“What I’m doing right now, I’m chasing perfection… and if I don’t get it, I’m going to get this close” – Kobe Bryant

The psychology of perfectionism is a clear theme in the mental game of basketball for athletes at any level.

When we think about perfection, especially in basketball, many things come to mind. We may think of the perfect start, which was seen this year by the Golden State Warriors lead by Steph Curry, who started their season a perfect 24-0.

Or the perfect season, which was achieved back to back between 2008 and 2010 by the University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team.

We may also be reminded of a perfect shot, like the one taken by Kobe Bryant to win game two of the Western Conference Semi-finals in 2000, which passed through without touching the rim; a perfect swish.

But were these amazing feats truly perfect?

The Warriors’ perfect start was stopped abruptly by the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that leading into the game was 6 games below 500. Our UConn Huskie’s team missed over a quarter of their free throw attempts during their undefeated run. And Kobe, well Kobe’s Los Angeles Lakers went on to win the NBA championship that year, but even he was humbly aware that he would likely never achieve perfection.

The truth is that perfection is only an idea, and one that is in the eye of the beholder.

Our own concept of perfection allows us some insight into our own mental game of basketball.

Psychologically, this concept is ever changing and forever beyond our grasp. If we allow our own perception of perfection to control us, a long and mentally unsatisfying road is ahead.

The preoccupation with perfection leads to undermined performance and fosters a sense of dissatisfaction. By becoming aware that this idea is not the end goal, but rather a continuous and lifelong pursuit, we drastically increase our own mental toughness.

This is exemplified through the mental game of our greatest athletes, who are working in the gym long after the fans and cameras have left the building.

In the NBA, the influence of sport psychology on building a team is ever-increasing. Positive perfectionism is a quality that is sought out in young prospects and franchise players alike. These in-demand players are aware that they are not, and will never be perfect. Their mental game in basketball is strongest when focused on the pursuit of perfection, and not on being perfect.

Perfectionism is essential and with a tough mental game it can be used to one’s advantage.

The ever-increasing influence in the mental game of basketball has shown us this, and will be more apparent in coming years. Even our greatest players learned this in the past, as is seen in the evolution of Kobe Bryant’s game, who continues to strive for perfection even after reaching the peak of basketball success.

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