| 1. They must “Play Harder Longer.”
Most players do not realize how hard you have to play to get a job. Several players have struggled to make it through an hour workout because of their conditioning. It’s a simple fact, but players often don’t realize how difficult it can be going from 30 games a season to 82 games. Availability is the best ABILITY.
2. College players do not understand how hard it is to make the NBA
They do understand that most players in the league are the hardest workers. The ultimate example of this is Kobe Bryant. He emphasized how everyone in the NBA knows how hard Kobe works on his game! Most NBA players are extremely hard workers! Another example he gave was a guard from the Big 12 who has shown up to his workouts 20 lbs overweight and out of shape but still expects to make an NBA roster.
3. Players must be able to play PNR
The more experience they have at this, the more valuable they look. This is on both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively (on an average night, an NBA point guard could have to guard over 60 ball screens)
4. Be able to find ways to score/have “solutions.”
Perfect floaters, running layups, 3-point shots, fadeaways, etc. Whether the player is undersized or oversized for his position, he must constantly expand his game and simply find more ways to score. Steve Nash calls this having “solutions” around the basket. |
