April 09, 2021 | Tagged Coaching
Key Summer Basketball Training Advice from NBA Head Scout
We talked with NBA Head Scout Ryan Carr about the tournament and the importance of summer time.
What key advice do you have for athletes hoping to play at the next level?
Summer is crucial. This is the time to get really serious about making the huge changes in your game. I recommend every serious player write down his or her goals and make summer time the serious focus necessary to become great. What areas would you focus on in skill development? The two biggest areas I recommend are ball handling and shooting. You have to be really comfortable with the ball no matter what position you play. Big men have to be able to catch and control the ball in traffic with one or two dribbles. I can’t stress enough how important ball handling is for every player. This means you practice ball handling every single day and write down your goals. Shooting is the next skill you need to be improving this summer. You may consider defense your specialty but even so, you have to get good at shooting. Shooting mechanics are essential. Work on these every day. Start in close then work your way out.
I would have two goals this summer. First, focus on intensive skill practice especially in the two areas I just mentioned. Second, find lots of places to play whether it’s pick-up games, tournaments, camps, you need to be on the court able to work on your skills. Having the freedom to try new skills and make mistakes is important. When the games don’t matter as much, use this time to push yourself and work on the changes you are making in your individual skill work out.
Summertime is for the serious athlete to experience big changes in their skill level.
Here is an inspiring story about a former NBC Camper which ties into the advice from Ryan.
A young freshman who was 5'2 and only 95 pounds wanted to play Division 1 college basketball. Pretty much everyone, including his dad (a basketball coach) thought it was an impossible dream. Nonetheless, this young man made a goal to play 8 hours a day. He would set his alarm every morning and be on the court by 7 am. The court, an outdoor cement playground at an elementary school was about 10 minutes bike ride from his house. He'd pack his lunch, and work on each aspect of the game. He made up difficult scenarios and put pressure on each shot. The next summer, he made a goal to play 10 hours per day. By the time he was a senior, he was 6'1. He won state in double overtime averaging 39 points per game in the tournament. He was the first player from a class A school to be named an All-American. His dreams of playing Division 1 came true. He eventually played professionally overseas. This once tiny freshman ended up benching 305, with a vertical of 42 inches, and with a shooting percentage of 52% from the International three point line.
Dreams come true when we wake up and go to work.
About NBC Basketball
Since 1971, NBC Basketball has trained athletes for success on and off the court. Camps focus on mental toughness, skill mastery, basketball IQ, leadership, and personal faith. For more information visit www.nbccamps.com