“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds.”― Wilt Chamberlain

An interesting quote by the only player in the NBA to score 100 points in a single game. It highlights the importance of Basketball mental toughness. You can’t exert yourself fully in a game when you lack motivation and are mentally weak.

A very physical and mental game, basketball requires a person to be complete in terms of physical attributes as well as mental skills. Many top tier teams invest heavily in mental coaching to produce the best players in the game.

Mental coaching covers the psychological aspects of the player which directly influence his game.

There are people known as mental game coaches who are experts in Basketball psychology and handle the mental features of the teams and their players. They utilize modern and improvised techniques to train a player so he or she can work to their full potential and handle different types of games easily.

Basketball is an ocean of experiences. Every game brings something new to face. There are tough times, easy games, crucial games, high intensity games as well as games where a mentally stronger team emerge as winners.

This is what mental game coaches do. They train you to handle different situations, focus on games and work to full potential. It makes you mentally tougher than your opponents to give you a competitive edge over them.

Who remembers the famous ‘Flu game’ of 1997 NBA Finals? Michael Jordan was sick and recommended not to play in the game. He was physically weak but he showed up and played the game of his life. His crucial 38 points edged Chicago Bulls past Utah Jazz by 2 points.

How did Jordan manage to do it when he was so sick?

Jordan was a complete player. He possessed basketball mental toughness like no other player. His motivation and ability to perform in crucial games was the factor that led Chicago claim the finals that year. He knew it was an important game and he performed when his team needed him to.

This is the importance of mental toughness. Not on the court only, mental game coaching can help you off the court too.

A player can work harder in practice sessions, overcome social problems and tackle media more effectively if he or she is better coached mentally. There are various stories of players who became great and remained great due to their mental skills.

Mental game coaches make sure that the players are mentally sound and fit to play. He has strong basketball toughness to tackle mental pressures on and off court. A player with fear and anxiety can’t perform well. This is the reason why mental game coaches work so hard to sharpen the players’ mental skills. They teach them how to tackle new situations, maintain composure, overcome anxiety, self belief, keep their heads cool in games, become consistent in form and focus on the game.

The players who attain basketball mental toughness then emerge as game changers for their team and themselves.

A good mental game coaching will help players to work harder in practice sessions and play their best game in matches.

You, as a player need to work hard but also understand the importance of a good mental game simultaneously. You need to be mentally tough. So to start attaining basketball mental toughness, download the free mental game assessment and get started on Improving your Mental Game in basketball.