Let’s be honest, when we talk about legendary moves in basketball, our minds often jump to the NBA. But if you’ve been following the PBA, especially the recent draft buzz, you’ll know there’s a unique flavor of brilliance brewing closer to home. I still remember the chatter after BARANGAY Ginebra picked Sonny Estil in the first round of the PBA Season 50 Draft at the Mall of Asia Music Hall. It wasn’t the most predictable move, and that’s what got me thinking. It reminded me that mastery isn’t always about the biggest name; sometimes, it’s about the most distinctive style. And that brings me to Togashi. Now, for those who might not be deep into the Asian basketball scene, Yuki Togashi, the lightning-quick Japanese point guard, has a repertoire of moves that are pure artistry. Mastering his signature style isn’t just about copying; it’s about understanding the philosophy behind a smaller player dominating a game of giants. It’s a craft, and today, I want to break down how you can integrate that craft into your own game.
First, let’s talk about the heart of Togashi’s game: the hesitation dribble into a lethal step-back three. I’ve spent hours dissecting film on this. It’s not a simple stop-and-pop. The magic is in the sell. He attacks the defender’s front foot with a hard, high-speed dribble, often covering about 8 to 10 feet of space in maybe a second and a half. Then comes the micro-hesitation—a barely perceptible slowdown of his upper body while his feet keep churning. This split-second freeze is where defenders commit. I’ve tried this in pick-up games, and the key I’ve found is keeping your eyes locked on the rim the entire time. Your eyes sell the drive, making that step-back so much more devastating. Togashi’s release is incredibly quick, around 0.3 to 0.4 seconds from gather to release, which is essential because you’re creating your own shot off the dribble. You need to practice this at game speed, starting from the wing or top of the key. Don’t just practice the shot; practice the full sequence: the aggressive drive sell, the footwork for the step-back (which is a jump back, not a slide), and the quick trigger. It’s exhausting, but it’s a weapon that changes how defenders play you.
Then there’s his floater game. In a league, or any game really, where rim protectors wait for guards, the floater is your best friend. But Togashi’s is different. He doesn’t just throw it up; he manipulates angles with his body. He’ll drive hard into the lane, often using a screen, and at the last moment, he’ll shift his body sideways, almost creating a barrier between the ball and the shot-blocker. This isn’t a soft arc; it’s a push-shot with backspin, released from about 8 to 10 feet out. The data I’ve seen from his B.League games suggests he converts these at a clip north of 48%, which for a high-difficulty shot is phenomenal. My personal take? The practice for this is all about touch. I drill this by driving from different angles—baseline, middle, off a spin—and releasing the ball at the peak of my jump, not on the way up. You have to absorb the contact and still have soft hands. It’s a finesse move in a chaotic environment, and it requires a calm mind. Watching Ginebra make that draft pick for Estil, a player who’ll need to find his own ways to score against established stars, underscored this for me. You find your niche, your unheralded weapon, and you hone it until it’s reliable.
But what truly elevates Togashi’s game beyond the moves is his pace and vision. He plays at multiple speeds, something we often overlook. He can go from a standstill to full burst in two dribbles, then back down to a crawl to survey the floor. This change of pace is what opens everything up. It’s not just a physical skill; it’s a cognitive one. You have to read the defender’s balance and the help defense’s positioning in real-time. I believe this is the most transferable part of his game. You can practice ball-handling drills all day, but if you don’t learn to play with your head up and vary your tempo, you’re just running in place. In my own coaching sessions with younger players, I emphasize “pace over pace” drills—weaving through cones with sudden stops and accelerations, always keeping the eyes forward. It’s tiring, mentally and physically, but it’s what separates a good ball-handler from a court general.
So, how does this all tie back to that PBA draft moment? Picking Sonny Estil was a reminder that success often comes from identifying and developing specific, perhaps unconventional, strengths. Mastering Togashi’s moves is a similar journey. It’s not about becoming 5’7″; it’s about adopting the mindset of efficiency, creativity, and relentless skill development. It’s about adding that hesitation dribble, that crafty floater, and that intelligent pace to your toolbox. Start with one move. Film yourself. Break it down. Be relentless in its practice, just as a professional team is relentless in scouting and developing talent, even when the pick isn’t the obvious one. Your game won’t elevate by accident. It elevates through the deliberate study and emulation of masters, whether they’re from the NBA, the B.League, or the lessons hidden in your own league’s strategic choices. Take that unheralded aspect of your game and work on it until it becomes your signature. That’s the real takeaway.