Tyler Coston

If you want to show up as a leader, earn the respect and trust of your teammates, and stand out in your basketball tryouts — there are three things you MUST change about your game.

When players ask me what they can do to look special, they are really asking me how they can get more shots within their offense. They tend to dismiss this crucial answer, “Identify what your opponent does poorly, expose that, and you will stand out.” What do the majority of players do poorly? Execute their transition defense well.

But when you shift the way you think, the way you play begins to change. Playing this way is hard. It takes superior conditioning & mental toughness. But never forget: Everything worth having is on the other side of hard.

Basketball isn’t like football. You must be able to play on both sides of the ball if you want to stay on the court and excel. Here’s the good news. Tall or short, strong or weak, quick or slow, lockdown defenders are made, not born.

Here are the four keys to becoming a lockdown defender that I wish I would have known while I was still playing.

Are you the biggest, strongest, most athletic player at the level you currently play?

If you answered that question with a resounding “NO!”, you’re not alone. I hope to help you avoid some of the pain and struggles I experienced by understanding this one thing…

What can you start doing today to win more games?

Join PGC Director Tyler Coston, as he shares four ways to improve your mental toughness, habits and focus necessary for winning more games.

Grow your vision so you can grow your game. Coaches at the college level want players who can see the floor. This is a skill that transfers to the next level and one that coaches love to identify in young players. It’s one that will have coaches talking about how well you “think the game” and your “great feel” out on the court.

These tools I’m about to share with you will help you learn to see the floor like a high-level playmaker and help you stand out to coaches everywhere.

Most players want to score more points. Unfortunately, they don’t know how. It’s frustrating to put in the work and then go out and have the same stat line game after game. No player wants this, and you deserve more from your efforts.

If you want to be a high level basketball player, stop going to the gym just “to get shots up”. That’s what average players do.

Discover how to become prepared and confident when you step on the court leading to higher percentage of shots made, more games won, and becoming a player coaches notice.