Maintaining a "next play" mentality

Basketball is unique from other major sports with its non-stop action. It is important to keep your head up at all times.

In football, when the person with the ball gets tackled, you regroup and set up a new play to try again. After so many attempts, you either score or give up the ball to head to the sidelines for a while. In baseball, you strikeout or hit, then get a lengthy break.

Basketball is different.

If you miss a shot in basketball, you either need to attempt to rebound your own miss or be ready to sprint back on defense. There is not always time to regroup after a miss and especially not after a turnover.

Let's say you have back-to-back turnovers; is there time to hang your head and feel bad for yourself or feel embarrassed? I think you know where we are going with this.

Keep your head up and move on to the next play

Shooting slumps happen. Consecutive lapses in judgement happen. That is just part of the sport of basketball. When these things affect your mentality or your hustle, that is when you actually have a problem on your hands.

It may be tempting to hang your head when things are not going your way. There are a few big problems with that. Your teammates will see that and lose trust, your coach may see and pull you out, or the other team may see and gain confidence.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
— Michael Jordan

The best thing that you can do is instantly focus on the next play. Just stay in the zone and play the game that you have been practicing and practicing. If it results in a defensive stop, you will regain some confidence. If you work to get a layup, it may breed confidence in your shots from every range.

The "next play" mentality is relevant at all levels of the game. You will miss a lot of shots in your career, which will allow lots of opportunities to bounce back. Stay ready and seize those opportunities.

Playing on either side of a blowout

In your basketball career, you will undoubtedly be a part of a few blowout games on one side or the other.

We hope that you will always be on the winning side, but that may not always be the case. Sometimes you will be on a team that is heavily outmatched; maybe things just were not clicking for you at all.

Being down by so many points can be disheartening. No one wants to lose so badly in front of their fans and peers. The desire to not let this happen though is an important piece of competitive spirit. We are not saying that avoiding getting blown out should be top-of-mind entering a game, but if it starts looking that way, then it should probably click.

"Blown out" sounds a little subjective. It could mean different things to players at each level of the game. For the NBA it may mean 20 to 25-plus points or so. For NCAA, more like 15 to 20-plus, since the game is a slower pace. High school is played at many different levels, but that 15-20 range likely is not too far off depending on how early it happens.

What to do if your team is getting blown out

If you find yourself in this situation, there is no need to panic OR hang your head. Large deficits happen frequently, and occasionally, they are overcome. Check a recent example by the OKC Thunder in the NBA Playoffs. The Thunder were down 25 in the third quarter.

The number one thing that you can do for your team in these situation is to continue playing hard. The fans will see it, the coach will see it, and your teammates will see it. Set an example for the rest of your team by playing through and attempting to come back.

Who knows, you may just pull an upset. Such wins are often the most memorable, so do not pass up such an opportunity.

What if you are the team that is applying the beatdown?

Basketball is at its best when played between two evenly matched teams that take the contest down to the wire. It is more entertaining and more fun (though comebacks are pretty great).

In many situations, how to proceed in such times is dictated by the coach. Are the teams so mismatched that you could pour it on as much as possible? Is the other team a threat to come back and need to be kept a arm's length?

Continuing to play hard in a blowout is not a bad thing, but it is a better opportunity to play right. If you are up by so much that it ceases to be fun for either team, it is a great time to focus on fundamentals and run through your playbook in a game-time situation for excellent practice. Never pass up an opportunity to improve.

For more on the sport we all love, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Playing for a tough coach or with a tough teammate

You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't always pick your teammates or coach. Or something like that.

If you have played a sport for any length of time, you have likely already encountered either a tough coach or teammate. Teams consist of many different styles, attitudes, and demeanors. In some ways, this is what makes team sports special. Sometimes though, it can be really hard to adjust to.

You will have teammates over the years that will not play hard. Some may not even have any desire to play at all. Some will hog the ball, others may pick on you at practice. These things will seem very difficult to get over in the moment, but in the long term, you will be better for it. Not only as a player, but as a person.

These people will not be limited to sports, but all aspects of life. You will experience many of the same personality traits someday at work, or in social situations. Learning to roll with the punches and taking the high road is not easy, but it is a key part of growth.

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you, ask what you can do for your teammates.”
— Magic Johnson

Not meshing with your coach

Not always getting along with teammates is one thing. Those are your peers that you share many of the same circumstances with. Even more difficult is experiencing a coach that rubs you the wrong way or that you do not see eye-to-eye with.

It is easier said than done, but this situation must be treated similarly to the teammate issue above. Taking the high road in a situation where you are the subordinate is a very backwards-feeling scenario.

If your coach is on you for no reason, stand tall and do not let him/her get a rise out of you. If you are not getting minutes or situations that you deserve, keep grinding until everyone in the gym can clearly see the mistake. Learning to turn the other cheek to those in positions of authority will pay off exponentially as far as your growth as a person.

Know when things have gone too far

Standing tall and not retaliating is the go-to response when you encounter these tough situations. That does not mean that you should just allow yourself to be bullied or harassed. If you feel that things have gone to far with a teammate, bring it up to them. If that does not resolve the issue, it may be time to approach the coach.

If the coach is the problem, discuss it with someone that you trust. A lot of coaches are intense people, and it may just be that they get a bit too passionate about the sport or getting the most out of their players. If it is going beyond that or becoming personal, it may be time to voice your concerns to someone with the ability to resolve the situation.

For examples of great coaches, a player-first atmosphere, and a true team mentality, you are in the right place and Robert Yanders is your man. Contact The Basketball Movement to get involved in our program!

 

The Basketball Movement offers basketball-specific workout opportunities

At The Basketball Movement, we couple skill, speed, and agility training with resistance workouts designed specifically with basketball in mind.

Much of the game of basketball is mental, which is a big focus of The Basketball Movement. More apparent though is the need to be strong and conditioned. Basketball can be exhausting when you are playing correctly (as hard as possible). TBM can help players be the best they can be by doing basketball-specific exercises with top-of-the-line equipment.

To be the top basketball training facility in the area, it takes more than the two 94 by 50 foot courts. The walls are lined by free weights, skiers, versaclimbers, concept bikes, sleds, rowers, and other low impact, basketball-specific training equipment.

A couple TVs run basketball and other sport news where players can work out just a few feet from one of the revamped courts. For shooting repetition on your own, there is even a GUN rebounder that players can rent.

The Basketball Movement is dedicated to providing the optimal training equipment that players need to succeed. Couple this with the facility - two courts, film analysis room, and more - and you get a premier basketball environment run by some of the most dedicated coaches around.

For more about what The Movement is as well as info on its founder, Rob Yanders, click here. To contact us about jumping on board,  please click here. The Basketball Movement not only stresses continuous player development, but strives to continue its own development as well. Keep checking back here as we keep ramping up the biggest basketball movement around.

Never be ashamed of where you are from

Towns no one has heard of, cities where it is tough to stand out from the crowd; everyone is from somewhere. Embrace your journey.

Everyone has a story. Guys and girls from all over may share passions for things like basketball, but no one is quite the same as you. Embracing yourself as a person or player means you must own every part of your life. Never be ashamed of where you come from.

For better or for worse, you are the culmination of all of your experiences in life. Some of them were great experiences that you could see making you stronger right in front of your eyes. Some experiences really hurt at the time, but they still altered your path to make you the unique individual you are today.

“Be the best version of yourself in anything that you do. You don’t have to live anybody else’s story.”
— Stephen Curry

Look back at the toughest times that you have had in your life. In the end, they made you much stronger in many ways, right? The best parts of your story couldn't have happened without the early chapters.

On the court, you are not the only player that wants to win and dominate the competition. You will often have to bring your very best to achieve your goals. Your very best means drawing on experiences, hard work, and an understanding of what makes you uniquely you.

Embrace your personal history, even if there are things you would rather forget. You do not have to dwell on those things, but do not be afraid to think back and recognize the ways that it made you a stronger person. Even if you have been lucky enough to avoid major hardships, there are always experiences to reflect back on when striving to be great.

The Basketball Movement aims to push players and people at all levels to be the very best they can be. Do not be afraid to approach our coaches or anyone else with any tough times you are going through. Just remember, it is all another chapter in the story of your greatness.

More players refuse to "Shut up and dribble"

Some NBA players are using their platform to bring awareness to mental health and the stigma surrounding "manning up".

Basketball is a fantastic sport. It is fun to watch, fun to play, and fun to write about (in my personal opinion). Recently NBA players Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan have been using the game in an even more important way.

When top athletes speak, people listen, whether or not some individuals would like to admit it. When such prominent figures and role models open up about issues, big or personal, it impacts all sorts of demographics of listeners.

DeMar DeRozan, All-Star SG for the Toronto Raptors recently spoke out about his bouts with depression.

“It’s one of them things that no matter how indestructible we look like we are, we’re all human at the end of the day. We all got feelings ... all of that. Sometimes ... it gets the best of you, where times everything in the whole world’s on top of you.”
— DeRozan

Cleveland Cavaliers PF Kevin Love drew some inspiration from DeRozan, opening up about panic attacks, mental health, and unfortunate stigmas of manhood in a self-written article for The Player's Tribune.

Love describes a panic attack he experienced during a game in which he ran off to the locker room. He goes on to say that he hid it from everyone because of lifelong pressure to be tough and hide any weaknesses as a man.

It is very important for players like DeRozan and Love to speak out about these kinds of issues. The more we can normalize discussions about these kinds of issues, the more individuals are likely to seek the help they need, much like Love has.

If you are struggling with issues, mental health or otherwise, never be embarrassed to approach family, a coach, a teammate, teacher, or friend with it. Open and honest discussion is an important step in being the best player and person you can be.

For more from the NBA and all of basketball, check out more of our blog posts such as SLAM top 100 NBA players and Focus on strengths.

Focus on strengths - Insulate weaknesses

You know what you are good at and you know what needs work. Which is more deserving of attention?

As a player, unless you are blinded by supreme confidence, you are aware that you are not perfect. Perhaps you have never been the best shooter or maybe you are an undersized post-player. You also know where you shine on the court or in the locker room.

With something like the sport of basketball, it is easy to get caught up in the areas that need improvement. This is not always a bad thing, there are always opportunities to elevate skill level, but do not forget also to focus on your strengths that set you apart.

Players like Shaquille O'neal and DeAndre Jordan have been mercilessly criticized for their free throw shooting woes. They are also heavily applauded - Shaq was an NBA MVP and DeAndre Jordan was 1st team all-NBA last year. You see where we are headed with this?

Focus on what sets you apart

Shaq was not a great free throw shooter, but it did not matter because he was so dominant in other facets of the game.

If you are a great shooter, keep working on shooting. Never fully ignore any one aspect of the sport, but stay sharp and keep improving even your best qualities. The all-time great shooters were not content with being decent. They still practiced shooting every single day. 

Even if you are hyper-focused on strengths, do not forget:

Insulate weaknesses to make sure you do not fall behind

Just because you are focused on what sets you apart does not mean you can ignore the other aspects of the game. You can become a great shooter, but coaches will be hesitant to play you if you never bothered to work on defense.

Not everyone can be fast. Stay in shape and keep your conditioning at the best level you can, but do not sweat it too much if you are struggling to improve foot speed. Focus instead on foot work and body positioning to insulate this weakness. Then, get right back to focusing on what sets you apart.

Great rebounders practice rebounding. Glue guys focus on defense and ball-movement. Shooters get up hundreds of shots. Be a well rounded player, but make sure your best skills are kept the sharpest for your team.

Make sure to keep up with more on the great game of basketball here at The Basketball Movement.

To the fan: Basketball is just a game

A Cleveland Cavaliers fan was recently banned from Quicken Loans Arena for shouting racial slurs.

At its core, basketball is a game. One team tries to get the ball in their opponent's goal, while simultaneously trying to prevent their opponent from scoring in their own goal. There are nuances and rules, but at the base level, it is beautifully simple.

This is how fans should view the sport. It is fun to watch, simple to understand, and filled with players and teams to root for.

To a player, basketball can be more than just a game. Basketball can be an escape, a safe place, and a way of life. Even to a player though, it is at its core a really, really fun game.

Fans can get competitive too, sometimes more than they should. Rooting for your team is encouraged; rooting against your rivals is even alright. However, fans have to know where to draw the line.

Lines were crossed at a Cleveland Cavaliers game

Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs went to the line in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game and was met by jeering from an opposing fan. After an investigation by the Cavs, the racial taunting earned the fan a indefinite ban from the arena (to be reviewed after a year's time).

“They found him? Wow. Yeah, it’s great that things like that are not happening again. If not, we’d be very hypocritical. ... It can’t be allowed. So it’s great that it happened. I don’t know how they found him, but it’s awesome.”
— Mills' Spurs teammate, Manu Ginobili

Sports fans (and parents) are notorious for heckling other human beings. Unfortunately, competitiveness can get the better of decent people, but also can show an individual's true colors.

Players - basketball can be more than a game, so keep honing your craft and as LeBron James likes to say, "strive for greatness". Fans - remember that players are real people and are not machines built for your entertainment. Keep it classy and never shout at a player something you would not have the nerve to say right to their face.

Keep reading about all things hoops right here at The Basketball Movement blog.

Never too cold or wet for the The Basketball Movement

Poor weather? No problem. Indoor court, outdoor court, no court - there is always a way to keep working on your game.

Life is always going to be handing you great excuses to not hone your craft. Bad weather, full schedule, no gym, the list goes on. There is nothing wrong with taking breaks or needed time off - life happens. Just remember that the players you are striving to be better than may not be doing the same.

Basketball is of course an indoor sport primarily. If the weather is good enough for you to get to a gym, you can practice to your heart's content. Not everyone has court access (you can at least check out the Movement's Saturday Open Clinic), but there are always things you can do.

Locked in the house with bad weather? Grab a basketball. No, we're not going to tell you to dribble around the house. Do some around the worlds to keep your handles and the feel of the ball fresh. Lay flat on your back and get some shots up. Not hitting the ceiling, just watching the rotation of the ball to check your release and flick of the wrist.

Sharpen your mind

Whether you are a player or even a coach, there is always studying to be done on the game. Watch game footage. You do not have to have tapes of opponents or anything like that. Watch some NBA. Watch some college hoops. Get on YouTube and watch some of the greats to learn footwork and where to be on D.

Visualization can be a big part of the game. The same way pros visualize the ball going in the hoop at the free throw line, you can put yourself in the shoes of the players you see on the screen. Keep your eye out for players that you think you can model your game after.

Not everyone can be Michael Jordan, but there are things to be learned from any player that has made it to college or the NBA. Work on your weaknesses, but also focus on your strengths to become elite.

If the weather has you cooped up, keep these things in mind. Also, check out The Basketball Movement on YouTube for the podcast and drills of the week for when you can get back out there.

For more motivation, news, and everything hoops, keep in locked to The Basketball Movement.

Basketball Movement testimonial - Wil Harrington

The Basketball Movement can mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, it elevated more than my game.

I was first introduced to the way of The Basketball Movement before it had that title. I was probably 11 or 12 when I first met Robert Yanders and witnessed firsthand what the Movement was all about.

Rob was a hard-nosed player that made up for his smaller stature by outworking everyone else and taking advantage of his strengths. He brings his intensity and intrinsic motivation and uses it to maximum effect as a coach.

I remember going through speed and skill trainings with Robert while I was in Jr. High. Basketball was always my favorite sport, but I knew that I wasn't in it to become a collegiate player or anything.

Training with Robert was probably the most physically demanding thing I have ever done. I dropped gallons of sweat in the same gym where The Basketball Movement still coaches players today.

Yanders Law guard Anton Brookshire grinding it out with the Basketball Movement in Missouri.

One of the biggest takeaways from my time was what I learned about mind over body. I remember running lines with another player, my buddy Derrick. Rob set a time we had to make it in. We didn't, so he took time off the clock.

That didn't make a lot of sense to me. We ran it again and of course didn't make the new time, now exhausted, as it was pretty late in the workout. Robert took a couple more seconds off the clock. I was too tired to consider that maybe he was just crazy.

Without saying a word to each other, Derrick and I got back on the line and knew that if we didn't make it this time, we were going to keep running forever. Once Rob said go, I moved my tired body as fast as I've ever run before.

We both made it under the new time, even though we were much more tired and had a much loftier goal than the first few attempts. That taught me a lot about what I could do, and what it takes to achieve even the toughest goals.

The discipline and ability to push myself to the limit were lessons that I applied to my whole life, not just basketball. I overcame tough coaches, tough teammates, and did certainly gain some foot-speed and athleticism.

What I leaned from Robert as a coach and as a man has helped me in school and work. Now, he is helping me pursue my interest in writing by handing me the reigns to The Basketball Movement blog.

I would highly recommend The Basketball Movement to anyone. Whether it is skill training or even just the Saturday open clinic. Parents, get your kids in front of Robert Yanders. Rob is one of the most positive influences I can imagine for players of any age.

Dive in to all The Movement has to offer, and keep it locked here for more basketball content. Follow me @WilHarrington

The Basketball Movement is on YouTube

Quick reminder here: The Basketball Movement has plenty of basketball content for you on our YouTube channel.

The Basketball Movement is dropping b-ball knowledge on you from all angles. This site is where you can come to find all of the consolidated information at your fingertips. Of course, there is more to it than just our site!

You may already be following along on Twitter @BBall_Movement for quick hitting updates or even on Instagram @thebasketballmovement. But! Did you know that The Basketball Movement has a YouTube channel?

The channel has our podcast videos like the one above, drills of the week, highlights from tournaments (including our Basketball Movement Invitational), updates on The Movement, and more.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/Yanderslaw.

Don't forget to follow all of these avenues to stay up to date on The Basketball Movement!

Don't be like Mike - The beauty of knowing your limits

Most players and fans grow up idolizing players on TV. The superstars carry a lot of appeal, but not everyone can be Michael Jordan.

We saw Kobe Bryant, who clearly modeled his game after Michael Jordan, grow into one of the greatest basketball players ever. Young players everywhere are honing their skills hoping to be just like LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, almost none of them will be. Don't worry! That is perfectly okay.

Everyone is made differently. You can hit the weight room every day,  but you are most likely not going to be able to bang in the paint with Dwight Howard or Shaq. Does that mean you should give up? Does not being Michael Jordan mean you should quit reaching? Heck no.

MJ could jump, handle, guard like crazy, and make defenders looks silly in almost every way. There aren't a lot of people who can be so extraordinary at so many aspects of the game.

So what do you do?

Find your personal strengths and work on them until it hurts. Shore up any weaknesses, but focus even more on what makes you a special player.

Just because you do have limits, doesn't mean you can't raise them. Have a decent jumper? Become a reliable jump shooter. Then, become a dangerous shooter. Always elevate each aspect of your game as much as possible, just don't get frustrated when you aren't the best there is.

If the Bulls had five fantastic shooting guards, would they start five shooting guards?

Every team needs bigs to crash the glass. Every team needs willing defenders who are content being the glue that doesn't stand out on the stat sheet. There are a lot of champions at every level of the game who are there because they put their ego aside and did what made them great for their team.

Don't be defined by your physical limits, but don't be afraid to embrace them either. There is a reason that Kyrie Irving doesn't care about dunking and Tim Duncan never worried about the three point line.

You can be great. Adapt and conquer the game in every way that is available to you. Don't be like Mike, be the best version of you that you can create.

Start by jumping aboard The Basketball Movement.