If you love basketball, you'll ideally want to play it as much as possible and the best way to do that is by making the team.
Whether you're already part of a team but are looking to get off the bench or are trying to join a team, here's what you should be doing.
Attend Tryouts
First things first. Start by attending tryouts for teams. You're not going to get picked for a team if they don't know that you exist.
Throughout this article, most of the advice we'll give will also apply to tryouts, too, so make sure you give the best representation of yourself during the tryouts.
Make sure you're in good shape for the tryout both physically and mentally and that you're ready for whatever might be thrown at you during it.
Don't be discouraged if you don't make the team after a tryout, either. You can always look to different teams.
Be a Team Player
Basketball is a team sport and to do well in it, you need to be a team player. Basketball coaches know this, too, and very good players may be overlooked if they can't operate well within the team.
Being a team player is an important part of basketball both on and off the court so while you'll be trying to show off your own personal abilities, coaches will be looking at how you operate within the team and how you interact with other players and the coaching staff.
Coachability
A good basketball player will be coachable so make sure that your coaches are aware of this. Even very talented individuals require coaching and need to be willing to take on feedback, adapt to new strategies, and work on new techniques.
No coach wants an awkward player who constantly goes against what they tell them and since they choose the team, you want to be on their good side.
This isn't just about sucking up to the coaches. Coaches will want to see you working hard to earn your place on the team and if you show willingness to listen to their advice, work on the aspects of your game that they feel are lacking, and take criticism as a way to improve how you play basketball, you'll earn the coaches' respect and a likely place on the team.
Develop Skills
No basketball is ever really complete and the very top players will constantly be working hard to develop and improve their skills. There's always part of your game that you can improve and to make any team, you'll need to work on your skills.
You should regularly work on improving your shooting, dribbling, passing, and defense as these will all make you a better player, but there are also plenty of other skills you should be working on.
If a coach has told you what you need to be working on, even better, but if not, it's a good idea to think about what your weakest skills are and focus more on them.
The same is true for your non-dominant hand and you should make sure that you pay extra attention to it when you're training so that you can improve as a player.
The better your basketball skills, the more likely you are to make the team.
Improve Your Physical Fitness
Physical fitness and skills go hand in hand. You should work hard to improve your physical fitness since a very skilled player can quickly become useless if they tire themselves out much earlier than everybody else on the court. If you can't keep hustling until the very last buzzer, you'll need to work on your physical fitness.
Basketball players need stamina, agility, and strength and the very best regularly work on their cardio, strength, and agility through drills, exercise, proper diet, and a healthy lifestyle.
Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
The quickest way to undo all your hard work is through living an unhealthy lifestyle. By playing basketball, you're already being somewhat active, but a healthy lifestyle also extends to what you eat and any other things you like to do.
If you're old enough, you should avoid things like drinking alcohol, smoking, and consuming anything else that could harm your overall fitness and performance on and off the court.
Mental Strength
The sign of a good basketball player is how they handle hardship. Sports like basketball should improve our ability to deal with losing and improve our mental toughness, but it's something you should also bring with you to tryouts and training sessions, too.
Coaches will be looking for players who keep their heads held high throughout the game and don't see a dip in their performance when their opponents start to open up a gap, miss an important shot, or make a costly error.
You have to play well to make the team, but you also have to show that you can continue to perform even on the days when you or your team isn't playing well.
Prepare
Before any tryout or opportunity to make the team, you should adequately prepare. This should include being aware of what the coach is looking for, what you can do, eating right, getting enough sleep, and giving yourself every possible advantage.
For kids wanting to get into basketball, there are teams for absolute beginners, too, that don't expect their players to have a certain level in basketball.
Showcase Your Strengths
Part of your preparation should include working out what your strengths and weaknesses are. Make your case by playing to the best of your ability and make sure that the coaches see what you're capable of.
Working out your strengths can be tough because this also involves working out what your weaknesses are, being very honest with yourself about your abilities, and avoiding blaming your teammates.
Stand Out
You won't be the only person trying to make the team so you also need to make a case for the coaches to choose you over lots of other players.
There may be some very talented players trying to make the team so remember that there are many ways to stand out beyond just your obvious basketball skills.
All of the other skills and qualities we've mentioned so far can be used to make you stand out. Make sure you're a better team player than everyone else, that you're more coachable, that you play with a great attitude towards the game, and that coaches can see that you're hard-working and have prepared, too!
Study Basketball
A skilled player who understands intimately how basketball works is a coach's dream. Not only does understanding the game make you far more coachable, but it will also complement your basketball technique.
Basketball is played as much in your mind as it is on the coach and having a good brain for the sport will help you make the right decisions at the right time, showcase your skills when the opportunities come to you, and make a valuable contribution to a team's success.
A coach will want to see players who know what they're doing and are more than just naturally gifted at the sport. An overreliance on natural ability is one of the most common basketball mistakes that young players make.
Versatility
By being versatile, you'll automatically create more opportunities for yourself within a team. A coach is much more likely to choose players they know can be used in different situations and positions and will just get on with it.
You'll become more versatile by working hard on addressing your weaknesses and by being a good all-round player with a good attitude to the game, you'll make the decision to include you in the team a no-brainer.
Work Hard
There are lots of things to do to make the team and there are very few easy ways into good teams. It all comes down to working hard and the more effort you put into making the team, the more likely you are to make it.
Your hard work will also show in tryouts or training sessions and coaches like that. Players who hustle and work right until the end of every session or every game will stand out in the minds of coaches.
In some cases, they'll look for hard-working players over naturally talented players because they know that they'll try much harder to enact any feedback they give them and ultimately may have more potential than naturally talented but lazy players.
Prepare for Tryouts with a Private Coach
Private basketball coaching is an excellent way to prepare for tryouts. They can help you study the game, work on your technique, provide you with advice for exercise and diet, and even show you what basketball coaches are looking for during tryouts.
There are basketball coaches and personal trainers all over the country and a quick search on the Superprof website is all it takes to find lots of potential coaches.
There are coaches for all budgets and levels and carefully choosing the right basketball coach could be the difference you need to make the team.
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