Developing the right skills in basketball requires hard work and patience.
Especially if you’re a beginner, you are likely to make a lot of mistakes. But remember, to become a better basketball player, you must learn more from your failures than your successes.
As Michael Jordan once said, “To learn to succeed, you must first learn to fail.”
In fact, making mistakes in basketball can actually provide more opportunities for improvement and growth as a player.
At Elite Pro Academy, we want to ensure our players have everything they need to succeed on and off the court. That’s why we focus on teaching them how to learn from their mistakes and improve their skills.
Eventually, with the right guidance and perseverance, mistakes will be avoided and you will become more successful on the court.
Here are the most common mistakes made by young basketball players we have identified throughout our experience as coaches. Plus, we share the secret to turning these mistakes into learning opportunities.
Frequent Mistakes Made by Young Players
You may be surprised to find out that the biggest mistake that can be made by beginner basketball players is quitting before reaching the fun part.
The reason some beginner players quit is because they do not understand the drills. Or, the game is too complicated, or maybe the psychological load is too high. Sometimes, there is no connection with the coaches, so they simply quit basketball.
In this case, the road is likely to lead to boredom. And, as we all know, a bored player will lose interest and quit basketball or sports in general.
Now, if the breakthrough is made and the player continues to play basketball, the next level of mistakes is related to skills and developing bad habits.
When players start developing for sports, we consider two key components: physical (basic locomotor and coordination) and mental.
In the physical component, the coach must emphasize doing the right moves and help the players understand why they have to make a certain decision in a specific situation.
If the coach fails in doing so, this will build a strong base for bad habits. For example, shooting a lay-up on the left side using right-left footwork and the right hand.
For players, it will be easier to do so because it is more natural, especially for right-handed ones – even though it’s wrong.
The same thing applies to left-handed players on the right side. It is more difficult and it will take a long time to change a bad habit rather than teaching it right from the first moment and correcting it on the spot.
In the mental component, players must learn how to make the right decision, how to read and assess the situation, and how to build a strong capacity to handle high-pressure situations (e.g., take the last-second shot when their team is trailing by 1 point).
The difference between an average player and an extraordinary one is making the right decision at key moments during the games and giving the advantage to one’s team.
At the end of the day, the whole purpose of basketball is winning games and having fun.
Ready to take your basketball skills to the next level? Join Dubai’s premier basketball academy and unleash your full potential on the court! Even if you’re a complete beginner, our expert coaches will guide you toward excellence. Join us today and train with the best coaches in town. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us.