“Those kids get hyped up so much that if they meet that level, well that’s what they were supposed to do. It’s near-impossible to meet that level of hype. Then, they’re viewed in a negative sense. That’s so hard.”
Marquette men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams

Although the NBA’s draft is over six months away, there is an excitement in the air concerning this year’s freshmen in the NCAA. Speculation has several as first round draft choices. In fact, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla made a bold prediction when he projected, “six or seven freshmen are going to be taken in the first eight or nine picks of this year’s draft. With the added attention on these young men comes tremendous pressure to perform superbly for the rest of their college season.

Mental toughness and basketball confidence are critical to maintaining focus and playing at their peak potential. Mastering their mental game of basketball during their freshman season will prove crucial to their continued future in the game as a professional in the NBA. A few of the projected stars of tomorrow include Andrew Wiggins of Kansas, Duke’s Jabari Parker, Kentucky’s Julius Randle, and James Young, and Arizona’s Aaron Gordon.

Learning to eliminate distracters, both positive and negative, is critical to a strong mental focus and maintaining a positive mindset. Sports psychology for basketball promote exercises that keep an athlete’s mind in the present, eliminating regret over past mistakes and worry over future endeavors.

The constant media presence and analysis will be intense on these freshmen, so it is critical for their mental focus to constantly remain on their play in the present. It is also an effective exercise to self examine thoughts and concentrate on events and effort within their control. They cannot control what a sports analyst writes, or what an NBA scout predicts, but they can maintain control of their own thoughts and mental focus.

Arizona’s Gordon spoke of his overcoming some nerves and anxiety when he said after his first performance which included thirteen points, ten rebounds and four blocked shots. “I was a little nervous at first. I finally told myself that basketball is basketball no matter what level or where you play at. It’s always the same game. There are just slightly higher stakes now.”

Another method to improve an athlete’s mental game is utilizing positive and honest influences. These are people such as coaches, family, teammates or friends who keep the tone of conversation encouraging. These individuals also tell the truth, even when it is not easy. They will find the flaws that need improvement, but also offer encouragement for the endeavor.

They do not attack the person, but rather provide insight to performance. However, the honesty allows for the growth of basketball confidence and constant improvement on the court.

Listening to the critics or the media proves to be a constant wave of emotion from the high to the low and back again. True mental toughness emerges in the athlete that protects their mind and thoughts from the noise of those not truly concerned with their improvement as an athlete.

This is an exciting year for NCAA basketball, and history may be made at the NBA draft in June. The next few months will provide opportunities for these stellar athletes to prove their strong mental game for basketball, physical ability on the hardwood, and readiness for the next level of competition.

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