Basketball remains the third most popular sport in the world and shows no signs of slowing down. Why would that be when the world’s number one professional basketball league (NBA) continues to bring in scores of extraordinarily talented players year after year? It is certainly a pleasure to watch. But even more so than in the NBA, we can now find gravity-defying jumpers and ball-handling artists at the click of a button. Believe it or not, with the help of technology and something called viral videos, these unknown freaks are quickly becoming more popular than the pros, at least on the internet. Sadly though, these same highlights made by one-sided players have become something of a bar for younger players who dream of making it to the big leagues. One-sided gamer? These are the players who have an aspect of this vast roundball game that they know quite well. Unfortunately, if they get out of it, they’ll be as lost as a needle in a haystack. You may not see them playing at a higher level than college or semi-pro. However, they are also the most likely to have a video online of something amazing they did that gets millions of views.
It’s okay to get caught up watching video after video of these amazing athletes. Apparently millions of people do. But if you’re looking to make a career in the game, you need to understand this: it’s great to watch, but it’s not cool to convert. Now, there are no perfect players in the world, not even in the NBA. Arguably the closest thing to a perfect player was Michael Jordan. The good news is that becoming a professional basketball player is not about becoming perfect. It’s not even heavily based on talent, in most cases. Many players don’t understand that and are stunned when their coach sits them out for most of the game or when they are released from a team. Let’s agree that this won’t be you once you’ve finished reading this. Keep in mind that if you really want to make a career in basketball, it’s assumed that you’re already on a team, whether it’s high school, college, or an amateur league. If not, the tips below will still be beneficial, so read on. Either way, you’ll want to absorb the following three (3) keys if you’re looking to break through to the professional basketball stage.
- Put your current priorities in order. Committing to do whatever it takes to become a professional is no easy task. One of the biggest sacrifices you will have to make is time and how you decide to use it. And the more obligations there are in your life, the more complicated it becomes. If you’re in school, you should build your basketball schedule around classes, homework, and studying, not the other way around. You don’t want your grades to drop. You may have a job, a family, or both. There are a number of things that can influence the division of your time. The most important thing is to make sure you understand what is most important and go from there. Students fail, marriages fail and plans to turn pro fail when players allow basketball to overshadow their most important responsibilities. Don’t let it be you. Prioritize your life and work basketball in it.
- Work your butt. This seems like a no-brainer, right? It’s almost like telling you to work on your game doesn’t need to be discussed. But you’d be surprised how many people say they want to be professionals, and yet their work clothes don’t reflect any of their claims. Some people turn off after hearing “Get your priorities in order,” so if you still want to go pro, you need to be in the gym! Know what you are good at, good at, and not so good at. Spend some time on the good, more time turning the good into great, and more time bringing the not-so-great to a respectable level. Once you’ve prioritized, you now need to maximize the time windows you’ve blocked out solely for basketball and get to it. Track your progress so you know you’re improving. Don’t forget the weights and cardio training. Find someone to work with you. Do what you have to do to improve. Just make sure you’re working when you’re supposed to, and not watching TV on the couch.
- Be relentless. This scenario is sadly but quite common: Guy hits his workouts hard and is motivated to get better for a couple of weeks. The following week he hits hard and is motivated for five days. The following week is three days. The pattern continues until he returns to exercising when he gets the chance, rethinking the path he wants to take in life. That’s kind of heavy, but it happens. Look at the New Year’s resolutions. Success stories are not as frequent as those that let it go even a month later. If you’re going to go pro, you should stick with it whether you feel like it or not! There will always be days when your body or most of your mind tells you “not today”. Guaranteed. However, that little light in your brain that reminds you that it’s a workout day is what you need to listen to. If he only works the days he feels like, he’s selling himself miles from where he could be. It is said that 90% of success is simply showing up. Hit the gym and everything else will follow once you’re there.
Bonuses: There is a big difference between becoming professionals and being a professional. Now if you can take your talent to a level where it doesn’t matter if you lack good character and good work or moral ethics, then you will have more power. We see pro players make stupid decisions every day, and still keep their roster spot because their talent outweighs the bad publicity. Chances are, though, that if you’re reading this, you’re not at that level yet. Not to say you can’t get there, but is that really what you dream of when you imagine this is your profession?
What I explained above about prioritizing, striving, and being relentless describes a player who knows what he wants, knows how to get there, and won’t let anyone or anything get in his way. These traits will allow you to not only improve as a player and as a person, but will extend to other areas of your life. When those habits have become intrinsic, that’s when you set yourself apart from the average. You become a professional. From a coach’s point of view, they are the best players to have. The coaches will do everything possible to keep such a player on their team. As a player, you love having them as teammates. Talent is great, but when you add the right mindset and approach to the game to it, you become invaluable to a team.
So again, if you really want to get into professional basketball, start putting things in order today. Start working your mind and body to the level you need to become a professional. Do not give up. Stay motivated. Looking forward to seeing you on the big screen.