How to Become a Basketball Star

I get asked all the time, how can my son or daughter become a basketball star. You might be surprised to find out that it is much easier than you may think! In many different sports we find legacies. That is, fathers who were professional athletes who had children who became professional athletes People often think "Wow, good genes" but often that isn't the case. Genes don't have a single thing to do with it!

So why do successful professional athletes have children who grow up to become professional athletes themselves? Easy, because the parent understood what it takes to become a professional athlete and they taught that to their children. So what is that special "thing" that professional athletes know that you don't know? What is it that makes some families have multiple pro athletes in their families? It's not a huge mystery.

The secret is practice. Period.

- You practice four hours a day, every single day from the time you start pee wee basketball till the day you turn pro and you will very likely succeed.
- You practice eight hours a day, every single day from the time you start pee wee basketball till the day you turn pro and you *will* succeed.
- You practice twelve hours a day, you turn into the next LeBron James or Kobe Bryant.
- Practice, that's all it takes. But not just any practice, focused practice. Repetition of the same thing over and over and over.

Why do you think three point shooters are so good at shooting three pointers? It's because they shot hundreds of thousands of those three pointers from those exact spots day in and day out for years. So much so that they build up what psychologists call "Muscle Memory".

And it becomes automatic.

It's no mystery. You don't have to be the smartest player around. You don't have to be the most athletic. You don't even have to be the most talented. You simply have to practice longer than everyone else.

So what does that mean in practical terms? Create a practice schedule and stick to it.

I liked "in a row" practicing This is a practice session that I developed personally. Pick a dozen spots on the court and mark them off. I started right next to the basket and made a spot. Then took one step back and made a spot. Then another step back and made a spot. And finally took one more step back until I was behind the three point line and made a spot. That's about four spots, all in a direct line. Now do that pointed the opposite way from the rim (that's eight spots) and do it again pointing to the head of the key (that's twelve spots).

Now stand on each spot and make five baskets in a row. Once you make five, take a step backwards to the next "spot" and make five more baskets in a row. Keep shooting till you make five in a row. Do that from every single spot. It will take you at least four hours. Maybe longer till you get the hang of it. When you do, up it to ten baskets in a row from each spot. Do this everyday and you will be a superstar basketball player.

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