Every baller out there wants to become a professional basketball player. But for most, this will be just a dream. But playing professional basketball doesn’t have to be a dream. With a lot of work and implementing the below 4 steps you too can join the pro ranks, it’ll just take a little longer than getting into the NBA draft. Here’s how you can become a professional basketball player the unconventional way.
1. Contacting coaches
Contacting coaches or organisation is the first thing you need to do when looking to play professional basketball. Considering you are reading this; you don’t have anyone doing the recruiting for you. Don’t stress, it is easy to do the recruiting all by yourself.
In a post, contacting coaching staff, I give a step by step guide on how to firstly find teams/ coaches contact details and how to handle the call.
Getting a coach on the phone is a far easier exercise than email. Speaking to someone one on one is the best outcome. It’ll enable you to be more engaged.
2. Basketball resume
If you don’t have a basketball resume. Why? You need something to provide the coaches you’ll be contacting. Remember, getting a professional basketball gig is like applying for a job. You need a resume to send to your potential coach to catch their interest. And by sending a resume you automatically get their email address for future correspondence. Crafty, I know.
3. Game tape
If you don’t have game tape. Go get some! In this day and age it is so very easy to get footage of you playing. All phones have cameras. Get a friend to record you. No professional basketball team will entertain you without providing footage.
If you do have game footage it is time to get it up on YouTube and optimise the video to be easily searched. Having content on your videos description will help potential recruits know more about you and contact you. What’s the point of having footage on the web if a coach can’t contact you. Right? Oh you’d be surprised how many people make this rookie mistake.
In my book, how to build a basketball profile I have a whole chapter on the optimisation of video content. It is a very important part of being found amongst the hundreds of basketball videos that get uploaded daily.
4. Train hard
You want to play professional basketball? You better have the work ethic. Even after you make a team it is a battle to keep your spot. If you’ve read my blog posts you’d know playing in Europe is ruthless. One minute you are on a team the next you are flying back home.
Working on your game is all about the on court, the weights room and taking recovery seriously. This can be hard to keep on top of. The best way to ensure you are doing the right thing is to track your progress. The best way to do that is have a training diary.
I created a FREE training diary for anyone that signs up for the blog. So if you haven’t done so, sign up using the form below and get your free copy now.
Your new life as a professional basketball player
Now that you have the 4 steps to make your professional basketball dream a reality. It is time to put it all into action. I have been recently reading a book called the 5 second rule. The basic gist of the book is that you have 5 seconds to act on an idea. Any longer the chances of you completing that idea/goal reduces dramatically.
You have now been given a break down of how to get yourself a professional basketball contract. Or at the very least, the ability to tryout for a team. The question now is, are you going to put these steps into action?