"Great Players"

When I say "great players", in regards to basketball, many people have their own idea of who great players are. For example, my generation will say names such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant, whereas people of older generations will tell you Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and if you go way back names like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. The point is, we all have a general idea of who the great players in basketball, both current and in history, are but do most of us know why? The answer is probably not.

Alan Stein is a well known and respected teacher within the basketball and he posted an article about two years back on the 44 traits that ALL great basketball players display on a daily basis. For the sake of this post I am going to pick a few of my personal favorites but will provide a link at the bottom of the post and encourage you to check it out and read through all 44 of them.

Great players practice just as hard as they play in games. They don’t have an On and Off Switch – they are always on!

Great players allow themselves to be coached. They make eye contact, listen, and welcome coaching. They crave getting better.

Great players are great teammates. They are supportive, high energy, and make their enthusiasm contagious.

Great players love and respect the game of basketball. They don’t play for money or fame.

Great players hold themselves, their teammates, and their coaches accountable. They believe in collective responsibility.

Great players are students of the game. They watch film. They study opponents. They study themselves.

I chose these as my favorites because they are pretty fundamental and are good for people who are just taking up basketball and even for people who are naturally talented at basketball but may lack the less physical aspects of the game. I like these because they are things you can work on without even touching a basketball. Another cool aspect of the traits I have chosen is that not only will they contribute to making you a better basketball player but also contribute to you becoming a better person.

If you would like to read the rest of Alan Stein's, 44 Traits of Great Players, just follow the link! I highly recommend you do!