Tuesday, August 25, 2009

While you were checking the rule book - the Final answer to the traveling violation

What is the definition of cheating within the game of basketball? If your man drives, and you hand check and the ref misses it, is that cheating? No, that was a foul that went uncalled. Obviously, your goal is to move your feet, but any good defender is going to risk the foul at times to recover when they get beat. That’s part of the game. If they call the foul, okay, but if they don’t, then great! That’s basketball.

 

You’re on offense. The defender reaches in and you use your non-dribbling hand to slap their hand away. Or the defender is tight to your body, so you use your off-hand to slightly push off for an open shot. Is that cheating? No, it’s a calculated risk. And the best players are great at taking these risks, because they know all they are risking is a foul.

 

When it comes to the travel call, this is especially important. Offensive moves out of the triple threat are increasingly evolving. And if we get really picky, most of them are a travel. The rules state that if the pivot foot picks up before the ball hits the floor, it’s a travel violation. Our You Tube site is flooded with people arguing about this topic, so I thought I would put my two cents in

 

Now, as players we need to know the rules. That’s important. But if we get too obsessed with the rules, we will handcuff our game. There are a lot of trainers out there who are what I call, “Basketball Purists.” They are constantly going to the basketball rulebook like it’s the Constiution. They feel that basketball is ruined, and the only answer is to bring back the earlier years when basketball was pure.  But personally, I fear for the players they train. They will get dominated in today’s game. Let me give an example.

 

Let’s go back to the 60’s and grab any wing player and put them in today’s game. I don’t care what you say; they would get locked down offensively. The overall game would be too fast, too physical, and the players too athletic. They would certainly need time to adjust. Now, take a player from today’s game and put them in the 60’s.  They would struggle too. Every dribble would be a carry; every move would be a travel. They would lead the league in turnovers…until they adjusted.

 

But we are talking about today’s game and whether we all like it or not, today’s game is not the game of the 60’s! If we want to get real picky, we can spend all day arguing about what is a travel and what is not. But what really matters is how well we can adjust to the officiating. If you do a move and the ref calls it a travel, guess what…adjust. Don’t do it again, or atleast don’t do it that way again.

 

The great players don’t limit their game to the rulebook; they adapt their game to the officiating. And if you don’t have more moves to pull out of the toolbox, guess what, you can’t adapt. That’s why I don’t split my hairs over what moves might be called a travel. To get an example, watch the video below.

 

In this move, my goal is to get the ball down before I pick up my foot. But I also know that if I can do the move quick enough, I have nothing to worry about anyway. Is it a travel? Well, that’s my calculated risk. I don’t mean to be cocky, but while you were checking the rulebook, I just scored two.

 

Saturday, August 15, 2009

The Unseen Eyes

One of the first things Ganon mentioned to me when I joined Ganon Baker Basketball was to always remember “the unseen eyes.” We often talk about character meaning what someone does when no one is watching. While that is certainly true, the bottom line is we never know if someone is in fact watching!

Many times, our hardwork will eventually pay off when “the unseen eyes” take notice. This is recently true of John Gilchrist. As many of you know I have been spending a lot of time training the former University of Maryland star. And I have spent much of that time telling him that if he continues to work, eventually someone will see him. It will pay-off if he continues to give up until someone takes notice! Well, he's been noticed.

You never know who is watching. First, Mr Glenn Clark from Sports Talk 1570 WNST in Baltimore, had John Gilchrist on his show. After the interview, Clark wrote a blog about John which has recently been picked up at WashingtonTimes.com, TerrapinTrail.com, and TestudoTimes.com to name a few.I didn't know what would develop from this. My hopes for John, maybe it would help him get another shot in the NBA summer league. 

But as it turned out, a team in Australia saw him in another spot. They saw the video of me training John on You Tube. They liked the video, became interested in John, and he signed the contract. FROM YOUTUBE!!! It's a crazy world!

Remember, the unseen eyes are out there. That should be enough to always keep up at our best!

Feel free to listen to the interview at the following link:
http://wnst.net/wordpress/section/audio/

And read the blog:
http://wnst.net/wordpress/glennclark/2009/06/12/john-gilchrist-to-greivis-vasquez-college-is-the-best-time-of-your-life-by-far/

Trading Time for Time

There are no refunds on time. Once it’s used, it’s gone. It’s a resource. In everything we do, we are trading our time for something. We trade our time for money. We trade our time for entertainment. We trade our time for knowledge. We trade our time for great relationships. We all know these things but too many of us still waste our time. 

Here’s the key. As a basketball player, we must learn to trade our time for time! 

Research shows that on average, every 1 minute spent planning saves us 10 minutes of execution time. If this is true, then if we would just spend 10 minutes planning our workouts, knowing exactly what we’re going to do, we would save an hour and 40 minutes on the court. That is how we must trade our time. Through planning, we can use our time to gain more time on the court. 

So players…don’t just be satisfied with getting your time in the gym. Take the time to plan out your week, a whole month, or maybe even your entire off-season. Then watch as you are able to get more done then you ever imagined possible!

The Breaking Point

I’ve written before that there is no such thing as “half-faith.” I believe that 100%. In order to believe we have to believe in full. However, I have never meant to say that faith has to be free from all doubt. That might sound contradictory but listen; faith is an action not just a thought process.

I am currently in Michigan for several clinics. The other day I had two groups. In the morning, I had a younger group. In the afternoon, I had a high school group. To no surprise, the younger group was full of faith – future college and NBA players. The older group had maybe two players aspiring for the college level.

Now, if I turned back the clock on those older kids they would have looked just like that younger group – full of “faith.” What happened? Some were just not gifted enough, but I think most just never really believed at all.

My goal is to show players how to get what they want. I will never tell anyone they can’t! I will just tell them how hard their journey will be. Inevitably, however, once I show them how to get what they want, many will either not want it anymore or they will no longer believe they can have it anymore. When I asked that younger group the same questions at the end of the camp, fewer hands went up. That’s okay. Those players, even at a very young age, either decided they were not willing to work so hard, or they decided they would never be good enough. I’m okay with that because it only reveals the level of their faith. Doubts can only do two things – reveal the weakness of your faith or the strength of your faith. When the first is revealed, that is always the breaking point of any dream.

When a person has faith, they make a decision that something is true, something is real, something is going to happen. No doubts can shake that kind of faith. When I talk about “half-faith” I’m not talking about your thoughts. I’m talking about your heart. Your heart has to be undivided on an issue. If you have a dream, your heart does not compromise. Once a heart becomes split, that is half-faith and is not faith at all.

I want you to know that you are allowed to have doubts. I want you to understand that doubts are going to enter your mind. Don’t question your faith because of doubts, because it’s what you do with them that truly matter. Faith is acting DESPITE all doubts. And every time you act despite your doubts, your faith will only grow stronger!

The True Meaning of Intelligence

What is Intelligence? We tend to think intelligence is simply information and knowledge. But it’s not. Intelligence is not a high IQ or a 4.0 GPA in school. I agree with worldwide business leader, Brian Tracy, “Intelligence is a “way of acting.” 

I know of many so-called “intelligent” people who act very unintelligently. They know all the right stuff, but they don’t use what they know to move them ahead in life. They waste time, they make poor decisions; they are really not intelligent people. Think about it. It’s not how many ideas you have in life that matter; it’s about many ideas you act on! Having a high basketball IQ, then, is not how much you know about the game, it’s making great decisions on the court – acting intelligently.  

Here’s what is amazing. Every one has the ability to act intelligently. On average, 15 miutes of reading per day adds up to 15 books read per year. Intelligence is not so much the knowledge in books; intelligence is first the act of reading. Act intelligently, and you will gain intelligence. Make these kinds of decisions in your life and in the game of basketball, and you will dramatically increase your chances for success!

Deep Fatigue - An Athlete's Worst Nightmare

I was first introduced to this concept as a player in college. My sophomore year, we started out the season with great energy and passion. By the end of the season, we ran out of gas. It was like our collective bodies would just not operate the same. We were fatigued and exhausted. The losses piled up!

What happened? Our pre-season condiitoning program was so intense and so exhausting that we never let our bodies rest. Once the season started, we were in shape and ready to go. But our lack of rest throughout the year caused us to unravel. Our bodies hit a point called “deep fatigue.” Deep fatigue is the body actually shutting down to an extent in order to recover. In other words, if you don’t rest, your body will force you to rest whether you want to or not. Our job as athletes, then, is to be in the best possible shape while avoiding deep fatigue.

As a trainer, I still have to be very careful of this. For instance, in the next couple of months, I’m doing camps, clinics, team workouts, personal training, and motivational speeches in Virginia, then North Carolina, back to Virginia, then Phoenix, back again to North Carolina, right to Michigan, back to Virginia, over to New Jersey, right back to North Carolina, directly to Canada, and another stop in North Carolina before I come home again to Virginia! And ,of course, Ganon’s traveling more than that! If we don’t find time for rest, we will run out of gas and burn out our bodies. We must be careful in our business, in all our hard work, to find rest.

I tell each one of my players this: They must take atleast one full day off of working out a week. And on this day off, they shouldn’t do a thing. I’m saying don’t do any activities that require your body to work, period. Take it easy. Chill with you family and friends!!!

This can be tough to do for driven, competitive athletes. I had to figure this out as well, because I hate the feeling of not working towards my dreams! But I have learned one important lesson and this is what I want you to get. Always remember, you can get more out of your body in six days and even five days, then you can ever get out of it in seven. Rest, taking time off, will actually maximize what you can get out of your workouts on a weekly basis. And that’s a fact! Try it for a month and tell me I’m wrong!!!

Training Pro John Gilchrist

In 2004, John Gilchrist stormed into the ACC tournament as an unstoppable force. He led the Maryland Terrapins past Chris Paul’s Wake Forrest, Julius Hodge’s NC State, and Duke’s NBA lineup of Chris Duhon, Sheldon Williams, J.J. Redick, and Luol Deng to win the ACC tournament. Gilchrist averaged 24 points to claim the title and ACC tournament MVP honors. Many projected him to be a lottery pick if he declared for the draft as a powerfully built, physical point guard (6’3, 200 pounds) with the ability to score in multiple ways. He chose to stay, had a few media squabbles with coach Gary Williams, and went undrafted the following year.
After a few years in Israel and then the NBDL, Gilchrist came to me for skill development training. I had heard the labels. “Selfish.” “Head-Case.” “Egotistical.” These were the tags that were placed on a 20 year-old kid after a few moments of letting his emotions get the best of him. But the moment he hit the floor with me, I observed nothing more than a humble, hard working, and level headed competitor that still possesses the physical ability to be an NBA player. That is…if he can shake the labels that have been placed on his shoulders.
Wanting to know what kind of individual John Gilchrist really was, I prodded him with questions about his experience with Gary Williams that ultimately led to John’s demise as an NBA prospect. I expected bitterness and animosity, but John turned down the opportunity to say anything negative about his former coach. Instead, he has only said things such as, “Coach Williams and I are close and everything that I have learned under him has helped me. He is a legend and it was an honor to play for him.” In fact, John has only taken full responsibility for the mistakes he made in 2005, stating that he lacked the maturity at the time to handle the “media magnifying glass” that he was under. He has demonstrated nothing but good feelings toward Coach Williams, and has made zero excuses for his own downfall. That my friends is not a “head-case.” John Gilchrist is ready to be a leader.
Of course, there are important keys we’ve had to focus on in our training sessions. To play at the next level, Gilchrist has to drop his hips more often for better balance and explosiveness in order to create space off the dribble, he must be able to hit the floater with either hand with more consistency, and continue to improve his ambidexterity as a passer and finisher. John has handled my critique of him with class and a learning attitude and we will continue to work on his skills and knowledge of the game. When it comes right down to it a point guard must be a leader, his team’s hardest worker, his team’s smartest player, and have the ability to control his emotions as an extension of his coach on the floor. At this moment, John Gilchrist has those qualities.
Recently, Gilchrist has signed a lucrative contract to play in Australia. He came to me to improve his strengths and eliminate his weaknesses, and it helped him re-establish himself. Will he be in the NBA someday? I think so.

To catch a glimpse of our trainining sessions, feel free to check out the videos below.




One Incredible Story

I get so unbelievably frustrated training players who just refuse to push past a certain point. Some players stop working hard when they feel too much sweat seeping out, while others stop pushing when their lungs start to hurt. Some people just refuse to go through pain. This story is for those people. 

Al Oerter was a track-and-field superstar who won the gold medal for discus throwing in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. Trying again in 1964, his top competition was a man who had already beat Al’s old records just with his practice throws! To make matters worse, Al tore the cartilage off the right side of his rib cage and badly damaged a cervical disc a week before the Olympics. Wearing a neck brace to dulll the pain, he amazingly managed to qualify for the finals. Of course, his doctor advised him to drop out because the pain was nearly unbearable. 

At this point, Al was hit with an inner voice we all get at times, “Don’t make a fool of yourself. You’ve got en excuse. Withdraw!”  

Still, Al suited up. Although his first throw managed to qualify Al for the last string of finalists, Al’s next two throws were failures and the pain on his side and neck only got worse. But Al had one last throw: 

“He stepped back into the ring and threw the discuss one more time. It sailed over 200 feet down the field for a new world record – and Al’s third gold medal. Looking back on that day, Al said… 

“The important thing for all of us to remember is that wherever we want to go in life, we won’t get there unless we bend all our efforts – mental, physical, and spiritual – toward that end.” (Lester Sumrall) 

Some people simply give it their all. Some don’t. It’s amazing that people like Al can exist and push their bodies and minds to such incredible heights, while others can’t even push themselves to break a decent sweat. But I guess that’s why some people succeed while others….just don’t. I don’t know about you, but Al’s story has inspired me. My advice, let’s all try to be a little more like Al.

If You Look at Your Chances, You'll Miss Out on Yours

Apparently, you have a better chance to win the lottery than play in the NBA. And your chances to play college basketball are still a measley 2-3% percent. These are your so-called chances. But how do we explain those who make it? Are they all just natural talents mixed with just enough connections and happenstances? Or did the “lucky” percent just have the audacity to ignore their chances???

Synics and critics are everywhere. They want to see you fail, because it justifies their own mediocrity. See, they never had the guts to go for their dreams, so they can’t stand the sight of peope who are. They are the first to point to your chances and call you a fool for dreaming.

Now, I can honestly say that I have accomplished every basketball-related dream I’ve ever had, and some are still in the process. “But you didn’t play in the NBA.” Look, whether you believe me or not, my dream wasn’t to play there. I wanted to play overseas and see the world, and I received offers to do that. The funny thing is I decided not to accept the offers. The truth is I love training players and I chose that journey.

My point is this: You and you alone decide what your dreams and goals are. You can’t always control the circumstances. You might have the dream of playing at North Carolina but Roy Williams or Coach Hatchell might not think you’re the right fit for their program; another program might. You can’t magically change their mind, but YOU CAN PLAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL. That’s why I always tell players that they should have their goals and then their ideals. The goal should be play college basketball, and if they want to play at a specific college then that is their ideal. Bottom line: They shoot for college.

Now, as far as professional basketball goes. If NBA is your goal, you still will not be in control of someone giving you a chance. So have the humility to work your way up the ladder. Get your foot in the door and succeed at the level you are at. That will open the next level. See, people may scoff at ABA and CBA or even NBDL but who cares about those people and what they think. If you don’t give up, you never know what can happen. Bruce Bowen entered the league after 4 years of playing in the CBA and France. Even then, it took him several years to finally have some stability. How did he do that? Defense, a lot of hard work, and persistence.

Can that be you? Well, only if you stop looking at your chances. Because if you are caught looking at your chances, you don’t have one. If you look at your odds, you’ll be the odd one out. But if you keep your eyes on the prize, I’m not going to tell you it can’t be done. Go for it!!!

Don't Give Labels, Give Direction

As a skill development trainer, my job is to build up a player. That means I have to locate bad habits and correct them, but also locate negative thought patterns and spin them positive. The habits are easy, the thoughts are the challenge. A negative coach can make it nearly impossible at times.

Author Brian Biro wrote, “As we communicate our expectations of others, we influence their expectation of themselves.” I get so frustrated when I hear a kid say, “I’m not supposed to” when I’m trying to teach them a necessary skill. Basically, all they are really saying is somone doesn’t believe in me, whether that someone is their parents or coaches. Here’s the deal. If we don’t believe in our players, most will never believe in themselves.

I’m talking kids at young ages that already believe they will NEVER be fast enough, big enough, athletic enough, smart enough, or coordinated enough to master this skill or that skill. Coaches, we can help make your players better. We are some of the best at what we do. But don’t forget the part you play in their long-term development.

A good leader doesn’t give lables, LEADERS GIVE DIRECTION. If a small kid is getting his shots blocked around the basket, don’t tell him not to drive in against the trees, Don’t tell him he “can’t.” Show him how he can have success. How can he manuever around the basket? How can he be more creative, more ambidetrous? If a kid has a bad shot, we shouldn’t tell him not to shoot. Give direction. What adjustments should be made with his form? Can he/she get in more repetition? THEN COMMUNICATE YOUR EXPECTATION THAT THEY BECOME A GREAT SHOOTER! To me, that’s what coaching is all about!!!

Medicine Ball vs Rice

I was watching a little NBA fit on NBATV the other day, and Luol Deng was reaching his hands in a big bucket of rice. Now, obviously Deng was working on his hand and forearm strength, and that’s great. However, since my next DVD, “Keys to a Quick Handle – The Complete Medicine Ball Workout” is coming out soon, I got to thinking.

If I told you that you could take a ½ hour and improve your ball handling, hand quickness, explosiveness, fundaments, while improving your hand and forearm strength, OR take a ½ hour, squuze some rice, and improve your hand and forearm strength, what would you choose? That should be an easy answer. You would pick the ½ hour that would benefit your game the most, and equip you with the most skills. In other words, you would pick time efficiency.

That’s why I am so excited about the medicine ball. There’s no question that hand strength is essential. And that’s why NBA players like Luol Deng is taking the time and energy to squeeze and work with rice. But I also believe, that players like Deng will soon put that rice away and get their hand strength on the basketball court, with a basketball in their hands, taking game shots, and working on game skills.

Remember, while the medicine ball is an old concept, this kind of medicine ball training is a new idea and a fresh way to train. The word will soon be out and I can’t wait to share it with you all. The promo is below: I would love to hear your thoughts.



Rope Burns to Success

I often use this illustration: If I put a lion on one side of the room and you on the other, would your definition of desire change? Would your definition of work ethic and persistence be different then it is now?

I’ve said this before, “The proof of desire in the pursuit” (Dr. Murdock). But I don’t think very many athletes understand this concept. Unfortunately, we live in the age of entitlement. So many players think that success is going to be gift-wrapped for them.

It’s as if they are at the bottom of a deep pit, waiting for someone to lift them out. All the while, a rope hangs down waiting for them to climb out. If they truly desired to get out of the pit, they would start their climb. Most don’t even get that far.

Then, there’s the rope burns. The pain. The exhaustion. The sweat that goes into climbing to the top. Even those who do start the climb, will give up due to the burns they suffer. The bottom line is: That is pursuit! You can’t claim desire without it!!!

Players, everyone starts in the pit; the majority don’t make it out. If you want to be the minority of those who do, learn to pursue. If your vocabulary needs a change, change it. If you need to work harder, smarter, or more efficient, figure out how. But don’t tell me your desire; show me your pursuit!

What is Your Kryptonite?

It’s been said that a team is only as strong as its weakest link. Now, obviously there are some exceptions to the rule. I don’t believe the Chicago Bull’s weakest link ever effected Michael Jordan’s ability to win a championship. Jordan needed some help, but the weakest didn’t keep him from a championship. However, when it comes to the individual, I believe there are less exceptions to this rule. A player is only as strong as his/her greatest weakness. Let’s examine that.

If a player is a great shooter, but can’t handle the basketball, their weakness will negatively impact their strength. They may not be able to get their shot off! If you can drive, but you can’t shoot, the defense will sag in and close your driving lanes. Your weakness will limit your strengths. When all said and done, many players actually become their weakness! What is your Kryptonite? Have we learned anything from Superman. In the end, what defined Superman? His powers? Or his weakness? That’s an easy answer. Despite all his abilities and strengths, Kryptonite still killed him. The greatest player to ever play the game, Michael Jordan, is known for his unbelievable strengths. But when it comes right down to it, he’s known even better for his complete lack of weaknesses! If MJ had a Kryptonite, no one managed to figure it out. Last summer, I was shocked when a 6′6 college player told me his coach wouldn’t allow him to practice his mid-post or face-up game. When I talked with that coach, he reassured me that he did not want his player wasting his time working on his weaknesses, when he could be focusing on his strengths. What a mindset! What this coach did not understand was that no matter how good this kids strengths became, he would always be shackled by those weaknesses. He was a great three point shooter with good athleticism and versatility, that would always be limited by what he couldn’t do on the basketball court. It’s a shame!

My advise to coaches and players is this. We must stop focusing on whether a player is a 1,2,3,4, or a 5; stop focusing on the position they play, and start focusing on giving them all skills they need.

Now obviously, some areas should be trained more than others. J.J. Redick needs to keep shooting. Point guards must always keep an emphasis on dribbling and passing. But if we keep ignoring our weaknesses, we will always limit our strengths and our potential! Don’t be Superman if you can help it. Get rid of your Kryptonite!!!

How Much is Enough?

Players are constantly emailing me asking how much time they should be putting in the gym, so I want to try to touch on that question.

Before I do, let me talk about the time I put in: Summer between Junior year and senior year in high school: 8 hours per day

First two years of college (Off-season): 4 hours per day

Last two years of college (Off-season) 3 hours per day

Professional: 2 hours per day

Now, that 8 hours per day I put in in high school was important. That experience taught me HOW to train, but the best training I ever put in was the 2 hours per day I put in the gym during my professional years. How is that? I learned how to maximize my time, cover more skills, and get more out of each minute. That is why we always say, “it’s not what you do, its what you emphasize.” People are always so worried about time. But that’s not what its all about. We have to be careful when we make training all about minutes and seconds. Many times I think players ask about time, so they can do just enough to be good. Never do just enough to get by. The basic guideline is this: Do everything you can, each and every day you can do it. Rest is important, and balance is important. But each and every person knows if they are truly giving their all. So for all you players wondering about time. Don’t stress. Just give it your all!

Are You Really College Bound?

“If you want to play in college, raise your hand.” I don’t know how many times I’ve asked this question when speaking to a high school team, and almost all the hands go up. I then spend an hour demonstrating and teaching the process of how to prepare yourself for the next level, how to train, how to practice, how to make the most of your time. I get done with the speech and the players all say things like, “Man, I’m ready. I’m going to work harder than ever!” I then step back and observe them for a few minutes before I leave.

Many times they have 15 minutes before their practice starts, so I want to see what they do. This is the typical response. Despite the fact they raised their hand, and despite the fact that they now know how to work, almost all of them will do the following: Shoot around, maybe try to dunk, or sometimes even throw up half-court shots or at least shots out of their range. I’m constantly reminded how few players are really willing to give it their all.

So I want to test you today. One of the best ways a player can keep their shot in-tune and continue to work on their form is with “mirror shots.” It’s simple. Get in front of a mirror and act out shooting. Wrist back and under ball, elbow under ball, punch through the ball on the release, lock the elbow, snap the wrist. Over and over and over again, a player can continue to work on their form and visualize their makes. I’m convinced that if a player would do just 100 of these every day, they would become at least a little bit better without even touching a basketball. Then, when they get in the gym, their shot just feels better!

I say this knowing many players won’t do this, but just in case you are one of them that will, I encourage you to give it a month. Do a 100 mirror shots every day before you go to bed, in the morning, or whatever works for you. Then, make sure you’re still working on your game in the gym. If you don’t get results, then call me a liar. But I bet it will make a BIG difference!

Building a House

I had the opportunity today to speak to 500 Middle School and 750 High School students. I spoke quite a bit on the subject of handling criticism and I would like to share more with you. 

How to build your house 

People like to throw bricks. Some throw insults, some criticism, some doubts and scoffs…they feel like bricks. When I was younger, the common bricks that were thrown were, “You’re too small.” “You’re too weak.”`”You will fail!” Now, I think their are three ways to handle these bricks. 

1. Ignore them: A lot of people take on this strategy. No matter what anyone tells them, no matter what anyone thinks about them, they will go on and live their life. They let nothing effect them. To be frank, the people who do this are actually just running away. They pretend not to be hurt, and they spend their lives running away from bricks. 

2. Carry them: The second option you can do with the bricks that others throw at you is this. You can carry them with you. Alot of people do this instead. They soak up everything that people say. They meditate on criticism and negative feedback. They spin those same thoughts in their head over and over and over again. And if they carry those bricks long enough, they will eventually be burried. Paralyzed by the thoughts and opinions of others. 

3. Build: This is the winners choice. I do not believe that there is such a thing as useless criticism. Every kind of criticism can be used to build. For instance, when people told me I was short, they were absolutely right! If I ignored them and pretended I wasn’t short, I wouldn’t have ever made it. If I would have carried those words around with me, I would have moved on to a new goal. Instead, I needed to build my house with that resource. Ok, if I’m short, what can I do to make my height work for me instead of against me? How can I succeed anyway? 

Or when they said, “You’re weak.” Once again, they were right. This was valuable information. I needed to know I was weak, so I could get to the gym and make myself stronger. My strength was in my control. That was positive building material that I used to succeed. 

Finally, “You will fail.” Well this is an interesting one. I didn’t need to run away from this or meditate on this thought. No, only I could determine if I would truly fail or not. That was in my control. This was fuel. Not to prove anyone else wrong, but to prove to myself that I could do it.  

See, criticism is a part of everything you do. The key is to find away to use the material that the critics give you, and use it build a house they can’t crumble. See, if you do this long enough, eventually those bricks will bounce right off that strong house you built, possibly falling right back on their own head. In fact, this may be one of the only instances where the old saying, “I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!” The beauty of it is that the very people who wanted you to fail or said you would never make it, are the very ones who can directly contribute to your success…That is If you know how to use the materials they give you. 

Immediately Comes After Persistence

When I send an email, my signature quote reads:  “Immediately comes after persistence.” I’m sure some people are wondering what that statement means so I will spend some time explaining. 

My favorite topic to discuss, hands down, is the subject of persistence. The reason is simple. Persistence is the only true secret to success. There are a lot of self-help books out there that give keys to success, but the truth is there are no secrets. The only proven way to success is persistence. That much is obvious, because you can’t get anywhere in life unless you travel all the way there! 

However, persistence can not exist separate from faith. And for me, my faith is in God. I’ve had a lot of moments in my life, my basketball career, and my career as a skill development trainer, where giving up actually seemed to make sense. But my faith in God and His ability to carry me through the dreams that He gave me, have kept me going. And this is what I have learned about God: “With God, even when nothing’s happening, something’s happening” (Dr. Dobson).  

This relates so well to the basketball court, because players must spend countless hours in the gym practicing and sweating. And so often, during this process it seems like nothing is happening. However, when those players step on the court, all of a sudden they see that something was happening. All of a sudden, almost “immediately” they could do something they couldn’t do before. That’s what I mean.  

In life, if you persist long enough and continue to work while you wait, God will bring the “Immediately.” All of a sudden, your persistence will pay off! In basketball, if you continue to work, through all the mistakes, through all the pain and sweat, success will come in some form or another. 

Ganon often says, “There is no microwave success.” He’s exactly right. There is no such thing as an overnight success. But if you persist long enough, you’ll eventually be labeled one!

Unshakeable Confidence

A while back I talked with a college player who claimed he once had confidence but had lost it. I asked, “What happened?” And this was his answer. “I saw Ganon workout.”

Now, here was a player who had all kinds of potential who lost his “confidence” because someone else was better than he was. I was astounded by this. So I asked him, “What does Ganon’s  skill level have to do with your confidence?” Of course Ganon was going to be better. Ganon has put in millions upon millions of reps at the drills that he does. There was no reason for this player to let his confidence be shaken because someone was better than he was; especially someone at the level of Ganon Baker!

As you probably know, Kobe put up 61 points against the Knicks last season. Well, if you saw LeBron James play the very next day, you would have seen LeBron try that very same move. He missed the shot, but you know what…LeBron saw Kobe do something that he couldn’t do. How did he respond? He decided to go try it.

That is the attitude of a winner. Seek out those who can do something better than you can, or those who are just simply better than you are, and learn from them. Their talent shouldn’t intimidate you or weaken your confidence. No, let their talent encourage you. If they can do it, then maybe you can too!

The Art of Changing Speeds

Go back and watch Jordan coast full court and end with a dunk. Watch Chris Paul effortlessly dribble into the paint and set a teammate up with a lob. Watch Steve Nash come off a ball screen and stroll into the lane for a little fade away. Why do the best players so often look like they are putting in very little effort?  

As a skill development trainer, I’ve come across a very common problem. Player’s are often athletic, quick, and explosive, but they play the game with only one speed. Athletes are always trying to beat everyone with their athleticism every second, but if you take a moment to look at the best athletes in the world you’ll see a different story. Watch how Kobe Bryant starts off each game. He doesn’t come out of the gates sprinting all over the court. He cuts through the lane at a medium pace and receives a few screens, just trying to get an understanding of how the defense is playing him, and then BOOM! A few possessions later Kobe explodes for an ESPN highlight! 

Players, it’s time to practice some POISE. That’s what the phrase, “letting the game come to you” is all about. You must be able to relax on the court from time to time and set your defender up. Here’s a great move for you to practice the art of changing speeds. 

SLOW TO GO 

This is real simple, but hard to do. Dribble the ball through your legs at a relaxed pace, just like you would if you were just walking the ball down the court. As soon as the ball hits your hand, EXPLODE!

 Now, this is what usually happens when player’s try this. They can’t go through the legs slow. They are already anticipating the explosion to the basket. More often than not, they will dribble the ball hard through the legs and go. But remember, you must have two different levels here. Relaxed and Explosive. So try again and again and again until you get it. Dribble through your leg slow and wait until the ball touches the receiving hand, and then GO! Give it a try and tell me what you think.

Emotional Toughness is Mental Toughness

If you don’t think your attitude is important, check this out. “Medical researchers say that, when a person becomes angry, the anger has a negative effect on the human body and can actually shut down the immune system for about six hours. A person who is continually angry can shut down the natural defense system in their body for hours or for days.”

How does this relate to the court? I don’t know. But this is what I do know. If an attitude can have this kind of effect on your body, imagine the effect it has on your game!

Learning humility the hard way

I remember like it was yesterday a time I really let my emotions get the best of me. I was in high school, training and working on my game. I had a basket to myself, but the gym was relatively crowded. My shot was OFF. My handles were shaky. It was just one of those days. And I was frustrated with myself. So in a moment of frustration I spiked the ball on the gym floor as hard as I could. You may have done something like this before. Have you ever thrown or kicked a ball? Well, I never would have thought anything of it either, except that in my moment of frustration the ball came back up and hit me in the nose. An entire gym got to see me give myself a bloody nose because I couldn’t handle my emotions.

Fortunately, I grew up and learned. And I only tell this story, because since then I’ve learned that this may be one of the most important qualities an athlete needs. From that moment on, I learned the importance of being superior to my emotions. I learned to keep a level head, no matter the situation. Nothing ever paid off more. When the game is on the line, and you are the one taking the last shot, will you have a clear mind? Will you be in control? Do you have control of your attitude?

You want some playing time? Learn the importance of attitude. Obviously, you’re not getting in the game without some skill and ability, but if you want to play in crunch time…master your emotions. Coaches are always looking for mental toughness. GO GET IT!

The Art of the One Handed Pass

“Passing with one hand is not fundamental.” Those who say this call themselves basketball purists. Many of them claim that basketball was at its best 20 or 30 years ago and the fundamentals of the game has long slipped away. Although I can’t argue with all of it, we have to be careful not to limit ourselves and our thinking.
John Wooden offers a great lesson. He says, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” Wooden, as great as he was, always remained open and teachable when it came to the game of basketball. And when it comes to the art of passing, we must do the same. So let me give four quick reasons every player should practice passing with one hand.
Make Practice Harder
First things first, I do not suggest that all players perform one-hand passes in games. It is much riskier to make a one-hand pass. Where as a two-handed pass can be pulled back if need, a one-handed pass is final. The decision is made. Second, it is much harder to throw an accurate pass with only one hand.
That being said, I recommend practicing one-handed passes to each and every player. Why? Because the first rule of practice is this: make practice hard so the game is easy. Players should practice passing with one hand, just as players should practice dribbling two balls. If a player can dribble two basketballs with high energy and with great execution, then dribbling one basketball will be a piece of cake. Not only will their skills be better, but they will have more confidence as a result of their demanding training. The same is true of passing.
If a player can pass off the dribble with one hand with accuracy in practice, then they will definitely have the ability to pass accurately with two in games. On top of that, their confidence as a passer will be through the roof.
Ambidexterity
Very few players are born with the natural ability to use both hands equally, but every player can become ambidextrous to some extent. Therefore, the more a player forces him or herself to train both hands equally, the better each hand will get.
Practicing one-handed passes will not only make you a better passer, it will make your weak-hand dribbling stronger, and you will become an even better finisher around the basket, among other things, because you will be better with both hands. You will be amazed by the improvement of the rest of your game just by forcing both hands to individually pass the basketball.
Game Execution
Finally, you should practice passing with one hand, so you will actually have the ability to do so in a game. Just as it sometimes necessary to make a behind the back pass, or an imaginative finish at the basket, it is sometimes absolutely necessary to make a one-handed pass in a game. At times, it is the only way to get the ball to a shooter on time and on target.
The game of basketball is made up of inches and seconds. Sometimes the window of opportunity will be closed if a player has to take the time to pass with both hands. Pure and simple, it is a split second faster if a player can pass with one. Players who can’t do so, will have limitations in crunch time.
No Limits
As players, we should never put limits on our game. We want to remain fundamental, but we also want our bodies to have the ability to do exactly what is required to make the best play each and every time. That’s why practicing one-handed passes is so crucial. Confidence will be gained, both hands will become more equal, and at the very least, we will never be limited by what we mistakenly labeled “not fundamental.”

The Greatness of Perception

Perception is greater than reality. That is worth repeating again. Perception is greater than reality. In fact, I truly believe that in most cases, your perception of your present circumstances will determine your future reality.

Lou Holtz tells a great story. His Arkansas team was a huge underdog about to play in the Orange Bowl against a Oklahoma team favored to win the national championship. On top of that, Holtz had just suspended three of his best offensive players for disciplinary reasons.

Before the game, Holtz chose an approach we can all learn from. He sat his team down and asked them to list off every positive they could about their team and list off every possible reason they COULD win the game. Instead of allowing his team to focus on their present circumstances, and on the reality that the media focused on, he changed his team’s perception to the positive. They won the game 31-6!

Limitations?

As basketball players, we have to focus on what we have, not on what we don’t. Personally, if I would have focused on my lack of height, strength, and natural athleticism, I would have failed. Fortunately, I learned very early that I needed to focus on what I did have if I wanted any chance to be successful.

See, I don’t believe in limitations. Only perception. Look at Mugsy Bogues, Earl “the Squirrel” Boykins. Nate Robinson. 5′3. 5′5. 5′9. Just the fact that these players made it to the NBA proves that more “undersized” players can do it as well. But they have to possess the perception that these players have. They have to truly believe and turn that belief into action and hard work. What is “undersized’ anyway? Simple. It’s a perception. Somehow I don’t think Nate Robinson considers himself that way. I think he lists at as a positive.

Now, I talk a lot on the topic of height because of my personal experience. But this is true for everything. First, locate your limitations. Then run towards them. More times than not, you will learn they no longer exist!

Making Your Spin Move More Effective

I understand why coaches tend to sway players away from using spin moves and I know why players are nervous about spinning in games. A predictable spin move is an easy trap and steal for a defense. But if you would allow me, I would like to convince you why you need a spin in your game.

A post move off the dribble

Obviously, post players often play with their back to the basket. As we saw with Karl Malone in the finals against the bulls, this can be dangerous as Michael Jordan stole the ball away before he hit the game winner. But we will never tell post players to stop posting because of this risk. The same should be true of the spin move.
Basically, a great spin move around the basket or in the paint, is a post move on the run. It’s a great way to use your back to create space and a great way for guards to become post players as they drive. Being 5′9, I rarely posted up, but off the dribble I virtually became a post threat often using a baby hook or up and under move after a spin.

Protecting the ball

If a spin move is done correctly, as demonstrated in the video below, I believe it can be a great way to get to where you want to get on the court while protecting the basketball. I often used a spin to split defenders without worrying about being stripped because I could keep the ball in private property away from the defenders. Also, elbows can be used to demand space while spinning.

Be unpredictable

Players. you must be unpredictable on the basketball court. There are many ways to do this. Changing speeds, hesitations, ball fakes, and jabs are common ways. However, a spin move adds something special. If a player can spin at any moment, a defender must always be ready for that spin. That means every time you hesitate or change speeds, they must be prepared for the spin.

I know as a small, undersized player, the spin move was as good as a weapon as any other move I had. I know it can do the same for you! For more information watch the You Tube video below.



Life and Death in the Tongue, Even on the Court!

Have you ever seen that player who just doesn’t seem to give it his or her all. They just don’t seem to have desire. They may seem lazy. They may seem arrogant.

I’ve come across a lot of players that I have played with, played against, and trained that have this characteristic. And I too have tagged them as uncommitted, lazy, arrogant, and “too cool for school.”

But through my experience dealing with and talking with these players, I’ve learned that many times I’ve been wrong. There’s another issue that is crippling these players - “Self Consciousness.”

See, players can look confident. They can appear to even be over-confident. But if they are self-conscious, if they are worried about what others think, if they are concerned and even afraid of looking stupid or foolish, their confidence is only a mask. It’s not that they are lazy; they may even have an outstanding work ethic. But they are so caught up with looking good, that they hold themselves back. I see it all the time. Players that I am training who won’t get out of their comfort zone, are crippled by fear of making mistakes.

Three positives to every negative

Coaches, we need to come to an understanding here. Every leadership book we will ever read says this: For every negative, people must be told three positives. It’s so easy to nail players for their mistakes and call them lazy or stubborn, and there are definitely times for stern correction, but if we really want to get the best out of our athletes we need to understand the importance of stripping them of their self-consciousness! And one way to do this is praise their efforts and find ways to encourage them.

Edify. Edify. Edify. Correct what is wrong, but always praise what is right. As a skill development trainer there are times that I need to get in an athlete’s face, challenge them, humble them, and demand intensity and passion from them. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned through this process, it’s this - It’s impossible for anything good to come out of a bad choice of words!

Let me give you an example: I once had a coach who jokingly tagged my teammates with names like “Turnover Terry” and “Bad-hands Brad.” He thought this would challenge them to get better. What happened? Terry turned the ball over. Brad dropped more passes. I’ve seen other coaches who have said to certain players, “You will always make the same stupid mistakes.” Sure enough, those players continued to make the same mistakes, game after game.

Life and death is in the tongue. I don’t care who you are. This is true for NBA players, college All-Americans, and the littlest of kids. Yes, great players do have the ability to generate good from bad. Criticism can be used as fuel and should be. But God simply designed human beings to work best with praise. Think about it. What have others said about you years ago, that still pops in your mind now and then? Words just don’t go away; they are tough to shake. But true encouragement puts a bounce in a player’s step that will last several seasons!

Surrender to Your Purpose

“You will never succeed beyond the purpose in which you are willing to surrender” (John Maxwell).

In case you haven’t read my bio at www.ganonbakerbasketball.com, I’ll quickly fill you in:

“All growing up, I truly thought I was passionate about the game of basketball…But it wasn’t until I finished with my junior year at Comstock Park (MI), standing 5′6, 125 pounds, with no college scholarship offers, that I truly realized what passion was. From that summer on I stopped playing basketball and I started training for basketball. That’s when I learned that mere skill and enjoyment wasn’t the make-up of passion, but sacrifice, hard work, repetition and gritty perseverance. I made a decision to hit the gym for eight hours a day that summer and train, train, train…That next season I earned the scholarship I was seeking.”

It took me a long time to finally figure out what John Maxwell meant in the above quote. I had always desired to succeed, but when I really thought it over, I realized that I hadn’t surrendered to my desire. I really had to take the time to define hard work. Was I truly committed? Was I truly working as hard as I could? I was 4′11 as a freshman, 5′2 as a sophomore, and 5′6 as a junior. I was and am the prototypical undersized player. See, I was working as hard as any player in the area. That was my problem. I had only surrendered to the level of my opponents. I needed to work harder, make more sacrifices, and surrender to my own purpose at a level no one else was willing to do.

I had to! I had limitations and weaknesses that other’s didn’t have. You might be in the same boat, so I hope this helps. If you want to succeed, don’t judge your efforts based on what your competition is doing. Judge your efforts by doing everything that YOU are capable of doing. For me, I was capable of devoting my entire summer and eight hours a day. What are you capable of? Is there more room for surrender? It’s up to you…