Get Better at Basketball by Learning from the Best

Improving your sports skills has a lot to do with putting in hours on the court or at the field, but you can also learn a lot by studying the techniques of great players. Spending time learning about how they play the game will give you insight into how a pro actually excels.

Keep reading to learn a few tips of the trade from some of the best players ever to grace a basketball court.

Michael Jordan

For many people, Michael Jordan wasn't just one of the best basketball players of all time; he was also one of the most impressive athletes ever. As a result, there is quite a bit that you can learn from this giant of the court.

Some of Jordan's words of wisdom include, "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." This statement exemplifies why young players can never give up even if they make a mistake.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is well known for his twenty-year career with the LA Lakers. Unfortunately, his name has been in the news frequently this year because of his untimely death. However, even though this fantastic player is gone, that does not mean that young players today can't learn from him.

One of the most significant pieces of advice he gave was, "Be consistent. That's the most important part. Be consistent with your work." He believed players that consistently work hard, practice hard, and play hard tend to be the most successful.

If this sentiment inspires you, consider reading Bryant's book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play. This book gives you unprecedented insights into the life and career of a fantastic player who will not soon be forgotten.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Currently 72 years old, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the NBA's first superstars. He learned a lot in his twenty-year career in the 1970s and 1980s from which aspiring players can take inspiration.

The top tip for young people that he shared during a 2018 interview on the today show was, "Knowledge is power. Accumulate as much as you can." This statement goes for basketball as well as life. You can never learn too much. The more you learn, the more you will be able to accomplish, no matter what your goals are.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson had an impressive basketball career that even included a short stint as a coach, which led him to part-owner of the LA Lakers. One crucial piece of advice that Johnson gave is that "Your competitor can make you better." He encourages people to let their competitors drive them to work harder. Instead of being intimidated, try to rise to the challenge and put in the time and effort to surpass them.

Lebron James

Lebron James' career is still going, but that hasn't stopped people from claiming that he is already one of the all-time greats.

When asked what advice James would give to his younger self, James had an unorthodox answer. He said, "I don't want advice, and the reason I don't want advice is because every experience is a teacher." He encourages people to go out and experience things. While you can learn some things from books and mentors, James believes that experience is the best teacher.

Which Player Inspires You?

While reading advice of basketball greats is unlikely to help you improve your three-pointers directly, each player's words of wisdom may provide just the inspiration you need to put in those extra hours of practice or play hard again after missing a game-winning shot.

All these incredible players started as kids with big dreams. You never know what the future holds for you.