Looking for advice on getting great practice player to perform at high level when the going gets tough. Plays hard in practice, but still second guesses himself come gametime. Hard to get him game time experience to get the confidence level up.

You might have to let him play through some mistakes so he can get over this. IF you don't give him game minutes, he will be saying to himself... IF I MAKE ANY MISTAKES I AM COMING OUT. Guess what? He will make a lot more just because he gets more nervous.

Why don't you sit down with him and discuss playing time... like... you are going to play X number of minutes in each quarter - so relax, go out and play your game. He has to know that you believe in him.... because if you don't, he certainly wont.... especially in this situation.

Try to figure out where he is more successful, starting or coming off the bench..... then go on from there. What are his strengths... can he play SHUT DOWN DEFENSE on a great player? That might be his nitch right now... look for situations like that. IF he is a great shooter, design a set for him to get his shot.

Thoughts now?

Thanks coach.

I am trying to get him playing time in situations where he can be succesful (lockdown defender, attack the rim) so that, most importantly, his teammates will trust him.

Is there an easy answer to "flick the switch?"

IF there was an easy answer .... I would be a rich man and a perennial State Champ coach :-)

Do you have a captain or two that you can talk to (and trust) ? Hopefully your players have bought into what you are selling... that was the good thing with our playes. IF I told them that we needed to get someone the ball more to get his stroke back, they would do that.... this was in Summer league play.
One kid was 0-8 in the first half shooting 3s, made that speech at half time and he hit 7 in a row, even the other team was up cheering for him.

Your players shoule be happy that you have someone who is willing and CAN stop the other teams best player.... and maybe you can put in a 1-4 low set for him and let him do his thing a couple of times a game.