How Great Basketball Players Become Great

The most elite basketball players absolutely love to play basketball. They want to play 24-7. They always have a ball in their hand and they are always trying to get up shots. They would rather play basketball than do just about anything else. When they aren't playing basketball they are watching it on TV or playing it on Playstation 2. And most of them have been this way since they were little.


Do you have the same love for the game? Do you have the same passion? How important is basketball to you?

The most elite level players are super competitive and hate to lose. Whether they are playing a video game, 1-on-1, or a game of H-O-R-S-E; they always try to win. They never concede. Winning is the only option. Especially when they are playing their peers or when bragging rights are on the line.

Does winning matter that much to you? How hot does your competitive fire burn?

There are usually two types of elite level players; those who are very naturally gifted and rely more on their size and athletic ability and those who really know how to play the game, have a high basketball IQ and sound fundamentals. Which type of player are you? Do you work on your fundamentals and really learn the game despite being (or not being) born with certain physical gifts?

Along those lines, there are two other categories for elite level players; those who have a tremendous work ethic and those who are lazy. Unfortunately, many of the players who are the most naturally gifted are also the laziest, because they haven't had to work hard to be successful. They have been able to rely solely on their size, strength, quickness and explosiveness. They aren't hard to spot. Heck, I can tell in the first five minutes of warm-ups which guys like to work and which guys don't.

Do you enjoy putting in the hard work necessary to be a great player? Or do you constantly look for short cuts and the easy way?

Another indicator I use to evaluate great players are the intangibles: attitude, enthusiasm, manners, punctuality, and appearance (how they present themselves). Basketball is a team game and I can always spot which are the players other people want to play with, or which players I would want to coach. These players are energy givers, not energy takers. Their attitude and enthusiasm raises the level of those around them. They are polite, friendly, and engaging. Are you an energy giver or an energy taker? Are you always on time? Do you say please and thank you? Those might sound like small things, but they aren't. Who wants play with--or coach--a jerk?

Obviously, the players who have the best chance to excel at the next level (whether college or the NBA) are those who combine natural talent, solid fundamentals, an unparalled work ethic, and have a fantastic attitude. Those are the Kobe Bryants and LeBron Jameses of the world.
By Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS