Coach, How Can I Score More ...

I had a player come to me the other day after practice with this question: 'Coach, how can I score more?"  My first thought was, 'why?'  In attempting to lead the conversation and creating a safe place for her to ask for advice in the future, I thought and then asked, 'Is it so your [summer] team can have more success, or because you hope more college coaches look at you.'  With hesitation, she said both.  Here is my response:

I want to start off by reiterating - I don't think you have to score more to be a college basketball player.  Being a college basketball player really comes down to being able to make the right plays more consistently than the other players that a particular school is recruiting.  That could mean scoring more, but there are so many other aspects to the game that coaches look at as well.  They want to win, and being able to make 'winning plays' will help you get recruited.  Of course being a more potent scorer is great, but there are other ways to impact the game too:  take care of the ball, make the right pass, being able to get to the basket, make open shots, create open shots for your teammates, rebound, be a great helper on defense, communicate, be a leader, dive for loose balls, make all of the hustle plays.  Those are all things coaches look for as well.

Everything that we have done this spring has been about giving you more tools to be a better player and scorer.  We've worked on dribble moves, shooting, and different finishing moves.  These are 4 keys to becoming a better scorer:

1 - Always catch ready to shoot or to make a play

2 - Be able to get where you need to on the court with your ball handling

3 - Be more effective using screens

4 - Be able to put the ball in the net

Always Catch Ready to Shoot or to Make a Play

You want to always catch ready.  If you're not ready, you aren't going to be able to get a good shot off without forcing it, and you never want to force it.  Coaches can see when a player forces and teammates can as well.  For teammates, when they see you force shots, it causes frustration and resentment because it's a team game and the team needs to get the best shot each possession.  For the same reason, college coaches don't want to recruit a kid who forces it.  Be a shot maker, not a volume shooter.  Continue to get better with your footwork so you are always catching ready to make a play or shot.

2 - Be Able to Get Where You Need to on the Court With Your Ball Handling 

You have to know where your sweet spot is and you have to be able to get to your spot on the court.  That's why we do our ball screens - so you know exactly where you can get a majority of your shots and you know where to practice from.  Your handles, your quickness and your footwork will allow you to get where you want to get.  When you get there, be ready to make the right play; you will get more opportunities to take make-able shots when you catch ready to make a play.

3 - Be More Effective Using Screens 
You're a really good player, but not the biggest or the fastest, so being smart and knowing how to use screens will really help you.  Knowing how to set your man up and really use screens effectively will help you get to your spots and get open looks.  From there, your footwork should help you be more effective. The more you learn and study the game, the smarter you will be.  The smarter you will be, the more open you can get.

4 - Be Able to Put the Ball in the Net

Once you get your feet set every time you catch, ready to make a play, and you know how to get to your spot using you handles and screens, it's about putting the ball in the net.  We work on dribble moves, pull up shots and different types of layups so that you can be a more effective scorer.  Take those tools, practice them and perfect them and you will be a better scorer.

The more work you put in, the more consistent you will be in all of these areas.  Every great player became great because of the work that they put in.  They put in time, over YEARS, in the gym.  The same goes for anybody in any profession: coaches, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc.  I'm not saying you have to live in the gym or live in the office as an adult to have success because you have to have some balance, but I am saying that the more you put into this, the more you get out of it.

Organize your life so that you are able to put the time in on your game that will help you have the type of success that you want.  Stay on top of your grades, do what you're supposed to do at home so you have more time to work on what you love.  Good luck.  I believe in you!!