Two weeks ago, I asked my Twitter followers (www.Twitter.com/AlanStein) for blog topics.  While ‘nutrition’ and ‘player rankings’ were far and away the most common answers, ‘basketball politics’ came in a surprising third.

I have to admit, I am not 100% sure what folks wanted on this topic, but here goes… I aim to serve…

Basketball is almost as political as… well… politics.

I have seen firsthand ‘politics’ come into play at every level – youth, AAU, high school, college, and the NBA. Some ‘politics’ are good – others are evil.  Some help the game and others pollute it.

‘Politics’ can affect who makes the team, who plays, who shoots, who is an All-Star, who gets invited to camp, who is ranked, and who wears what shoe. ‘Politics’ are rampant. 

Remember, as pure and as wholesome as we want the game to be… basketball is highly competitive and is a billion dollar business… even at the youth level.  Any time you mix competition and money you will get ‘politics’ as a result.

Here are a few examples of the type of ‘politics’ that affect me:

·         Certain AAU coaches won’t let their kids work out with me because of my affiliation with DeMatha and Nike.

·         Certain high school coaches recently discouraged their players from attending one of my Cutting Edge Clinics because it was held at a rival high school’s gym.

·         After serving as the strength & conditioning coach for the McDonald’s All-American game for the past 5 years, I wasn’t asked to work this past year because of… drum roll please… ‘politics’!

But guess what? I am OK with it! No sense in complaining… it is a complete waste of energy.

As Maya Angelu said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” 

I choose not to worry about things beyond my control.  Instead, I focus 100% of my time, energy, and passion to the things I can affect.  I focus on the players I do work with… not the ones I don’t.

Coaches, avoid the ‘politics’ and outside influences and always do what is best for your program and team. Only allow players of high character and substance into your program and play the kids that give you the best chance to be successful… kids who work hard, accept their role, and are coachable.

Players, the only place you can 100% escape ‘politics’ is in the gym, by yourself.  If you are smart, that is where you will spend most of your summer.

Here are some innovative drills you can do when you are in the gym to work on your acceleration, deceleration, pivoting, and landing:

Footwork Training for Basketball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgTe0ualjeU

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Respect the game,

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

Given that it is high school and college graduation time, I felt compelled to share something I came across in an email from a friend.  Like you, I get bombarded with forwarded emails all of the time.  More times than not, I hit ‘delete’ without reading… but occasionally I open (depending on who it’s from and what the subject line is!).

I have been writing this weekly blog for over 3 years and 99% of the entries have been my thoughts, my opinions, and my perspective.  But I received an email early this morning and found it so moving – and so ‘on the money’ – I just had to post it.  I hope you feel the same way.

Please pay this forward and share it with every ‘graduate’ you know.  What follows is an email I received that included a graduation commencement address from Mr. Jon Gordon. I have not altered a thing nor added my 2 cents…

Positive Tip: 11 Lessons for Graduates ~ by Jon Gordon, www.JonGordon.com

1.    You are here for a reason and the most important thing you can do in life is to find, live and share your purpose. It’s the one thing in life that truly matters and if you don’t pursue it, everything else is meaningless.

2.    Follow your passion. It so often leads you to your purpose. Do what energizes you.

3.    You may not know what your passion is right now. That’s OK. The important thing is to make it your life mission to find it, live it and share it. To help find your passion, seek out jobs and experiences that allow you to use your strengths and gifts.

4.    Beware of hobbies. Just because you love spending time on Facebook doesn't mean you would enjoy working for the company. And just because you love to cook doesn't mean you would enjoy owning a restaurant. For example, I owned restaurants but I realized I didn't love the food business. I loved the service and marketing aspect of the business.

5.    Quit for the right reasons. Don't quit because work is hard or you're experiencing challenges. Quit because in your heart you know there is something else for you to do. Quit because you are not benefitting yourself or the organization you work for. Quit because you are absolutely certain you are no longer supposed to be there.

6.    Learn from every job and experience. Every job, good or bad, prepares you for the work you were ultimately born to do.

7.    Whatever job(s) you take after graduation simply decide to serve. When you serve in small ways you will get more opportunities to serve in bigger ways.

8.    Your dream job is likely not the one you dreamed about. So often we end up in amazing careers that have nothing to do with our college degree or childhood dreams.

9.    The quest for your purpose is not a straight line. It is filled with mystery, signs, obstacles, victories, dead ends, delays and detours. Your job is to stay optimistic and faithful on your quest.

10. Don't rush the future. There is a process that seeds must go through in order to become all they are destined to become, and you must go through this same process to become the person you are meant to be and do the work you are meant to do. You may want things to happen NOW, but more than likely if you got what you wanted NOW, you wouldn't be ready for it. The purpose process prepares you, strengthens you, shapes you and grows you to be successful, not in your time, but in the right time.

11. Be the Seed. Seeds surrender themselves to the ground so they can be used for a greater purpose. Wherever you work, decide to plant yourself where you are and allow yourself to be used for a greater purpose. When you plant yourself and make a difference you grow into the person you were born to be and produce a harvest that will benefit others and change the world.

Wow, powerful stuff! I am so thankful that I have found my purpose in life and am, literally, ‘livin’ the dream.’

I look forward to passing this concept on to Luke & Jack (‘Born Backcourt’) as I wholehearted believe it is one of the most valuable gifts a parent can pass to their children.

I am in the process of writing another blog, ‘Basketball Politics’, as well as editing a YouTube video (‘Footwork Training for Basketball’)… both will be posted later this week!

Now go find your purpose… or help someone find theirs.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Twitter.com/AlanStein

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

PS: Monday-Thursday of this week (May 23-26^th, 2011) I will post a 'Question on the 9's'... at 9:00am and 9:00pm (EST)… on Twitter and Facebook. The first person to match my answer wins!

Winners get a Deuce Brand G2 watch (www.DeuceBrand.com). I'll announce both winners the following day at 12pm (EST)! Come join the fun!

“It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish that matters most.”

That sums up my thoughts on the fixation with Player Rankings in youth and high school basketball. Too many players use rankings as a barometer of their value on the court, parents wear it like a badge of honor, and coaches use it to pump up their own prowess.

Kids should play basketball for 2 reasons:

1)    They truly love the game

2)    They can use it as vehicle for a free education and for unique life experiences

My eyes opened to the Player Ranking cult numerous years ago when the Washington Post ran a story claiming a Baltimore kid was the ‘best 10 year old player in the country.’

I felt like one of those Windows Smartphone commercials, “Really?” 10 years old?

First of all, how could you possibly claim a kid was the best 10 year old unless you had seen every single 10 year old play (and if you have, don’t you have anything better to do with your time)?  And what is the point of even trying to determine who the best 10 year old is? Who does that benefit? What positive could possibly come of that?

Why would anyone want to burden a 10 year old kid with the pressure of being ‘the best’? Or 12 year old. Or 14 year old for that matter? These are kids we are talking about!

Now, I am fine with naming All-American teams or even publicly ranking players right before their senior year in high school… but I believe in doing so as a way to recognize them for what they have already accomplished. 

But even then it is a slippery slope as success is never guaranteed.

Can you tell me what 2 things these players have in common?

Shaheen Halloway and Kenny Gregory

1)    Both were the MVP of the McDonalds All-American game (Halloway in ’96 and Gregory in ’97).

2)    Both went undrafted in the NBA (and I bet money you have never heard of them)

Publicized internet Player Rankings are polluting youth basketball. 

If a player is ranked really high, they often become complacent and get enabled by a swarm of vultures and hanger-on-ers who see this kid as their conduit to riches and fame.  Everyone in their entourage becomes a ‘yes man’ and kisses their butt.  How does that help their development and growth?

If a player is ranked low or not ranked at all, they often become frustrated and question the hard work they have already put in. Oftentimes they become selfish players in order to ‘Go for mine’ when playing in tournaments and events.  They start playing THE game instead of playing THEIR game.

This selfish mentality happens to highly ranked players too… they know that if they don’t fill up the stat sheets their ranking will suffer.  The result is selfish play at most youth tournaments and AAU events.  Too much dribbling, forced shots, and no extra passes – the exact opposite of how the game is supposed to be played!

If you want real insight to the dangers of player rankings, I highly recommend you read George Dohrmann’s book Play Their Hearts Out.

Going hand in hand with this infatuation with Player Rankings is the need for exposure.  After all, you need exposure to get ranked, right? How can you get ranked if no one ever sees you play? I get a dozen emails a week asking me “what is the best way for me to get exposure?”

My answer?

Become the best player and teammate you can be, the exposure will follow.  If you can play; they will find you.

This video sheds some humor on my stance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYlSTojkLFc

Please know, I am speaking in generalities of the system – there are plenty of exceptions.  Harrison Barnes is a player who carried the burden of a high ranking throughout most of high school… and he never let it affect his character or his development.  But for every Harrison Barnes, there are numerous players (such as Lance Stephenson) who allowed the Player Rankings to stifle their potential, and in some cases, ruin their careers before they even started. I am not taking shots as those players, I truly feel sorry for them.  They end up the waste product of a flawed system.

Player Rankings have already caused dissention in my home.  Several magazines and scouting services have my son Jack ranked #3 and his twin brother Luke ranked #7 in the class of 2028.  They stay up late at night arguing in their cribs.

Maybe I should re-consider letting the ‘Born Backcourt’ play in the National U-2 AAU event in Las Vegas in the beginning of August?

Players, parents, and coaches… I challenge you not to get caught up in the Player Rankings.  Focus on development and daily improvement.  Focus on getting better every day.  Focus playing because you are passionate about the game and you want basketball to help you earn an education, make lifelong friends, and travel to new places. Focus on the purity of the game. If you do that, everything else will fall into place.

As the legendary Morgan Wootten used to say…

“Make sure you use basketball, don’t let it use you.”

I would love to hear your thoughts on Player Rankings.  Hit me on Twitter (make sure to tag with @AlanStein) and Facebook (post at www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam.com).

Respect the game,

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

PS: At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I understand and support companies like Nike and  the NPBA for hiring educated and experienced evaluators and scouts to rank players for internal purposes only. They use these particular rankings as a means to decide who they will invite to their camps/academies as well as whom they will provide additional developmental opportunities to.  Identifying the top high school talent in this regard serves a very positive purpose… which is completely contrary to everything I mentioned previously.

Last week I sent out a few Tweets (www.Twitter.com/AlanStein) requesting suggestions for blog topics.  Thank you to everyone who responded, I appreciated the valuable feedback.  Of the dozens of suggestions, more than half had to do with nutrition.

Please note: I am not a Registered Dietician (RD) or sports nutritionist.  Nutrition is far from my area of expertise.  However, I do feel qualified to make some basic recommendations to help the average youth, high school, and college basketball player.  If you want a more in depth resource, I highly recommend this PDF download:

http://shop.strongerteam.com/p-14-nutrition-guidelines-for-basketball-players.aspx

In order to maximize potential on the court, it is imperative for basketball players to develop healthy eating habits. What a player eats determines their body fat levels as well as how much energy they have for intense workouts, practices and games.

If you eat like crap, you will play like crap!

Dave Stagnita, the brilliant strength & conditioning coach at the Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, believes nutrition accounts for upwards of 80% of a player’s training results.  That means if you really want to maximize your off-season workout gains – you need to eat well!

Any food can be incorporated in moderation. However, to maximize performance, you need to reduce the intake of refined sugars (soda, candy, etc.) and ‘man made’ fats (chips, fried foods, etc.). You need to eat fruits, vegetables, and lean sources of protein (egg whites, chicken, fish, steak, etc.) as well as foods like oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, almonds, avocados, and beans.

Aim to get your calories from real food as often as possible – only utilizing shakes and bars for convenience. Use supplements intelligently, not as a crutch or to make up for poor diet.  The addition of a protein shake can be helpful for those trying to increase bodyweight but have difficultly eating sufficient calories as well as for those constantly on the go or at AAU events.  I have found Muscle Milk’s line of products to taste great.

NOTE: If you do decide to add a protein shake, please steer clear of all performance enhancing supplements; such as Creatine or ephedrine.

General Guidelines for Basketball Players

·         Eat something every 2-3 hours, regardless of hunger levels.

·         Get lean protein at every meal and eat vegetables as often as possible.

·         Breakfast and pre/post workout (or game) meals are the 3 most important meals.

·         Drink water steadily throughout the day.

·         Avoid Trans fats and high fructose corn syrup.

·         Plan your day: pack snacks, wake up early enough to eat a quality breakfast, etc.

·         Eat a diet with sufficient complex carbohydrates to provide the energy to fuel your intense training, practices, and games.

3 Popular Nutrition Questions

Question #1: How do I gain weight?

Answer:  Most youth and high school basketball players are tall and slender, and are looking to add muscular bodyweight.  In order to gain weight, you must consume more calories than you expend on a daily basis.  This means players looking to put on weight must eat, eat, and eat! Most players think they eat a lot, but in reality they don’t.  In order to gain muscle, you need to be on a progressive, age appropriate strength program as well.

To determine a very rough estimate as to how many calories per day you should consume, multiply your current bodyweight by 25. For example, a 150 lb. basketball player trying to gain muscular body weight requires around 3,750 calories a day (150 X 25 = 3750).  Depending on individual metabolism, as well as daily energy expenditure through physical activity, this number may need to be slightly adjusted.  Your goal should be to gain ½ to 1lb. of bodyweight per week for 10-12 straight weeks.  If you aren’t gaining weight with what you are currently eating… eat more!

Question #2: Should I drink Gatorade or water?

Answer: You can incorporate both, although I believe you should drink water 90% of the time.  Drinking Gatorade during and after workouts and games is fine to help replenish electrolytes, etc.  I think the new G1 – G2 – G3 concept is on the money, but I don’t know how many youth and high school players are actually doing it. If I was filthy rich, or if I was sponsored by Gatorade (hint hint, if Gatorade executives are reading this), I would use the G Series for my own workouts.

Bottom line is this - it is important to be well hydrated, especially during intense workouts and games. Your performance on the court can decrease dramatically when your body is low on water. You should aim to drink water all day long; don't wait until you are thirsty.

Question #3: What should I eat before or after a workout or game?

Answer: There is no ‘right’ answer, everyone will be slightly different.  The most important part is that you do eat something light before you workout and play.  You don’t want a full stomach to weigh you down.  Aim to eat 2 to 4 hours before your workout or game; this gives your body plenty of time to digest. The closer it gets to ‘go’ time, the smaller the meal. Make sure the meal includes good carbohydrate choices (for energy) but also has adequate protein (to help ward off hunger).

Once your workout or game is over, consume carbohydrate rich foods and beverages as well as lean sources of protein, as soon as possible. This will replenish your muscle’s energy stores.

If you are playing multiple games in one day (AAU tournament), then make sure you eat a hearty breakfast… light snacks in between games… and a substantial dinner once your games are over.

Just remember the old adage, ‘You are what you eat.’

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com

www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam

www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom

PS: For those of you looking for an awesome basketball experience this summer, I highly recommend Hoop Groups events:

http://www.hoopgroup.com/hoopgroup/elite-blog/hoop-group-elite-summer-basketball-camp-schedule.php

I will be working their Elite Skills Academy on July 13-15th!

I have been in love with the game of basketball for as long as I can remember and the game has been very good to me in return. Basketball has been a vehicle to travel the world, to work with legendary players and coaches, and is the backbone of how I earn my living and provide for my family. I have tremendous respect for the game.

And while nothing beats the magic of March Madness, I really enjoy the NBA playoffs.

With that said, there is a lingering myth perpetuated by novice fans, that I want to clear up.

The myth?

NBA players only play hard during the playoffs.

Hell, I have heard 3 different (somewhat educated) people say something to that effect in the past week alone. 

“Why don’t these guys play hard during the regular season?” 

That comment shows a severe lack of understanding of the game.

And believe me, it is not true. NBA players do play hard (and they do play defense) during the regular season… their effort and intensity just gets magnified come playoff time. Just ask Paul Pierce. Better yet, ask James Jones. 

As with any sport, the intensity of effort gets exponentially higher during the playoffs because there is a new found sense of urgency.  Win the series or your season is over. Just because the NBA playoff atmosphere is electric, it doesn’t mean they didn’t play hard during the regular season. It just means they are playing even harder in the playoffs!  It’s all relative. This is true for every professional sport… but I never hear anyone complain that NFL players ‘don’t play hard’ during the regular season.  Somehow the NBA got stuck with that stigma.

What if I took you out to the track and told you to run a lap.  Then right before you were about to start I said, “Run 5 laps.” Would you approach things differently? Would you run the first lap (of 5) at the same pace you would run just one lap? No way! You couldn’t! You would properly pace yourself because you would have 4 more laps to run.  Your goal would be to run the entire 5 laps as fast as possible… not just the first.

But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be working hard on the first lap. You would push yourself, just at an appropriate pace. You would be working hard and smart. NBA players and coaches have a similar mindset.  They know they have to maintain a high level of effort, and remain injury free, for 82 regular season games plus playoffs… so they can’t kill themselves on that proverbial first lap.

What if I took you out to the track and said, “Let’s run a lap for fun.” Then right before we were about to start I said, “Loser buys dinner.”  Would you run harder now that something is on the line? Absolutely!  Why? It is human nature to push a little harder when there is a tangible reward at stake. And in this case, a steak would be at stake!

The NBA playoffs are the same.  But they are playing to be NBA Champions… a much bigger incentive than a free dinner.

The NBA has the world’s best athletes. These guys are big, fast, strong, and super explosive. The game is played at lightning speed and above the rim.  Yet these guys make it look easy.  They are so efficient and graceful it’s hard to grasp how hard they actually play. They have to play hard just to keep up!

If you have ever sat courtside to a regular season game, or been to a practice, you know firsthand how hard these NBA players go.  And if you still don’t agree, try guarding Chris Paul or Derrick Rose or Kevin Garnett for 40+ minutes during the regular season and tell me they aren’t going hard!

Factor in that NBA teams play 3 times as many games as college players and have a more rigorous travel schedule.  Not to mention more overall demands and responsibilities like the media, public appearances, and in-season workouts.  So once again, it would be the difference in running 1 lap (college) versus 5 laps (NBA); the pace and intensity would have to be modified.

Bottom line is this - NBA players do play hard during the regular season; they just play even harder in the playoffs! 

If you think I don’t know what I am talking about when it comes to the NBA, you are partially right. I went 0-4 on my predictions of Game #1 in the 2^nd round.  I had the Thunder, Lakers, Celtics, and Bulls all winning the opening game!  Oh well.

If you have any thoughts on this blog post please post them on www.Twitter.com/AlanStein or www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam. I always appreciate your feedback.

Train hard.  Train smart.

Alan Stein

www.StrongerTeam.com