Thursday, February 26, 2026

Basketball Character Is Job #1

“The quarterback position is so difficult to play… What makes a guy tick? What kind of leader is he going to be? How tough is he? How is he going to react in adverse situations?”
— Eliot Wolf (via Greg Bedard in Boston Sports Journal)

Identifying Character

FIBA coaching legend and former Spurs assistant Etorre Messina says, "Character is skill number one." 

We scout vertical leap and shooting percentage. We measure wingspan and sprint time. But how do we measure character?

"Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior." Mike Lombardi famously cultivated relationships with SEC sororities to learn how prospects treated people when cameras weren’t around.

And Bill Belichick supposedly used the $100 bill test. 

 

Character shows up when:

  • No one important is watching. 
  • There is no incentive. 
  • There is no applause. 
In basketball, coaches look for:
  • Do players sprint back in transition?
  • Do they blame the officials?
  • Do they accept coaching?
  • How do they treat the manager? 
  • How do they accept coming in as a reserve?
Examine player responses during adversity. 

Talk to former coaches, teammates and teachers. 

Modeling Character as a Coach

Players see everything. The most demonstrable means of teaching character is modeling it. 

  • Model excellence through integrity and sportsmanship
  • Prioritize relationships through communication
  • Add value through preparation, player development, and motivation
Following Up on Character

Share your beliefs with players. 
Explain your expectations about how they demonstrate it. 
Participate in group discussions to confirm seriousness. 

Winning takes talent. Sustainability takes character. 

Lagniappe. Coping with switching defenses. 


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