After falling from a layup, you see his teammates help him up.
This is a common thing in the NBA. But why do they need to help each other up?
The reason why NBA players help each other up when falling is to avoid risking injuries, to conserve their energies and to show sportsmanship. It’s also been a long-standing tradition in the basketball world.
So, how exactly does helping one up conserve their energy? We find that out and more below.
Why Don’t NBA Players Get up by Themselves After Falling?
Basketball is a physical sport which is why we see a lot of players falling. A player might fall after attempting a layup and getting fouled.
But the question is, why don’t that player get up by himself? Why must his teammates always help him up?
The answer can’t be summed up in an easy way because there are actually a few reasons they do this. Here are they.
1. To conserve some energy
Basketball is a physically demanding sport that that usually lasts around two hours. Players run up and down the court almost the whole time so every energy they have is crucial.
After an NBA player falls, they would usually wait for their teammates to help them up. This allows t hem to save some of their energy as it would take a lot more to stand up.
By having their teammates help him up, he can save and use that energy towards other meaningful plays.
This is especially true for big men who find it harder to get up by themselves.
2. To avoid injuries
Another valid reason is to avoid injuries. If a player has fallen, it would be better for his teammates to help him to avoid risking an injury.
Attempting to stand up himself using his elbows still has a risk of an injury. Although we doubt that this can happen, it’s still better to prevent it.
This is especially true after a hard fall. You’ll see teammates rushing in to check in on the player. Then, they’ll help him stand up and get him to the bench or even to get checked by the doctor for a possible injury.
3. To raise the team’s morale and show sportsmanship
Helping each other up might not mean a lot to fans watching, for players, they can be a huge morale boost.
These acts of sportsmanship raise the spirits of everyone on the team including those on the bench. Simply helping each other up means that they always have each other’s back.
This sends a message to everyone that no matter how hard a player falls, they have teammates that they can rely on to.
Sometimes, NBA players are even helping up the opposing team’s players which shows incredible sportsmanship.
4. Because it’s a common practice
Helping a player up after falling has become a common practice not just in the NBA but in basketball in general.
It’s become a tradition like when a player touch hands after a free throw.
If you’re a player, you can’t help but be drawn to this tradition. It’s just the way the league works, and you’ll have to do it too so you can belong.
Therefore, this tradition has been kept alive until this day.
Why do NBA Players Fall so Much?
Now we understand why players help each other up when they fall. But why do they fall so much in the first place?
We know that they fall a lot since basketball is a physical sport. But they actually fall a lot on purpose as well.
This is to mitigate the impact they’ll otherwise get on their legs, knees, or ankles.
Basketball players are becoming smart nowadays, so they train to let their whole body absorb the impact instead of just their legs.
Just look at Steph Curry, he almost always falls down after a hard layup. This is because he’s known to have bad ankles. He’s had a lot of injuries involving his ankles early on in his career.
But by falling down a lot and the use of other tactics, he has reduced the risk of injuries.
Otherwise, they fall a lot due to contact from other players, losing their balance and from getting crossed over.
The Proper Way of Helping Someone Up
NBA players are professional basketball players of the highest level. So, if they’re helping each other up, it makes sense for you to start doing it as well.
But if you don’t know how to do it well, then you might be risking an injury too which defeats the purpose.
The proper way to help someone up is ideally to hold them with both of your hands. Then, plant your feet steadily on the ground, slightly squat and pull them up using your hands.
You must be exerting enough strength when pulling up because you can instead be pulled down if you’re not strong enough.
That’s why if players help up a bigger player, they always do it in pairs. It makes the job infinitely easier.
Kindest NBA Players
Sportsmanship on the court goes a long way. A lot of NBA players are kind, but a rare breed is Steven Adams.
He’s touted as the Aquaman of the NBA because he looks exactly like Jason Momoa.
But the gentle giant is one of the kindest guys in the league. He’s saved a lot of players from falling and even helps them get up as well.
One time, he went for a fake and Mason Plumlee fell hard for it. Thankfully, he halted his play and saved Plumlee from falling hard by catching him.
This play alone deserves the Sportsmanship Award. But he has done a lot of these throughout the course of his career!
But don’t be fooled, he’s one of the toughest brick walls there is. He gives screens like no other making his opponents crumble down in pain after colliding with him.
Final Thoughts
We know now that NBA players helping each other up means so much more than the physical aspect of it. So, if you’re a basketball player, you’ve got nothing to lose by doing the same.
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