Ask great questions. Rarely, a player asks "how can I get more playing time?" I can't remember a player EVER asking, "how can I be more valuable to the team?"
Let's distill to the essence:
- Be a great teammate.
- Make other players better.
- Demonstrate how you impact winning.
The first two serve teammates and the latter contributes to team success. All examine your value to others.
Be a great teammate.
Everyone can't be a great player. Everyone can be a great teammate. Who were great teammates that you played with?
Alan Williams wrote, Teammates Matter. Two memorable anecdotes included the star player (? Tim Duncan) giving the walk-on his travel bag because the equipment manager didn't issue him one. The second was when Williams had to try out again (after a coaching change), Williams' teammates showed up at the tryout to support him.
Great teammates bring energy, energize teammates, are positive, and grind regardless of their expectations of reward. Earn respect for doing the right things all the time.
Make other players better. My kids gave me a T-shirt once saying, "the older I get, the better I was." With that truth, to approach excellence, I'll have to live forever.
Making others better involves tangible and soft skills. "Tangible" skills making teammates better include:
- Moving without the ball
- Setting screens
- Communication (e.g. defensive talk)
- Passing on time and on target
- Blocking out
- Making hustle plays (deflections, tie-ups, loose balls)
- Guarding 1.5 (one and a half, our assignment plus help)
A few 'soft' skills include:
- Toughness (think, "toughness is a skill")
- Hard work
- Resilience
- Compete level
- Understanding time and situation
Show how you impact winning. Our play tells a story. I could go on about my statistical achievements as a player. Okay, I'm done. Coach Sonny Lane taught us, "it's not who starts the game, it's who finishes."
Bring measurable qualities to winning. How do you get possessions (defend and/or rebound) and find ways to score or help teammates score?
- Take a charge
- Help get a stop
- Get an extra rebound
- Get a steal
- Make an extra pass
An alternative would be to use the mental model of inversion (opposite modeling).
- What would a bad teammate do?
- What qualities would make teammates worse?
- What behaviors contribute to losing?
Make your case for minutes and role with what you do and what you don't.
Lagniappe: Shooting Drills (3)
Adjust the distance to your age and ability.
Elbow to sideline. Another good drill with a partner which also conditions. Track your makes.
