The Ultimate Way to Be Confident in Basketball
We’ve all seen the famous shots of Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James pulling up for a last-second, buzzer beater. With poise, grace, and confidence, each player knocks down the shot, seemingly with ease and as if assured that their shot would find nothing but the bottom of the net after their release.
But how do all these players, and so many more around the world, find the confidence to take that last second shot? Below, we’re going to review the ultimate way to be confident in basketball and show you, step-by-step, how to be more confident in your own game.
Why is Confidence Important in Basketball?
Basketball, as with so many things in life, takes a certain degree of confidence to be successful at.
But why is confidence so important in basketball?
Essentially, confidence in basketball is so important because it is a means and a way to be prepared and ready for the unexpected. In addition, having confidence in the game of basketball is a way to face opportunities, and setbacks, with both poise and grace.
When a basketball player is confident in their game, they are not only more likely to play better, but they are also more likely to be able to handle any difficult or unexpected circumstances. That is, their confidence gives them the ability to handle the pressure and to execute against it easily.
No basketball player begins a game hoping that they will need to take the last second buzzer beater. But only the confident players are self-assured in their own abilities to do so, if they need to.
Practice Builds Confidence
Really, the best way to build confidence in basketball is to practice and to prepare yourself for each and every game. But practicing itself may not be enough if you do not practice correctly. That is, practice is only as important as what you are practicing.
And in a game of basketball, with so many unknowns and variables, the best way to practice is to practice the unknowns. While so many of us may go onto the court and practice our layups, our free-throws, and our three-point attempts, we are missing out on the variables which can make or break a game.
While practicing the layup, free-throw, and three-point shot are all important, they are not the only possibilities in a game of basketball. Rather, to gain the confidence needed in a game, you should be practicing for in-game situations.
You can do this by having another player guard you aggressively to learn how to “beat them”. You can also practice by pushing yourself in the weight room and on cardiovascular machines. This is especially helpful when, towards the end of a game, you may feel fatigues and worn out. However, through practice and endurance skills, you will be able to push through that pain.
Develop a Tough Mental State
Confidence is, above all else, mental. And while your opponent may try to unnerve you and remove your confidence, only you can let them do so. Therefore, it is important to remember, that confidence is really just a mental state.
As such, you should learn how to put yourself, “in the zone” and not allow yourself to be unnerved. You can do this by practicing breathing techniques, by focusing on the game at hand, and even by talking to yourself and getting yourself ready and psyched for the upcoming challenge.
Whatever it takes, remember that only you can control your confidence levels. Only you can lose or gain distraction and focus. Don’t allow anyone else to bother you and don’t lose focus of the goal and mission at hand.
The Best Players Have Amnesia
One of the best coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing for used to tell me, especially after a particularly poor shot attempt, that the best basketball players in the world have amnesia.
What did he mean by this?
Essentially, in basketball, as with many situations in life, you will need to learn to forget about your past mistakes and errors in order to move forward. And when it comes to being confident on the basketball court, really the best way to do so is to have a level of amnesia when it comes to a bad play or a poor shot that you attempted.
Now, you can beat yourself up about a bad shot, making yourself more frustrated and more likely to make additional errors. Or you can forget about it. That’s it, just forget about it and move on and try to do better the next time around.
No one makes every shot, not even Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant, or Lebron James made every shot they attempted. But they never let those missed shots affect the next one they took. They simply forgot about the miss and moved on to the next shot.
Love Yourself and Love the Game
Okay, we’re going to get a little Zen-like right now.
But really, one of the best ways to be confident in basketball is to both love yourself and to love the game. Basketball is a tough, competitive sport. It requires grit, willpower, endurance, and just a sprinkle of luck. But, when those factors come together, it can really be something beautiful.
In basketball, to be confident, you need to really love yourself and love the game. Give yourself credit for what you accomplished and for what you attempted. Similarly, love the game and what it means to you.
Carry both yourself and the ball with poise, with grace, and with tenderness. Know that if you take care of the basketball, the basketball will return the favor. Don’t slam the ball with frustration, but rather, deal with it gently and direct it to how you wish for it to act.
Be calm and calculated in your actions. Think about the steps you are taking, about the motion of the game, and about the possibilities that may occur. Let these thoughts come to you naturally. And with grace, move forward in a similar manner as you’ve practiced, dozens and hundreds of times before. Nothing can stop you now, because you are in control.