mentality Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Building a Winning Mindset

Next Level Basketball

What does it mean for a player to “take their game to the next level”? It sounds like a good thing but without understanding the meaning it is hard to get there, right?

Plus… even if you have an idea of what the “next level” is for your basketball game, the question of “How do I take my game to the next level?” is still critically important.

This article will answer those questions (from Coach Wheeler’s perspective) and provide you with an example of a player who might Coach Wheeler could help “take their game to the next level.”

What are “the Levels”?

Below are the various levels from middle school through high school and even into college. If you are interested in seeing some of the skills that are typically developed at each level, check out Coach Wheeler’s article on a Player Progression Plan.

Middle School
High School – Player / non-starter… Losing team
High School – Player / starter… Losing team
High School – Player / non-starter… Winning team
High School – Player / starter… Winning team
High School – Player / starter… college-level skills (D3/Community College)
High School – Player / starter… All-state-Honorable mention
High School – Player / starter… All-state-2nd Team
High School – Player / starter… All-state-1st Team
College Starter – D3 / Community College
College Player * – D2
College Player * – D1

* There are obviously many levels within “college”. Most players won’t need to worry about this since even “best in state” does not mean that you are guaranteed a scholarship at the college level.

There could be even more levels if you include various AAU team or individual milestones (tourney wins, elite team participation, etc.). Again, this is a simple framework for players that are working on their game, probably at some level in high school, and looking to go “to the next level”.

HOW do I go to the “Next Level”?

As mentioned earlier, Coach Wheeler’s article on development of Player Progression Plan has lots of clues for players looking to improve.

Beyond skill development, WINNING is another way to move up a level or two. Players on teams that win get more attention from people who evaluate players.

Since basketball is a team game, if you want to win more games, you need to look at your role on the team. What does the team need to win more games? How well are you performing your role on the team? How can you do more? Or better?

You might have some ideas for these questions but don’t settle for your own answers. ASK others to get a better idea of what will take your game to the next level. ASK Coaches… your current coach (obviously), past coaches who have seen you play recently, AAU coaches, assistant coaches and even players whose basketball knowledge you respect.

When you ASK, you could say something like, “I want to take my game to the next level, what do you think I need to improve?” Be open to the answers but look for common answers that come up often. Also, don’t get upset if someone identifies a weakness that you are not proud of. Many people will only give you “good news” and it is important to value people who will “tell it like it is”. You don’t want sugar-coated feedback. You want the truth… and you need to act on the truth!

Coach Wheeler’s “Next Level real Player Example”:

I coached this player as part of an AAU team when he was a freshman and he was a pretty good shooter. I won’t “name names” since I don’t want to embarrass him. Plus the advice could apply to a number of players.

As a sophomore, our “example player” saw some good minutes on his varsity team but he played a secondary role to seniors who played a similar position.

When I saw him a year later in a summer league, he had improved his ability to drive and make shots. The team he played on did not have great players so he probably had to carry a bigger scoring load than he might on another team.

Next Level tip:

This player has pretty good court vision since he handles the ball most of the time and rarely dribbles into traps or places he might lose the ball. His court awareness is part of how he might take his game (and the success of his team) to the next level.

He should work with his team so that they move into scoring position as he drives. For example, wing shooters need to get open to potentially receive a kick-out pass. Big men need to recognize when he is going to drive and find a lane where they can be open if the opposition collapses on the driver. Even if the driver shoots, big men should be actively getting in position for the rebound.

How are all these things the responsibility of the player with the ball? First, basketball is a team game and even if you are the best player in the world the other players on the court need to be active. Michael Jordan did not win a single NBA championship before Coach Phil Jackson brought in the triangle offense and convinced MJ that involving others was in his best interest (especially if he wanted to win).

Second, if you are the primary ball handler (as this player is in our example) your key responsibility is to distribute the ball for the highest percentage shot possible. That means “getting the other players to move to the right places”. Sometimes the coach sets up plays for the team but more often players have to work together on the court in various situations.

This is just Coach Wheeler’s idea for how this player could get to “the next level”. As we mentioned earlier, he should be getting feedback from all the coaches in his life… and taking action.

Bottom line…

If you want to get better, you will have to take action. Basketball is highly competitive. You are not just competing within your school’s division. You are competing against everyone near your age who is playing basketball and trying to get to the next level. Remember, after your senior year in high school, no matter how good you are, the next year you are a freshman in college. From the big fish in the small pond to a small fish in THE OCEAN! The time to move to the Next Level is NOW. Don’t wait. Your future depends on it!

Program Turnaround Plan

If you are a coach interviewing for a leadership position with basketball programs in need of a turnaround, it is important to have a solid idea of how you will improve the situation right from the beginning. That is what they are hiring you for, right? How are you going to create a “Culture of Winning”?

What is considered a “Turnaround Opportunity”?

As I discussed in an earlier post, there are typically 3 levels of “Winning” and most turnaround opportunities are in the Type 3 category [“Participation Awards”] where the program loses 2 or more times more often than it is winning basketball games. Occasionally a Type 1 program will drop to a Type II level [Mediocre] and decide that they need a turnaround so they can return to their tradition of winning. In either case, there are certain elements that need to be established before the program can start to see more wins.

It all starts upstairs.

Before I get into the specific skills that need to be developed I should point out that winning starts with the mentality or “way of thinking” of everyone within the program.

A successful mindset can be built over years of winning traditions but in a turnaround situation you need to convince all parties (players, parents, fans and school administration) that 1) winning is possible and 2) they have the tools they need to build a winning team.

Once these two beliefs are in place, the next step is to have a plan to develop the specific skills/tools needed to actually win games. It is critical to get everyone to buy in to your plan and be willing to work hard to create positive results. Once the positive results start rolling in, it makes it easier and easier for more people to “get on board” and build that winning momentum !

Let’s start building…

Everything starts with a Winning Mindset. I require any team that I coach to adopt 3 core values that we will hold onto no matter what. These key parts of our winning mindset are 1) We never quit, 2) We control our minds, and 3) We overcome challenges. These 3 ideas or “tenets” shape how we approach practice … which shapes how we play in games. I went into these 3 core values in another article on this blog, as well as in person during various interviews. Let me say that they were chosen very carefully and, when given time to fully implement them, they translate into powerful tools that help you create the mindset you need to win in both sports and in life.

What does a “Culture of Winning” look like?

Practice like a champion.
Expect to win / Refuse to Lose
Win with class.

1st Principles for a Turnaround –
3S: Shooting, Strength and Speed

First, I should point out that I believe in the Growth mindset (vs. the Fixed or Talent Mindset). This means that nearly everything is a skill that can be learned and developed. On the other hand is the Fixed or Talent mindset which says that a player either has a talent or doesn’t. Their potential is “fixed” and cannot change.

What most people forget is that a varsity basketball program is the result of years of basketball going all the way back to shooting the ball in the driveway at home. Kids develop at different rates and someone who is the best in grade school can be easily passed by someone who continues to work on their skills through middle school and into high school. On top of this there is the literal “growth” that happens and is not always easy to predict. Growth spurts can happen at almost any age and can completely change a player’s abilities on the court.

Having said that, Shooting, Strength and Speed are all skills that can, and should, improve year after year as an athlete goes through high school. These are the foundation that other skills and strategies are built upon and it makes sense to adopt a Growth mindset so you keep getting better.

Some might say that a team needs height and it is genetic which means it is not subject to development. While it is nice to have a height advantage, many games can be won without a height advantage. Plus, the ability to jump CAN be developed and when combined with speed and strength, a shorter team can often perform much better than a “tall” team.

Shooting Development

This might be a little controversial, but my experience has shown me that every high school that wants to be competitive should have a Dr. Dish or Shoot-a-way basketball shooting machine. It allows players to get in a high volume of shots by themselves. The machine collects the ball after it is shot and passes to the player for the next shot while keeping a tally of makes & misses. It is a valuable tool that every team should have and should be used CONSTANTLY. More shots in practice (with a little coaching) results in more makes in games. It is also a good goal for booster clubs and coaches as part of their fundraising efforts.

This is in line with my 3P’s of shooting…
1) Practice,
2) Practice while moving and
3) Practice at game speed.

My shooting development program also includes the following concepts/drills…

[Shooting] confidence is earned.
More shots made in practice = more confidence in games.
.
Shooting accuracy and range is a function of strength.
Your leg strength and arm/wrist strength determines your working range. Putting up lots of shots will help but a strength program is also an important part of a successful basketball program.
.
Shooting form typically need to be corrected in high school.
As strength is added, a better, more effective shooting form often needs to be adopted. This typically happens in the transition from Middle School to High School but whenever it happens the new (correct) form needs to be “burned in” with repetition so that it becomes automatic.
.
Center Swish Drill. This helps players target the very center of the basket and can be useful when they are making adjustments to their shooting form, ideally over the summer when they have loads of time to put up shots.
.
Quick NBA Legend story:
The idea of “center swish shooting” came from something I heard about how Larry Bird practiced his shooting. Someone saw that on some days Larry would shoot a tone of shots while on other days he shot only a few. When asked about it, Larry said that he shoots until he is happy with the results (he shoots for the very center of the basket). Some days his stroke is 100% and it is a short practice. Other days he needs to “dial it in” which can take more shots. If you aren’t yet as good as Larry Bird, how many shots do you think you will need to shoot?

Strength Development

Consistency is the key for strength development. It does little good to burn out your muscles by lifting too much weight and then being too sore to work out for a week. Consistently lifting enough weight to stress your muscles so they will adapt and get stronger is the key. Don’t lift so much that you are too sore to lift in two days. Effort is important but consistency (with proper recovery) builds results.

Basketball players should start learning basic lifting in 8th grade (age 14) with body weight exercises and focus on a consistent schedule. It will add up.

I typically have high school players do legs & core on one day and arms/chest/back on the following day. Ideally, they should not lift on the 3rd day. This gives two complete cycles per week with another day off. If a player is running and doing basketball drills, this should work his muscles sufficiently without interfering with any practices or games that come up.

Quick NBA Legend story…
Michael Jordan lifted weights throughout his NBA season and he would have sometimes 4-5 games per week. He famously would lift on the morning of a game day to stay on his strength building program.

Most under-utilized weight training tool:

Kettle bells are becoming more common but they are still very often sitting around unused. In particular, kettle bell swings are a great way to strengthen your core all the way from your thighs, through your glutes and abs and the rest of your core muscles. Having a strong core gives you a strong foundation when making twisting moves around the basket while also helps prevent back injuries.

Other ways to improve strength and mobility include yoga and other activities that involve balance. These types of exercise help tone your core muscles which helps to prevent back injuries and give you some great looking abs!

Speed Development

I have found that there is no replacement for a timed full speed sprint. It is simple to time yourself and by measuring your speed, you are able to see improvement.

Another way to develop speed is by using HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. Basketball is a game of sprints, not jog-jog-jog. Joggers get beat by sprinters.

There is a good app I have on my iPad called Tabata Stopwatch Pro which allows you to set your exercise intervals (e.g. sprints) as well as the rest interval. This brings up another aspect of “speed” as it applies to basketball. It is not only how fast you can sprint but also how fast you can recover from sprinting and sprint again. Building your ability to recover is something that the Tabata or HIIT workout does well.

Favorite Speed Drill: Jump Rope

A jump rope is an inexpensive way to improve your foot speed as well as hand/eye coordination. Players are surprised by how much quicker they can become by something as simple as jumping rope.

Another Favorite Drill: Lunges

The lunge is another underrated drill. In fact, the trainer who helped Michael Jordan go from a 35 inch to a 46 inch vertical jump uses an adapted form of the lunge as part of his “Jump Attack” training program. I like to use either weighted lunges with the rear foot on a bench as part of a weight workout or step lunges as a warm-up.

Jumping is not just about muscle strength but also involves flexibility, especially in the hip joint, so a lunge exercise helps in a number of ways. Jumping also requires quickness and technique which are also skills that can be developed. If you have a jump program that you would like to see reviewed on this blog, leave your contact info in a comment and we will be in contact.

Player Development Timetable:

High school players need to be developed starting in elementary school where the key is building a love for the game. Playing basketball is fun. Getting better at basketball is fun. It is sometimes challenging but it is still fun. At the higher levels, the game becomes more challenging but the satisfaction of overcoming those challenges, combined with the thrill of winning take the “fun” to a whole new level.

Need Year Round Basketball to win?

With AAU and other leagues, it is possible to play year-round. Is this required for the successful turnaround of a basketball program? Probably not but the best players will find opportunities to play year round, often in addition to other sports. Weekend AAU games are a great complement to a school soccer or cross-country team in the Fall or a track or baseball season in the Spring. The key is to make all coaches aware of the player’s schedule. No one wants surprises when it comes to game conflicts. The last thing a coach wants is worn out players when they should have been resting up for the next day’s game.

What’s next to Turnaround a basketball program?

wheeler's Pyramid of Winning Basketball The Winning Mindset and the 3 S’s get you about halfway up the pyramid of winning basketball. Looking ahead, there will be articles on this blog about Skill development and Strategies. These are things that many coaches focus on … without the strong foundation of a proven strong mindset and 3S’s. In a turnaround situation, that is a recipe for disaster (and more losses). Be sure to sign up for our email notification service. Don’t miss the future articles. They will go further up the Pyramid of winning and how to turnaround your basketball program!

Let’s build a winning mindset

Let me start off by telling you…

I don’t have all the answers. I have some answers and I ask questions of some very smart and experienced people so that I can find out some clues to the answers, but I am a work-in-process and you should apply your own common sense before you try anything that I might suggest. (Or anything other people suggest.)

What’s so important about “building a winning mindset”?

If you have found this blog, I suspect that you already have an appreciation for the fact that winning starts in your head. Your mindset is made up of many components… values, beliefs, theories, hunches and much more (that I will explore on this blog). Having said that, we are usually our own worst enemy when it comes to achieving our goals, either in life or on the basketball court. Often we know what needs to be done but we don’t do it. Or we could figure out a solution if we would just recognize the problem.

Why is Coach Wheeler writing this blog?

Over the years, I have learned quite a bit about performance psychology and how the mind can be trained to improve your performance. As a basketball coach, I teach my players how they can control their mind to improve their skills as basketball players and, hopefully, they can apply those same lessons beyond the basketball court. If you are reading this blog, my hope is that you can use the basketball stories as examples and then apply the lessons to your own life as well.

Why are there questions before every paragraph?

I find that it makes the articles easier to read … and it helps me organize my thoughts. Does it bother you? Or does it make it easier for you to read the articles? Let me know in the comments section.

Do you have a question that you would like to ask… add that in the comment section too !

What if you have a question that you don’t want to make public? Use the “Contact Form” on my InviteOnlyBasketball.com site or on this site to send me a message.