Goran Dragic - Phenomenal Footwork

Watching Goran Dragic is fun. He’s unselfish, fearless, tough as all hell, and he’s so so very tricky. He has the creativity and handle to get anywhere he wants, and his footwork allows him to maneuver opponents and keep them off balance. Goran's patience and poise perfectly pairs with his explosiveness, making it incredibly difficult to predict what he’s going to do.

Dragic was a second round pick in the 2008 draft. Guys like Derrick Rose, Kevin Love & Russell Westbrook were the cream of the crop, but Goran was allowed an opportunity those guys were not. The Slovenian had a two-time MVP as his mentor. In Phoenix, Dragic learned under his idol, Steve Nash. In his first (and only) taste of the playoffs, he made his presence known. In the Western Conference Semis, against the San Antonio Spurs, he hit a three pointer to end the 3rd quarter, then proceeded to pour in 23 more in the 4th, helping the Suns erase an 18 point deficit. His star has been on the rise ever since, capturing the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and earning 3rd team All-NBA honors.

This video is a lot about his pet move, the step through. His pump fakes, pivot, and reverse pivot are a sight to behold. As are his spin moves and sidesteps, obviously. I was exclusively going to focus on his pump fake and step through, but a lot of the footage was of him drawing the foul, and that alone wasn’t enough. So I decided to branch out, and place an emphasis on his footwork. You can’t spin properly in traffic, or sidestep, or do any of the things Dragic does well without having a great base. What I find especially impressive is his ability to go full speed, then come to a full stop, then have the presence of mind to explore every angle of attack. With that in mind, witness and enjoy his brilliance.