1. Love it. This should be the reason you play. You think about it every hour, you get excited just because you see a ball; you smile on the court just because you’re there. Be committed to you, and your sport.
Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. – Lebron James
2. Train. Be fit, be ready. No matter what sport you play, you should be ready to run, do push-ups, work on your core, etc. But one of the main ways to get better at basketball is to work on your agility. Suicides are great (although they’re not the most fun thing to do). Check out this site for more exercises you could do:
http://www.workoutz.com/category/speed_and_agility_exercises
The ones with the agility ladder are all pretty good. Also check out the 3-cone drill and the 40 m dash with the pole weave.
3. Play. I know this might sound redundant, but this really needs to be observed. Whenever you have the chance, get on the court and play. Don’t feel like you wouldn’t make it, don’t feel like you can’t do it because you can: if you play.
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan
When you play, love the sport, and train, you can do anything. Watch this inspirational video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu7EuxrD3_w