“If you make every game a life and death proposition, you’re going to have problems. For one thing, you’ll be dead a lot” – Dean Smith

Hitting a game winning three-pointer is a much better feeling than bricking a layup to cost your team a victory but in a weird way emphasizing wins less probably leads to more of them.

We’ve all heard the stories about great competitors and how they have to win, but what’s not noted is the damaging effects of their ‘win at all costs’ attitude and how it ultimately negatively affects their mental game in basketball.

It should be noted, there’s a slippery slope when it comes to feeling the pressure to perform your best and win as many games as possible. This is actually good motivation in practice, in the weight room, and in the offseason to get your body in the best physical condition possible.

Having a good mental game in basketball is knowing how to control that intensity during the games instead of getting too tense, feeling too much pressure, and fretting too much over the game’s outcome.

There are a few players whose skills are simply on another level and who use that intensity and a perceived chip on their shoulder to dominate every aspect of the game. We consider these athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant ‘cold-blooded assassins’ in that they take every shot down the stretch and force teammates to play at or near their level.

When amateur athletes feel the pressure to perform is when they likely try too hard, get too serious, and ultimately alienate their teammates who in most cases are their friends and neighbors. The mental game of basketball means not shying from the moment, but also trusting teammates at the same time.

Remember it was Michael Jordan’s pass to John Paxson for a corner three-pointer that won the ’93 NBA Finals and not a Jordan shot.

At the end of the day basketball mental toughness means not shying from the moment, but not dwelling on it either.

Whether you’re the star player or the 12th man you should be ready to take that final shot or give up the ball to the hot hand. Likewise if you notice your teammates tensing up in the moment you have the responsibility to keep them loose and take initiative on the court if needed.

The moral of the story is to do what it takes to win, but be comfortable with the outcome. The physical responsibilities are on you but let us help you refine the mental game.

Download the free mental game assessment and get started on Improving your Mental Game in basketball