“I’m letting the team down because I turned the ball over, I’m letting the team down because I missed a shot
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) February 14, 2026
No, you’re letting the team down when it parlays into 4-5 possessions after that.”
The best have a next play mentality
(Via @BallisPsych 🎥)
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- Reduce distractions (e.g. background television)
- "Pomodoro technique" - 25 minutes work/study, 5 minute break
- Mindfulness. Mindfulness improves attention.
- Remove the cellphone from our immediate environment. Schools recognized this and banned cellphone use during class.
Basketball punishes distractions. We replay the missed layup.We anticipate the final score. We worry about who’s watching.
Meanwhile, the ball is live. The best players are not the most emotional. They play present more consistently
The Myth of Multitasking
You cannot guard your player and think about the last turnover. You cannot shoot freely while calculating your shooting percentage.
You cannot defend the possession in front of you while arguing with the previous call. Attention is finite. When it drifts backward or forward, performance drops.
Win This Possession
A possession lasts seconds. That’s the game. In "Above the Line," Urban Meyer reminded players, "A to B, 4 to 6 seconds." That's a football play. Basketball's usually longer.
Fight for this possession. Sprint back. Talk early. Touch the paint. Finish the play. Stack winning possessions. Outcomes follow.
Control What You Can Control
You can’t control the whistle. You can’t control the crowd.
You can’t control a hot shooter.
Control your stance, voice, effort, decision.
Anchor Your Presence
When players drift mentally, bring them back physically. Stop and take a breath. Be where your feet are. Stabilize your mind with your body.
The Cost of Not Being Present
Most turnovers are not talent failures. They are attention failures. Late read on a trap. Ball-watching on a cut. Buddy running in transition. The scoreboard records points. Lapses create points.
Playing Present Is a Competitive Edge
At the high school level, games swing on emotional momentum. One bad call, missed box-out, a careless pass. Presence is recovery speed.
A Simple Standard
Ask one question between possessions:
“Am I locked in now? If no, reset. Basketball rewards the present tense.Talent sets the ceiling. Focus sets the floor. Win this possession, every possession. When Dave Smart says, "The best teams play harder for longer," that's what he means.
