Your Attitude Affects Your Experience

Two athletes transferred to a new school and new team.  The parents of both athletes asked their new coach if he thought their kids would like the new team.

The coach responded to both parents with a question:  ‘How did they like their old team?’

Player A’s parents’ response:  He didn’t like the coach, he didn’t get along with his teammates, and they didn’t get along with the other parents.

The coach’s response:  ‘Then there is a good chance he won’t like it here either.’

Player B’s parents’ response:  ‘He didn’t want to leave!  He loved his coach, he got along great with his teammates, and they loved the other parents.  We HATED to leave!’

The coach’s response:  Then he will probably love it here as well!

Not every team is great, not every coach is great, and parents won’t always be best friends with other parents, but your attitude about the situation is the biggest predictor of success and enjoyment.

Basketball Is Mental - Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Question: What does 'basketball is mental' mean?

Answer: So as you think, so will it be.  Your thinking affects your behavior and you have to have the right mindset.  Making the decision that this is what you want to do is the first step.  From there, you develop a strategy, and it has to include working harder than anyone else is working.  Working harder and smarter.  Don't put yourself in a box - play with the game and think outside the box.  The fundamentals are building blocks for the advanced stuff, but use your creativity to take your game to the next level.  The mental influences those decisions that you make and how you see the game.

Then you have to have the effort, the stamina and the strength to handle the competition.  There is a difference between wanting to be mediocre and wanting to be great.  If you are training, and you aren't contemplating quitting or you are close to death - you aren't pushing yourself hard enough.  You might be working, but you aren't working hard enough.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Teaches Shooting Fundamentals

Notes from one of the best shooters of all time - Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf teaching how he shoots!

1 - Follow Through
2 - The arc of the shot
3 - The feel of the shot

- Hand is not too close; fingers comfortable and natural, not too spread out
- Finger tip control - have a gap so you aren't palming it
- Off hand guides the ball; not too close and not underneath; be comfortably strong so it feels good but they can't knock the ball away
- Its good at the beginning to line up the seams to help with your follow-thru
- The follow through softens up the shot and lets it hang around the rim
- Legs shoulder width apart to create a balance
- Elbows in so your elbow and follow-thru is aligned with the basket
- Index finger to the basketball and the rim
- Backspin on the follow-thru
- Focus on a target - right over the front of the rim

Find what is comfortable for you and repetition.  Do it over and over again and pay attention to details.  The best shooters shoot the same shot every time, and it takes hundreds and thousands of shots to build up the muscle memory.

You should aim to get 80% to 90% shooting from the free-throw line by yourself.