March 20, 2022   |   Tagged Coaching

Basketball Talent Quiz

Take a quiz to answer if you know how to build and develop basketball talent.

Do you want to build your basketball talent or help your son or daughter become great at the game? Be sure you can answer this basketball talent quiz.

TAKE THE BASKETBALL TALENT QUIZ

• Playing lots of basketball games builds your talent. Yes or No
• A player could be considered talented by one coach and not by another. Yes or No
• Kids who learn a skill quickly are more talented than those who struggle to learn a skill. Yes or No
• Talent experts can tell early on who talented people will be. Yes or No
• Basketball players who want to be great should specialize only in basketball at an early age. Yes or No

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ

1. Playing lots of basketball games builds talent.
In most situations, the answer is no. Parents make a huge mistake in having a third-grade student play up to sixty games a season. Consider talent development from a different angle. Imagine a beginning piano student playing up to sixty concerts in a few months span. This would be a disaster for piano development. What builds the pianist is intentional, disciplined practice and some performance time. Skill work and talent development should be a significant amount of time in proportion to games. If you are playing more games than you are practicing, you are jeopardizing your talent.

2. A player could be considered talented by one coach and not by another.
Absolutely. Coaches tend to value certain skill sets over others. Some coaches value grit, mental toughness, and fierceness. Some value taking care of the ball, they prefer cautious play and layups over dunks. However, at some point, every athlete will continue to hear common themes no matter who he or she plays for. Wise players and parents get an assessment from several different coaches to create an overall talent development plan that is balanced and powerful.

3. Kids who learn a skill quickly are more talented than those who struggle to learn a skill.
This is a more complex question, but we think that the answer should be no. There are several reasons why someone learns a skill more quickly: aptitude and attitude are two of the biggest. Let’s look at this true scenario. A second grader loves basketball. He is an amazing ball-handler, he dribbles circles around his peers, and he picks up skills quickly. Another second grader loves basketball, but he struggles with motor mechanics. Just catching the ball is challenging. Who is going to be the more talented player? We have the advantage of 47 years of basketball training. We watched the amazing second grader grow to be about 5’6” and the struggling basketball player grows to be 6’9.” How quickly someone grasps a skill should never cause parents and coaches to make strong predictions about future talent.

4. Talent experts can tell early on who the talented players will be.
This is also a complex question. The answer is yes and no. We have had several professional athletes come to camp as younger players. There is a difference in these students—they are intentional, have great passion, high-level work ethic, mental toughness, and genetics. We’ve also had several kids come who people have discounted. Players who don’t have the belief of their coaches or even their parents have yet gone on to play at a professional level. Talent is still a beautiful mystery and making strong statements about who is and who is not talented is extremely dangerous.

5. Basketball players who want to be great should specialize only in basketball at an early age.
This is an easy no for us to answer. Research on body development has discovered that specializing in one sport at an early age can cause severe damage and overuse injuries. We do recommend certain sports pairing that act together to balance overall athletic talent. Soccer is a great pairing with basketball as is volleyball, swimming, and track and field. These sports help enhance the overall development of a basketball player. Ballet is an amazing contributor to athletic talent, but it is a hard sell, especially to the male basketball crowd. Diversity in training is key to overall athletic talent and balance.

ABOUT NBC BASKETBALL CAMPS

Bottom line, NBC Camps is about helping you walk away from our programs a stronger player and a stronger person. That goal is a two-way street. We provide great teaching, quality staff, and expertise on how to help you reach your goals. You need to come with passion, work ethic, and attitude to make that amazing combination of success happen. If you love basketball enough to work hard, you need to be at NBC Basketball Camps. We want to help you reach your goals. Find out more about our program at www.nbccamps.com/basketball