Cyber Max

I’m often asked this question: what are the keys to becoming a great basketball player?

I give a two-word response: hard work.

All joking aside though, hard work is a key component of success in basketball (or any other area of life for that matter). But a more detailed, useful answer is really in order.

I have broken down success as a basketball player into 6 broad categories:

1. Basketball skill

2. Physical ability

3. Confidence

4. Aggressiveness

5. Thinking big

6. Being in the moment

Let me go into detail on each of these items.

Basketball Skill
First and foremost, you have to be able to play the game. From shooting, to dribbling and passing, to rebounding and defense, you’ve got to know the game, and be a good player. This is, it goes without saying, the foundation on which every successful basketball career is built.

Physical Ability
In addition to being able to play the game, great players are usually exceptional athletes. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to be the fastest, strongest, highest jumping player on the team. But it does mean that you have to be very mobile, very agile, have good hand-eye coordination, and have good endurance (among other things). Being a good all-around athlete allows your basketball skills to flourish and grow.

Confidence
Having basketball ability and physical skills takes you only so far. Taking your game to the next level requires massive confidence, the belief in yourself that you can go out on the floor and dominate, each and every game. Look at the great players (Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kobe, et al)…these guys think one thing when they play: that they are the best player on the floor, and they are going to dominate the opponent.

Aggressiveness
In addition to believing in yourself, you have to be extremely aggressive every time play the game. You may be a nice, quiet person off the court, but once you put on a uniform and get into a game, you have to be fierce and determined, passionate and competitive.

Thinking Big
I coach a lot of players that doubt themselves and what they can do on the floor. Get rid of that kind of thinking. Don’t be satisfied with what you were able to do last season, or last month, or yesterday. Set high goals for yourself, and think big…and you’ll be amazed at how you are able to achieve more than you did before, just by picturing yourself playing better than you did in the past (picturing it, and expecting it).

For example: if you scored 10 or 12 points a game last season, plan on increasing that by at least 2 or 3 baskets a game. If you grabbed 4 or 5 rebounds a game, plan on upping that number to 6 or 7. Now, remember that scoring more points doesn’t necessarily mean you are playing better than before, but you get the idea. The point is to expect more of yourself, set higher goals for yourself, and set firmly in your mind the belief that you will play better than you have in the past. Believe it, and it’ll happen.

Being in the Moment
Lots of players over- think the game. Whether it’s psyching yourself out at the free throw line, letting a bad play compound itself and negatively impact the next play, or being hesitant to take the ball to the basket for fear of getting blocked, you can’t allow these types of negative thoughts, or over-thinking to keep you from playing at your best.

The key is to be in the moment, be in the flow of the action, and let your physical abilities, and all the practice you’ve done take over. Don’t think or worry, just play.
These are the 6 main areas of success in basketball. Think through each of these, and really figure out a way that you can get better in each one. What can you do today, tomorrow, or next week that will help you improve in these areas?

Come up with some answers…then go out and make it happen!

Patrick Chylinski is a former college and professional basketball player. He is now a private coach based in Los Angeles.

Visit his website at http://www.basketballsuccess.com for more tips and training information.

Also visit http://www.proandcollegebasketball.com for NBA and college hoops news and other great basketball info.

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It took awhile, but every NBA free agent eventually found his way to a team. Curry is with the Knicks, Allen is with the Sonics, Johnson is with the Hawks, and free agency is pretty much over. WaitI’m forgetting someone. Hey, where’s Latrell Sprewell? Yes, Minnesota’s separation of Cassell and Sprewell has gone so well that Sprewell isn’t even in the NBA right now. In fact, he might never come back.



Just how bad was Sprewell’s season last year: how about no-job bad. In a Marketing Evaluations Q-rating for sports athletes, Spree was dead last, that’s right, the worst. First came his quote about having to feed his family with a $14.6 million salary. Then there was an incident where he cursed out a Clippers fan within earshot of television cameras. Finally there was the chemistry issues mixed with his T-wolves teammates and his horrible production that kept Minnesota out of the playoffs one year past from having the best record in the league.



Sprewell had the absolute worst year of his career last year, suffering career-lows in Points, Rebounds, Assists and Minutes Per Game. Combine that with his unforgettable altercation with P.J. Carlisemo and the high contract he’d surely demand, and the Nuggets, Clippers and Lakers have all stopped taking phone calls. And lets face it; Spree is the one guy (who if he were still playing) that has a worst reputation than Ron Artest. Except, Sprewell doesn’t act as innocent as Artest does.



Hold on a minute; maybe we’re being a little too quick to jump the gun. Let’s let Sprewell speak for himself: “I stopped at Cub Foods for the first time since 1991 and picked up six packages of Pork Ramen for 78 cents. I barely had enough for the 58-cent box of Best Yet Mac and Cheese, but we’ll just pinch our pennies for the next day or so.” Now that was pretty moronic, but let’s see if we can go a step higher: and I quote: “One of my boys got teased by a sixth grade girl on the bus, that stupid little whore.” There we go. And yet, people don’t seem to like him. A real head-scratcher.



Overall, Sprewell might not play at all this season, and he deserves no excuses. Choking a coach is more than enough to get you thrown out, but he got a second chance. Sure he did okay at first in New York, but he’s really collapsed since then. A guy as separated from the real world as anyone, Spree turns 36 in 2006. Getting paid millions of dollars to play basketball is a hell of a privilege, and Spree has worn out his welcome. No team will dare pick him up, because of the negative press they’d receive. Not only that, but it was Latrell Sprewell who monopolized those stupid rim-spinners on cars (AKA Sprewells). Add it all up, and that $7 million extension the Wolves offered him a year ago is starting to look awfully good now, especially if he never plays again.

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