NBA
What Qualities Make a Basketball Player a Star?
Many people aspire to be a pro athlete but what qualities make a great basketball player? Here's what to know!
What qualities make a great basketball player? The process of becoming a great hooper entails much more than just honing the abilities that are put on display on the basketball court, being tall, or having iconic signature moves. In basketball, while a combination of hard work, practice, and natural talent can go a long way toward developing a player’s potential, true greatness is achieved through the development of the “intangibles” as well—those characteristics that are difficult to identify but are critical for achieving success in the sport.
Let’s be clear; toughness is not the same as fighting or fouling a player repeatedly. Toughness refers to one’s ability to remain mentally strong. Actual toughness is the ability to create a terrific screen, box out every play, take charges, execute a play under duress, and hit a huge shot when the situation calls for it. This is a characteristic that all great athletes own in abundance!
If being great was simple, everyone would be a superstar, right? The fact is that achieving greatness requires a significant amount of time and work. An “opportunity cost” is described as “a benefit, profit, or worth of something that must be forfeited in order to get or accomplish something else” in the field of economics. This is especially true when it comes to the growth of qualities in a young basketball player. If you choose to spend two hours a day playing computer games, the “opportunity cost” equals two hours that you might have spent practicing. Great athletes ensure that their time is used productively and with a clear goal in mind.
Some outstanding players in the NBA with poor dispositions exist, but these instances are rare, and, more importantly, these players never win championships. Great players maintain their composure in the face of victory and defeat, and they never point the finger at a teammate, referee, or coach. They recognize that failure is a necessary building block for future success, and they constantly maintain a cheerful and happy demeanor in practice and competition, regardless of the situation.
Even those athletes who have a strong work ethic may fall victim to this. Some players choose to “cruise” rather than run across the floor. If their classmates or admirers see them working too hard, they may get the notion that it’s not “cool” for them to be observed doing so. That is wrong! Great players couldn’t care less about what their peers or fans thought of them and are only concerned with their team and executing the game plan to win success. All great players and coaches have a few winning behaviors in common:
– Crashing the boards when you dunk
– Racing on the floor
– Cutting at fast speeds
– Defending with a lot of energy
Have you ever seen a player shake his head in displeasure at a teammate for failing to pass the ball? Would you want to defy a coach’s instructions? Do you have saggy shoulders? All of these are instances of inappropriate body language. Everyone doesn’t care what’s going on in your head at the moment that causes you to behave in specific ways, and that’s the harsh reality.
A lack of positive body language leads to subpar performances, poor team cohesion, and time on the bench in many instances. If a college coach observes a player engaging in this kind of conduct, you can bet the coach will not recruit that particular athlete. Great players communicate with their bodies in a powerful way. During timeouts and huddles, they applaud, converse with teammates, connect with their coaches, and maintain excellent eye contact with one another.
Gary Palladino, a legendary high school coach, often claimed “talent will divide,” and he is still correct on that issue today. Finally, all great players possess the ability to distinguish themselves from their colleagues. To be excellent, you must have the ability to shoot, dribble, pass, defend, and rebound. In order to develop expertise, a player must be willing to invest an extraordinary amount of time in their art.
Each great player has a “skill regiment” that they adhere to consistently, and each great player recognizes their deficiencies and works relentlessly to transform them into strengths. “How about we play one-on-one for fun and don’t keep score…” You will have difficulty finding a great player interested in that game. In every part of their life, great players are competitors. They play checkers or table tennis with the utmost seriousness. Their will to succeed is what drives them to greatness.
