What Makes a Great Basketball Player?

Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or passing the ball to a teammate. The goal is to score points by throwing the ball through a basket, methods varying from simple underhand shots to crowd-pleasing tricks like ‘Pistol Pete’ Maravich’s spin dribble or the backboard-free finger roll. Shooting requires both practice and excellent fundamentals.

Great players are fiercely competitive and hate losing more than they love winning. They compete in everything they do and work as hard as possible every day to improve. They are dedicated to their teammates, coaches and the game. They inspire others by their behavior and commitment to excellence.

They are crafty and smart with the basketball – they pass when the defense collapses, make the right decisions on fast breaks, and use all of their team’s strengths. They are strong with the ball and welcome contact when driving to the basket. They fight for every rebound on both ends of the floor. They are quick thinkers and always ‘think Next Play’.

Developing expert level skills in all aspects of the game (dribbling, shooting, passing, defending and rebounding) is what distinguishes great players from good ones. While different roles on the basketball team may put a greater emphasis on certain skills, all elite players have excellent fundamentals in all of these areas. This includes being able to pass and penetrate with speed, making good decisions in transition, and guarding the opponent’s best player.