Pistol Pete Maravich played basketball for Louisiana State University and averaged over 44 points for thee years before there was a three point line. If he’d played with a three point line, Pete would have averaged 57 points per game.
He was the most dazzling player on the planet rivaled only by Michael J and Julius Erving.
His father and coach taught Pete this drill and others when he was six years old.
I adapted this for tennis players to help create highly functioning multitaskers like Pete, Nikola Jokic, Caitlin Clark and Roger Federer all of whom are way ahead of their peers in seeing things before they happen,
Players stand on the doubles sideline with a tennis ball.
They walk to the center line tossing the ball to the court and catching it palm down with the opposite hand.
Phase 2 Same as last above and tossing hand touches opposite rib after each toss.
Phase 3. Same but touch opposite shoulder
Phase 4. Same but touch opposite side of head
Advanced Phase. Same but talk yourself through touching rib, then shoulder, then head and repeat.
Most players demonstrate a halting walk as the brain tries to handle the advanced phase. I call this hemispheric interference and improvement in walking comes with practice. People learning to juggle face the same interference.
There is a coach/player teaming drill where the same progression is followed but the coach tosses to the player who dictates with their feet of slide and crooks to catch right hand and slide and cross to catch backhand. Eye focus is stressed as the player attempts to watch each ball into their hand.
There have been tennis players who, like nearly all Padel players, have this Maravich mind.
Federer, Gene Mayer, Hsieh Su Wei, Fabrice Santoro, Dustin Brown, Martina Hingis, Carlos Alcarez, Miloslav Mecir, John McEnroe stand out among tennis greats.
Just watch a bit of professional Padel to see enhanced brain function in action. Talk about the WOW factor…it’s incredible.
Athletes with this talent in other sports include Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Wayne Gretzky, Dr. J, Tiger Woods, Nikola Jokic, Caitlin Clark, Jason Williams, Jason Kidd, Franz Klammer, Messi, Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders, and Simone Biles.
All top jugglers possess this skill.
Musicians like Billy Strings, Tommy Emmanuel, Abi Carter, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Eva Cassidy, Buddy Rich, concert pianists and violinists all have this creative intelligence in spades.
These are the Picassos when other players/performers seem like house painters.
Pete, Roger,Caitlin, Magic, Bird, Forsberg, Jokic, Dr.J, and Messi make more magical plays in a game than the house painters make in a career.
***. When Maravich attended LSU, freshman could not play on the varsity team. The freshman game preceded the varsity. The arena was overflowing for his games and most fans were in their cars as the upper class men took the court.
***. When Dr. J came to Denver, we never missed a game and he typically made a dozen plays no one had ever seen before.
In conclusion, these athletes had/have the ability to see things others don’t, and see them via enhanced brains 2-3 steps before they happen.
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