Never give advice that you wouldn't take. Especially at lower levels (high school and below), excellent guard play is critical to success. Because when it's bad, it means turnovers and exposure against pressure leading to easy transition offense.
In I May Be Wrong But I Doubt It, Charles Barkley discussed mentoring younger players. Usually, they rejected his suggestions, "stop dogging me old man." Try anyway.
2. "Pass and cut." Stand around and you'll sit next to your coach. Cutting to the ball side corner is called "bury" and cutting to the help side (weak side, back side) corner is called "thru".
3. Don't dribble the air out of the ball. It's called "basketball" not "dribbleball".
4. Greatness means making your teammates and your team better. Share the ball.
5. See the game through "coach's eyes". Know what your team needs now. Lead.
6. Jay Bilas' admonishes, "It's not your shot, it's our shot." Know what good shots mean for you and each of your teammates. In a critical moment, know where the ball doesn't belong. You don't want your worst free throw shooter on the line at the most important time.
7. Have energy and spread energy.
"We put a huge premium on body language. If your body language is bad, you will never get in the game. Ever."
8. Be an ambassador for your team. Represent your teammates with maturity, confidence, and class.
9. Put the team first. How does your action, in the moment, impact your teammates. If you have done well and get media attention, deflect credit to your teammates and coaches.
10. B.
