and who you’re playing against and who’s guarding you.”
Final Thoughts
The spin move is a useful move that’s really fun to do.
It’s also a fun move to watch players do (i.e. Siakam).
So, if you want to master the spin move and put defenders in a tornado as Siakam does, get your fundamentals down and start practicing the move.
