Hello,

I coach a county league senior boys basketball team and I am having problems with team chemistry. My biggest problem is my younger point guard. He just moved up from jr. pro where he was the star of his team. He is a good ball player, not trying to take anything away from him... but we have too much talent on this team to be a one man show. It would be different if he was making the plays and coming up with good shots but he tries to take it to the basket himself and is forcing shots that he does not have. I have told him to look for his team, I have even pointed out wide open players for him. In a league where every kid gets to play one quarter I can't take away anymore playing time than I already have. I have tried the ASKING him to pass the ball approach and I have tried the TELLING him to pass the ball approach. He always says yes sir and then never does it. The worst part of it all is that the other players on the team are not only turning against him but me also because they think I am not doing anything to make him pass the ball. That I think he is the best thing ever. I think if we can get them all on the same page we could be the number one team in the league. I have never had this happen before so please, any suggestions are welcome. What can I do about both the point guard and to let the other players know that I am trying all I can do.

Thanks

There has to be strong enough motivation for him to listen. Under normal circumstances, players are pulled and playing time becomes the motivator. Some suggestions:

1) talk to the team and emphasize ball movement/passing along with two other key elements. You will have to keep beating this drum, but keep it to only 2-3 key points. The rest of your team should see that you're addressing the situation.

2) praising this kid when he passes. Catch him after a game/practice and emphasize how well he did at passing and seeing the open man. I'd key in on that and nothing else for a while with this kid.

3) I'd only play him one quarter. If you're only playing him the mandatory quarter and he's still not listening, I'd have a one on one with him and say, "I want to give you more playing time, but I need to see more passes from you when you're in the game".

Tough situation, especially with the mandatory quarter.

Thanks for the advice. I will begin option 1 immediately and I'll just keep pounding that in their heads. Option 3 is already in affect. I have explained that he will see more playing time and like I said he agrees and then his one quarter always seems the same. And option 2 is something I need the work on in this situation.... passing happens so little that when he does its like I'm blinded to that fact and don't praise him, but I will work on that. Thanks again for the advice, this site is a major help in more than one way. And I will continue to recommend it to everyone I know.

Play half court no dribble 5on5 in practice every day. If you do this, he will realize that the other players can score and he can learn how to get open and score within the context of the offense. And more importantly this habit will carry over into games.

I had a couple players on my team this year that over dribbled EVERY single time they caught the ball. And they tried to do everything taking bad shots. We've been running our motion offense with NO dribble (make it, take it), and you wouldn't believe how well they move the ball now. The over-dribbling problem has improved 10 fold. The habit of catching and looking during practice has carried over into games. They actually play as a team now and our offensive efficiency has almost doubled. These are 10th graders. But I play no dribble with my 4th grade girls team too. It works at all levels.

With this rule, you PG has no choice but to pass the ball. That's how I would handle things.

I've coached leagues like this. I've never done this what I'm about to suggest, but it may have the desired effect. Not sure if it is feasible.

If the players on your team are as tired of his act as you are, they'll probably support you.

Have the other 4 players on your team stay on the defensive end after an in-bounds pass and let that kid go 1 on 5 a couple of times. See if it begins to get the message across that his team mates are crucial to his success.

Just a thought. The drills suggested here are all good. But there needs to be an impetus for this kid to change his game. If you can find a time to try this, it MAY give him the motivation to change.

Never tried it. Not sure I could, but I now have the option to sit a kid who is doing that, so I'm not faced with the choice.

Like I said, just spit balling. I really don't like leagues that can't let you use a benching as a "teachable moment", because it really is necessary.

Just a thought, doesn't make me right.

Brian Sass