It can be pretty easy for a young athlete to get caught up in personal goals on the basketball court. After watching NBA players who shoot 20, sometimes even 30 times per game, such as James Harden or Russell Westbrook, beginners can sometimes forget the value of teamwork. However, the personal connections of teammates can be one of the most valuable aspects of the game. Even though Harden or Westbrook aren’t exactly pass-first players, they still enjoy spending time with teammates.
For some players, teammates are just the other guys or girls out there on the floor. However, for others, they’re like brothers or sisters. Teammates can bring out the best in one another. When a player is feeling down, perhaps from a scoring drought or a few bad plays, teammates can be there to lift them up. Even when everything is just fine, teammates can foster an atmosphere of camaraderie and positivity. After all those long bus rides and competitive games, there’s a certain bond that can’t be broken.
Through sports team websites, coaches can focus on some of the more personal aspects of basketball that can be so easily overlooked. The game isn’t just about winning and losing, it’s also about moral values and lifelong lessons. Teammates can be just the right people to help teach these points.
Hawks reserve lifts teammates
Kent Bazemore, shooting guard for the Atlanta Hawks, isn’t the focal point of one of the best teams in the league when it comes to playing time. However, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, many different players have praised Bazemore as an excellent teammate with a consistently positive energy.
“We always had some funny guys, but his energy and his passion for the game rubs off on you on the floor and the locker room,” Hawks point guard Jeff Teague told the news outlet. “He’s probably one of the best teammates I [have] ever had.”
Detroit guard thankful for teammates
Reggie Jackson, a point guard for the Detroit Pistons, has plenty of untapped potential. Yet after the Oklahoma City Thunder phased him out of their rotation and traded him, he lost some confidence. NBA.com reported that Jackson’s teammates have been very helpful in restoring his mindset.
“They were on me pretty heavy about going out here and not being someone different - just go out and be myself,” Jackson told the news outlet. “I’m in my own head quite a bit. I’ve definitely been thanking them.”
