I have been asked a few times what am I looking for in a basketball player when I am watching tryouts/early season practices. It is now October...it IS BASKETBALL SEASON!!!! I am looking for a few things and here are some of them in no particular order and most tie back to character. Coachable - A coachable player is more likely to buy into the system that you are teaching. A coachable player will also put the team goals over the personal goal which to me points out that this person is humble which is a character trait that I look for. To me humility is NOT seen as the act or posture of lowering oneself in relation to others. To me humility is all about maintaining our pride about who we are, about our achievements, about our worth – but without arrogance. Leadership - The best part about leadership is a player that shows this trait is going to lead by example. They are going to be the one giving 100% at practice and not having to be reminded to practice at games speed. They are going to make your life easier as a coach in the long run. They also are team players knowing that the over all goal is more important than the individual needs and when the game is on the line the leader wont buckle and say this game is over. They dig down and force their will on the opposing team and continue to fight till the end. Sportsmanship - Win or lose and do it in style. There are those that get that comment and there are some that dont. Respect the coaches, parents, refs and other team is only one part of sportsmanship. The other part is with your own team. Ball hogging, talking down to teammates, pointing out problems with a teammates game to make yourself look better, and show-offs are part of bad sportsmanship which will end up being a cancer even if the player is a skilled player. Work Ethic - Before practice what is the player doing tells a lot about a player. Are they shooting free throws or tossing up half court trick shots? When you are at the local gym and you notice someone off on their own basket doing shooting drills/dribbling drills/footwork/etc. Or driving past the park on your way home from work and seeing the same four kids playing 2vs2 most days of the week. That is work ethic and it is not something that can be taught. Is the player showing up to the first day of basketball in shape/out of shape? Have they been playing basketball in the off season or is this the first time they have touched a basketball since the season ended last year. Intelligent/knowledgeable - I am not just talking about basketball here. How are your grades? Are you putting school first? I dont expect the kids to get straight As or have 100% attendance at school 100% of the time but they need to realize that playing a sport at school is a privilege and not a right. That aside it is great when a player is basketball smart and gets it why sometimes you run man 2 man defense, sometimes a 3-2 or a 2-3 zone defense. Why you would want to run a box and one defense. Why when the defender is playing you too tight you would cut to the basket or if they are playing them so loose that they can dribble a step closer to get a higher percentage shot. Athleticism - This one is great with younger kids. The kid may never have played a day of basketball but if the kid is athletic as a coach we can make them an effective basketball player. The Dirty Work - This is something that i personally look for. The person who is going to go out there and get you a rebound, a steal, a loose ball, take a charge, and any number of other things that are not the top stats tracked in basketball. This person doesnt care how many points or assists they get. They know that what they are doing is important even if it does not get the glory. And...oh yeah this one I did put last on the list on purpose. Talent/Positional Skill Set - Make no mistake about it talented players are one of the keys to having a successful program and no team will be successful if it is filled entirely with tiny point guards or lumbering centers. It is important to have a balanced team and it is great if that is possible. Sometimes it isnt and this is where it is important as a coach to adapt/adjust. If we have 4 point guards and 1 big you probably dont want to run a 3 out and 2 down offense when a 4 out and 1 down would probably work better. Talent is important but if the person with the talent is missing out on some of the above traits...sometimes that person is not the right fit. I have seen it happen in sports and in life in general. There it is...if you are still reading this...I am sorry! lol. Seriously though...this is the best part of the year. We are heading into basketball season. If you are getting ready for tryouts/playing on a team get a move on...practices/try outs will be here before you know it.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 04:27:14 +0000
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