The State of Basketball in the USA (circa 1996)...and Today!

• Only 2.5% of male high school seniors playing basketball in this country will move on to play college basketball.
• Only 1.5% of senior college players move on to play in the NBA.
• Only 1 in every 5,000 high school seniors playing basketball ever play even 1 minute in the NBA.
• In the 1995 Under-22 World Championships, held in Athens, Greece the US team finished 7th place.
• In the spring of 1996 a group of international high school players from 7 different countries, practicing together for 5 days beat a US High School Blue-chip All-star team by 18 points.
• Basketball skills are eroding in this country. Shooting percentages are declining. Players can dribble through their legs, but can’t make an entry pass to the post. Players can run and dunk better than ever, but they can’t finish a break. Players can drive and make fancy no-look passes, but they can’t run a team. Players can pull up and shoot the 3 pointer, but they can’t hit an open 15 foot jumper. Players have improved their strength and athletic ability, but they can’t guard anyone one on one.
• True point guards are a dying breed. Players that make their teammates better are difficult to find. Players with good court sense are diminishing.
• Players play ball for selfish reasons. The original values of playing basketball are disappearing: discipline, teamwork, sacrifice, hard work, learning to reach your potential, learning to get along with and respect others, loyalty, unity, integrity, having fun.

• Youth basketball has become year round with too many games, too much emphasis on winning at all costs, and using rewards to recruit at an early age.
• Youth teams are often decked out with $90 uniforms, $100 warm-ups, $50 bags, etc. This is above the initial team fees that can reach more than $300 per player. Add summer team fees and out of state trips, along with $150 shoes and families can easily spend thousands of dollars per year for youth basketball.
• The media has put us into the “Dunk Age”. Players practice what they see on shoe advertisements and sports highlight segments. They learn to dunk, shoot the 3, go for the block and steal, and make the spectacular pass.
• Youth leagues play predominantly full court zone presses and traps. Bigger and more athletic teams dominate even more with zones. Kids do not learn to play half-court man to man basketball.
• Too many youth coaches play to win(at all costs). Parents are just as guilty.
• The majority of youth coaches are parents of players. Many of these parents are qualified coaches with good intentions, but more of them than not are non-qualified coaches that even with good intentions can damage the game. In most states there is no certification for youth coaches.
• Kids play so many games that they don’t want to play half court pick up games for fun. Half court 3-3 basketball is where you really learn to play. They get burned out so much from all the games, they don’t want to work on their own game.
• Most of youth games are played in weekend tournaments with 3-5 games in 2-3 days. The kids don’t learn to prepare, value and give 100% for one game. If they drop down by 10 points they start thinking “ we have another game in 2 hours”. The computer game “reset” mentality takes over.
• Adjustable hoops have allowed kids to start shooting earlier, but they allow them to dunk earlier, too. The hoops often remain lower for dunk ball.
• Our society is growing increasingly selfish. Players play games like 21, that encourage forced shots, poor defense, selfishness, and lazy play.
• Kids play on different summer teams every year because of recruiting. Loyalty and playing with your neighborhood friends is becoming a thing of the past. Some high school coaches recruit kids out of their districts. Despite more NCAA rules and penalties, there are still college coaches offering illegal incentives. Players have come to expect freebies, handouts, and extras(even in junior high).
• Some agents are initiating contact with players in high school and occasionally earlier. Some agents run their own summer teams and begin recruiting players with illegal incentives.
• Kids may have 2-3 coaches in one year with each telling them something different and probably only one being a career coach.
• No one calls fouls any more. Integrity in the game is fading.
• Kids do not study the game, and they don’t know the history of the game.
• Coaches are more likely to be recruiters than trained teachers.
• Coaches are too often hired solely for their ability to recruit and not for their ability to teach.
• Kids do not have as much fun playing the game as they used to. Everything is structured and kids do little developing on their own playing pick-up.

• Eliminate zone defenses in youth basketball, including zone presses.
• Eliminate recruiting in youth basketball. Return to neighborhood teams.
• Punish coaches and players for rules violations, as well as schools.
• Lobby to enact more laws to regulate sports agents and stiffer penalties for violations.
• Develop strict guidelines for certification of sports agents.
• Develop strict guidelines and certification for youth coaches.
• Increase coaching clinics at all levels. Stress teaching fundamentals and the proper values that should be developed.
• Cut down the number of youth games. Increase open gym time.
• Educate players on the value of being a positive role model and teach them the skills needed to communicate positive values to youth.
• The NBA and the NCAA already do a great deal in helping establish good values in athletics, but we can do much more(especially in teaching the fundamentals of the game).
• Get teams more involved in community/charitable causes.
• Encourage the sporting goods industry to be more responsible in their advertising. They should focus on stressing the team aspect of the game rather than the individual.

• The skills needed to beat zones and traps can be taught with simple breakdown    drills and simple basic offensive rules. You don’t have to spend time mastering zone defenses in order to learn how to beat them.
• Make use of videotape for teaching the game. This is a great tool for both team and individual development.
• Design an individual player improvement program for each player. Allow the player to evaluate him/her self and provide input in their own program.
• Require your players to do basketball homework. Motivate them to learn the game from a coach’s perspective.
• Spend a lot of time playing half court 3-3 with a 2 dribble limit. You can work on most of your offensive and defensive schemes from a 3-3 set.
• Don’t lavish your players with rewards. Make a trophy or medal something that really represents an outstanding accomplishment. If you give rewards, make them geared to team play.
• It’s nice to have first class equipment, but don’t go overboard(especially with the youth teams.   Some kids end up playing just to have a chance to wear the fancy gear and make an out of state trip. Players and families with little money are placed in difficult situations. Many kids can not afford to play.
• In youth basketball, every kid deserves playing time. Try playing every player equally for the first 3 quarters with open substitution for the 4th quarter. In non-competitive youth basketball, every player should play equal time.
• Keep in mind that your major job is to develop good basketball players, a good basketball team, and good people. Always play to win, but stay within the values that you are trying to teach.
• Keep the game simple and fun.

• Study the game. Watch game film of the best players and the best teams. Go to the library and learn all you can about the game.
• Try to videotape yourself playing. Evaluate your game on a regular basis. Develop a self-improvement program. Get help from a coach when you need to.
• Practice the fundamentals over and over. Shoot as much as you can. Don’t ignore the defensive fundamentals. Work on your weaknesses.
• Play low post 1-1 with no dribble and 1-dribble limit.
• Play 1-1 on the wing with a 2 dribble limit.
• Play full court 1-1.
• Play as much 3-3 half court as you can. Use a 2 dribble limit at least half the time.
• Learn to play with 100% effort at all times.
• Learn to play with integrity. In pick up games never call a foul that the other team commits. Call every foul that you or your teammate commits.
• Do what you can to make your teammates better, both on and off the court.
• Respect your coaches, teammates, officials, opponents, and fans, as well as all people.
• If you are going to play, work to become the best player you can.
• Get involved in helping your community.

Publishers Note:  This article was written by Coach Babcock and first appeared in publication in 1996.  This article came to light during a recent conversation with Rob at the NCAA Final Four.  The crux of the posting this article is that little has changed since 1996 in terms of where players and coaches need the greatest improvement in striving for higher levels of the game.