Don’t Be Afraid To Be Different

Following the crowd is a road to mediocrity. Do your own thing. Be a trendsetter! Back in the day, NBA basketball players wore very short uniform bottoms. Today, the bottoms are very long[Thanks,to the Fab Five.I have to remind you one of the Fab Five was from Chicago...Jawan Howard]. The shorts are knee length and below now. Ankle socks, headbands, leather gym shoes, tattoos[I don't like one,I think Dennis Rodman has a lot to do with this one.], cross over dribble[came from Chicago...Tim Hardaway, tear drop shot[by the way,it started in Chicago.You better ask somebody!], sky hook, backward slam, behind the back pass, finger roll[that's George Gervin,ol' skool], alley-oop, and trash talking[Chicago took that to another level,although I don't like that we get credit for this one started], all came from somewhere so, don’t be afraid to start something new. Don’t be afraid to do whatever it is that you like. It may become the new trend in basketball. Hope you enjoyed the Ten Secrets For Basketball Sucess.

"OFFENSIVE" Game

Offense is 50% of the game. In order to be that Ultimate Player, one has to have an inside,outside game,and be able to take a person off the dribble. If your opponent is not guarding you close enough, you can shoot your jump shot. If your opponent is on you too close, you can take him to the basket. Remember, offense is just a strategy of action and reaction. You have the ball – you have the advantage. So, you are always creating the action which means the defender has to react to what you do. This gives you the ultimate advantage. The three point shot is a very big weapon that you have to put in your arsenal. What’s your strategy for successful offense? You want to be the "leader" and the "performer". The leader is highly reliable. You just know that in the 4th quarter, you will shine. The other players will feed off your drive. The leader knows when to let the game come to him and when to take the game over. On the offense, the "performer" does things to ignite his teammates and ignite the crowd (slam dunks, behind the back passes, no-look passes, crossovers). Keep the crowd in the game when you’re playing at home. Take the crowd out of the game when you are playing away from home. The "performer’ can act on a moments notice. And, don’t forget, you have the mindset of the Wolverine! 9 of 10

"DEFENSIVE" Game

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! Defense is 50% of your game! So given this fact, if you have a very good offensive game and a mediocre defensive game, you are not a complete player. At most you would be at 50%. Most players give and focus a lot on offense. They use too much energy to score or play offensively. Then, they become too tired or have a lack of motivation or desire to be effective on defense. But, the great players know when to rest; know when to step up their defense in order to put pressure on the opponents. To be a good defensive player, you must have the desire to be good defensively and play with heart. You must also know all of the basic fundamentals of defense. You must also know the most basic – action / reaction. So, if an offensive player has the ball and creating the action, which means dribbling or shooting, that means you must react. But a great defensive player turns the table and he will initiate the action. Thus, making the offensive player react. You must have a burning desire to succeed. That same mindset is used on the offensive must be transferred to the defensive game. You must have the mindset: "I can’t be stopped", and "I can shut down anybody". Defense is the main thing that wins games. Defense is the thing that tests your opponent’s heart and desire. If you are consistently putting pressure on your opponent, he will respond. Applying "good to great" defense creates offense; creates steals and blocked shots; and creates fast breaks. A great defender takes charge on the floor not taking a charge. They are good communicators and they always know where the ball is while keeping their opponent within reach. There is much to learn about defense. Take "defense" seriously…just like your offense.
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Communicate Effectively

Changing others attitudes by speaking effectively on the court has been an effective tool for changing the momentum in a game. Just by saying "Way to go!", "Let’s get ‘em!" or even, "Yes!" has been known to change the ebb and flow of a game. Motivating younger ballers of today is a good sign of communication going on between the generations. There seems to be a lack of communication between the old time ball players and the new generation of ball players. New generation players can learn a lot from the older players about the game of basketball. Just ask older player about your game. Where can you improve or change your game to make it better. Ask your basketball coach for his/her opinion about your game. Take the comments and use them as appropriate to enhance your game. Keep the lines of communication open. It makes this game more effective. Communication on defense is very important. So, how will your teammate know if there’s a pick coming if you don’t tell him? How will your teammate know if someone is getting ready to take the ball if you don’t tell him? How will your teammate know which play you are running if you don’t tell him? Can you tell him/her with you’re your body language? Communication can also be non-verbal. Your face can communicate fear or it can communicate fearlessness. For example, when LeBron James goes to the basket to dunk, he has fearlessness on his face. You know to move out of the way. But when Darko Milicic goes to the basket, he displays fear in his eyes. Body language is also a communicator. Bending over pulling on your shorts can communicate fatigue. Flopping in the paint area can communicate weakness because you are not willing to get in there and bang with your opponent. Sometimes it’s a good idea to talk with the refs before, during and after a game. You could say something like "good call ref" or ask the ref to clarify a call rather than screaming or going off on the ref. You can talk with the ref before the game to find out his/her style of officiating. On the other hand, it’s just as important to be a good listener. Stay focused on the game. Is your teammate trying to communicate with you? Did you know that you cannot talk to the opposing player in the NBA? Some players were being intimidated...WOW! Did you know you can't trash talk in the NBA? Some players were losing there cool...WOW!Are you aware of where the ball is at all times? Communication is a two way street. 7 of 10