Things To Improve For Us To Become a Great Basketball Player

Have you ever wondered why certain basketball players don't measure up to their potential? Players that have incredible skills and abilities but then can't make it beyond organized high school basketball are a dime a dozen. There are many possible theories out there why this is so but we feel that the reasons are few and simple. Our purpose for this article is to explain those reasons and give players the awareness they need to stand out from their peers and to make it to the level of competition they desire.


Lack of Focus

For most players it is very easy to get bored with details when it comes to fundamentals and technique. Let's admit, it's a lot more fun to play pick up games than to work on things like proper foot movement, shooting technique, ball control and etc. Because of this most players neglect to focus on small details of their game. All great players have spent countless hours in the gym working on the fine details of their game and have made the commitment necessary to learn the proper drills and fundamentals that will enhance their skills. At the High School level of competition a good player can still stand out and dominate their competition without focusing on the little things. However once they get to the next level, if they haven't developed the proper fundamentals and techniques of every facet of the game they will almost always under-perform and have serious regrets. So when you have spare time during the week, instead of organizing a pick up game start focusing on the small detailed fundamentals of your game and work on perfecting them.

Lack of Drive 

Playing big time basketball requires a lot of your commitment and time. Many players think they have the passion it requires to excel at the next level when in reality they aren't even close. Liking to play lots of basketball and pick up games doesn't qualify you for having the necessary drive. Those that really have the drive give up many meaningful things in their life just to dedicate more time to sharpening their basketball skills. It's a tough thing to do because when you're young there are so many things that you want to get involved in. You want to spend time with your friends, you want to go to parties, you want to spend every waking hour with your girlfriend/boyfriend and that's just to name a few. The reality is, the game of basketball has become so competitive that if you don't make it your #1 focus and then back that up by setting your priorities around it, you'll be left in the dust. Certainly we don't feel that it's necessarily wrong to have other interests than basketball, we just want to make it clear that those players that really have the drive make basketball their top priority. Once again a player can actually do very well during high school with a lack of drive but once they get to the next level they will face the consequences.

Lack of Intensity

This is sometimes what people are referring to when they say that a player has the "it" factor. Basketball players that are intense almost always succeed because they absolutely hate to lose or perform poorly. A lot of players are extremely gifted and have tremendous skills but because they lack intensity they can never win the big games and will not be able to make it beyond High School Basketball. Some argue that intensity is something that cannot be taught or learned. They claim that it's something you are just born with. We adamantly disagree with that. A player can learn and acquire intensity if they make an effort to do so. Nobody can do it for them though and that's what is so frustrating for most coaches. You have to make the decision that you are an intense player and then you must perform with aggression and passion over and over again until it becomes a habit. Once you truly develop intensity you will play with a very aggressive attitude and you will not tolerate poor performances by yourself or your teammates. If it doesn't bother you very much when you lose or under-perform you have a lot of work ahead of you.

Lack of Confidence

If you don't think you are going to make every shot you put up you don't have much of a reason to be on the court. Great basketball players have enough confidence in their abilities and skills to take the shot when it's there. When players suffer from poor shooting or poor performance it often times has nothing to do with their mechanics or abilities and everything to do with their head. Do whatever you have to do to develop confidence in your abilities. If it requires you to spend hours and hours in the gym so be it. Also work on your mental preparation. Thinking about your shots and imaging you making them is just as important of a pre-game activity as stretching and warming up. Don't ever go into a game where you haven't spent a good ten minutes meditating about your performance. Go through scenarios in your head and imagine yourself handling them with confidence. Make yourself aware of the fact that you will miss some shots from time to time but that it won't hinder your concentration and confidence one bit. It seems silly to a lot of people and that's one reason why it doesn't get done very often but it's something all great players do.

Lack of Humility

It's one thing to be confident about your abilities but if you're so confident that you deny the weaknesses in your game you've hit a wall that will block your progression as a basketball player. Nobody is perfect. The minute you think you are so good that you don't need to practice is when you start setting yourself up for failure. If you've become better than most players in your school and in your area, rest assured that there are players all over the world that have twice the skills as you and are competing to play at the same level you are.



Good skilled basketball players exist all over the world. With the game of basketball becoming so popular and so competitive only the best of the best have what it takes to play at the next level. Although it can be very difficult players can turn themselves into stars if they have the focus, drive, intensity, confidence and humility that is required to stand out.

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Short Trivia About Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers originate back to 1947, when the Detroit Gems were bought for a sum of $15,000 and moved to Minneapolis. As a member of the National Basketball League, they had the worst record by far and were given the first pick in the 1947 dispersal draft, which they used to recruit George Mikan, who is revered as the best center of his time. Between this pick and a new coach (John Kundla), the Lakers went on to win the NBL championship for the 1947-48 season and were bumped up to the Basketball Association of America (along with four other teams). Here, they won the 1948-49 championship, after which the NBL and BAA merged to form the NBA.

Things to Consider Before Joining a Triathlon

If at all you're not familiar with the Triathlon; that is, if you've never competed before, you would find it really hard to plan your training programme. This leads to some sort of confusion as you would have no ideas as to what you would have to focus on and what you could forget about.
So, if it's your first Triathlon, this article would be able to help you out as it's got all the basics covered. It's going to be simple yet fun as that's what makes it easy to read and understand.

Competing in the Triathlon

As you know the Triathlon consists of three events - swimming, biking and finally running. Therefore, you should be focused on these three aspects of your training. Before trying to perfect yourself in any particular skill, build up your stamina as you'd need it for all the events.

Select the Race

Before you can compete in any triathlon you're going to need to get yourself registered for it. Therefore, check out your local sports centres or look up some websites in order to get information on the latest events that are to take part in your area.

Get the right Equipment

Before beginning your specific training, you're going to need some equipment in order to have a comfortable and good training session.

Swimming - Considering this skill you're going to need goggles and a swim cap. A wetsuit would do well too; but, in most cases it's not a compulsion.

Biking - When it comes to biking, the most important object is the bike itself. Once you've got that you're going to need to get yourself a helmet as well as the right shoes, sporting shorts and maybe even a water bottle to carry along.

Running - When it comes to running, there's not much that you would need. All you need is a comfortable pair of running or jogging shoes. If you wish you could even buy yourself a nice hat to protect yourself from the scorching sun.

Once you've got yourself registered and bought the right equipment, it's time to begin your training. One thing's for sure, you're not going to win as you've not trained. But, getting into an early competition would reveal the areas that you need to focus on and hence you would then be able to plan better for the future competitions. That's the reason we said, register before anything.

How To Become A Defensive Specialist In Basketball

Great basketball coaches all have one thing in common - they hold high value for a player that can play phenomenal "shut down an opponent" type defense. When you prove that you can hold a good scorer in check you will get plenty of playing time because you have will have become such a strong contributor to your team's chance of winning. For this reason alone you must focus valuable time and attention to improving yourself defensively. The good news is, anyone can become a fantastic defensive basketball player. Anyone who wants to that is. Unlike developing a lot of other basketball skills, good defense is all about desire and hard work instead of natural born talents and athletic ability. During this article we will discuss the key ingredients that all great basketball players must practice.


Work Ethic & Desire

One of the biggest reasons most players under-perform defensively is lack of desire. It's more glamorous to be known as a great offensive player and because of that players want to spend all their time working on their offensive skills. Unfortunately not many fans notice or get excited about players playing solid defense. The thing that needs to be remembered though is that coaches don't like to put players on the court that play poor defense and if you're not on the court it's impossible for you to showcase your offensive skills.
Also it should be pointed out that playing solid defense requires a lot of hard work. A lot of players are lazy on defense simply because their bodies tire so quickly when they work hard on defense. It requires a lot more physical stamina to play good defense than it does to play good offensively and players want to save most of their energy to show-off on offense. The bottom line is, if you want to play great defense you must work extremely hard getting your body in shape so that it can endure you giving it 100 percent on the court.


Concentration

It's a simple thing to do but yet it's amazing how few players pay attention to it. Most players would rather think mostly about what they are going to do on the next offensive position than focus on playing good defense. Playing good basketball defense requires a lot of focus and concentration. You need to constantly be aware of what's going on around you and what your opponent's strengths vs. weaknesses are. Once your offensive possession is over you need to immediately shut off any thoughts that don't have to do with gearing up for shutting down your opponent. Don't think about what should have happened or what could have happened while you were on offense, instead start thinking about what your opponent might be doing to gain an advantage over you. Great defense is more about being in the right place at the right time than it is having superior jumping ability or athleticism and being in the right place at the right time demands concentration.


A Proactive Attitude

In order to shut down your opponent you must be proactive rather than passive. Instead of following your opponent around the court and letting them control the tempo you need to try and disrupt what they want to do. Be aware of what your opponent's weaknesses are and expose them. If you're dictating what type of shot they can have it's much less likely that they will make the shot than if you let them easily get in position to shoot the shot they like to take. In other words try and force them to do what they don't want to do instead of just passively guarding them until they get ready to shoot and then try to contest their shot at the last moment.