What are the two most prevalent questions players receive after a game from someone who was not in attendance?

• “Did you win?”
• “How many points did you score?”

The questions we ask showcase what we value. As a result, players pick up very quickly what it is they are being judged on. Use post-game opportunities to emphasize what impacts winning beyond scoring points. Encourage active learning, show interest in all answers and wait for them to finish/organize their thoughts before interjecting.

We challenge you to incorporate these types of questions and measurements to showcase the value they can bring to their team on a possession by possession basis:

• “How many deflections did you have?”
• “Did you get any offensive rebounds?”
• “How many transition points did your team give up?”
• “Did you use any shot fakes?”
• “How did you use your pivots & rip-throughs to handle pressure?”
• “How many screen assists did you have?”
• “What did you focus on when guarding the basketball?”
• “Did you have any scenarios where you successfully or unsuccessfully called out the screen while on defense?”
• “Describe what you were seeing when they were trapping in the press? What solutions do we have to counter their aggressiveness?”
• “Did you play under control in the paint with jump stops? Did you ever jump to find a pass?”
• “Describe the play you passed up a good shot to get a great shot for your team?”

We can’t fault players who judge their performance (or worse, their self-worth) by how many points they score. Basketball will always be a team game. Players should measure themselves by how they impact team scores, team stops and team wins. They are always picking up cues from your body language and tone of voice. Always be cognizant of your communication channels and what messages you are sending their way.