When the flower of youth is in full bloom, nobody has it all figured out. Everyone is bound to mess up early on in life. The reason for this is because the younger you are, the more knowledge and experience you lack. This rings true even in the sport of basketball.
With nothing but a burning passion for the game, common mistakes young players make in basketball are inevitable. So, as an adult, it is your duty to make sure that such oversights should not be repeated.
Keep Watch: Common Mistakes Young Players Make in Basketball
The best method to guide young players down the right path is through raising awareness. That is the reason why it is necessary to acquire knowledge of common basketball errors they commit in a bid to open their eyes and bring them up to speed.
Knowing your mistakes will make you greater in the court!Â
Overreliance on athleticism
Athleticism may be a great ability to have on the court, but being over reliant on it might lead to serious problems in the future. For one, young ballers might have a tough time tapping into their maximum potential if their game only revolves around their innate talents instead of developing the skill set to compete on a high level. While being a natural speedster, leaper or a towering presence can give them a leg up on the amateur competition, it can predispose an athlete to neglect training hard, which is an important ingredient to find success in the professional scene.
Another downfall of overreliance on athletic ability is the high injury risk. Consistent overuse of athleticism in long-running tournaments, on top of other physical activities, can contribute to the wear-and-tear of a young player’s muscles and bones. This may lead to an injury-riddled career in the long run.
Neglect mid-range game
Every young player desires to make the crowd go wild and put a new addition to their highlight reels. The easiest ways to do so are through flashy dunks, fancy finishes at the rim, and shots from beyond the arc. For this reason, the art of mid-range shots is often ignored, which is a huge mistake to commit when looking to build a career in the sport.
The mid-range shot is an important weapon in an elite athlete’s arsenal. This opens up scoring opportunities for a team as it keeps the defense guessing about whether you will settle for a three, drive in towards the basket, or shoot from the perimeter. So, the youth must never neglect to work on the mid-range game to build a complete package to compete on a high level.
Makes scoring complicated
Most of the time, all a player needs to produce a basket is a simple move. But when an urge to ignite a crowd comes into play, this is where things get complicated. The most common showboating practice a young hooper often makes is dribbling too much. While a series of crossovers to force a defender out of balance is a sight to see, coaches would view this act in a negative light.
True enough, over dribbling gives the defenders time to swarm and trap the ball handler, leading up to bad turnovers and easy baskets for the opposition. So, it is best to remind young players to dribble with a purpose instead of doing it to please the crowd.
Learning experience
The mistakes young players make may strike a bad chord when you point them out to them, but doing so will only lead to good things in the future. Again, errors are part of the learning process and can be used as a springboard for improvement.