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How to be consistent in basketball
How to be consistent in basketball
USA Basketball - 10 Tips to Improve the Mental Side of Shooting
Being a great shooter can change your life. Great shooters have a much better chance to make the team, become a star, get a
scholarship or even play professional basketball.
Here are 10 mental concepts and techniques that will help any player become a better shooter and
make more shots, in any situation, in any game.
Go beyond the physical fundamentals to get into the "zone" like all great shooters do:
Use Relevant Psychology
The part of psychology most relevant to sports performance is neuroscience. A major concept of neuroscience is that everything
you do is controlled by thought. Your body is controlled by your mind. Controlling your mind through thought is called focus.
Peak performance requires focus. You must have very specific purpose and intent. Simplify that purpose to the smallest variable possible, and that becomes your focal point. You don’t need to think, but you do need to focus! Pure focus equals maximum performance!
Physics and Biomechanics
Before understanding and adjusting your personal shooting psychology, you must first establish this baseline concept.![]()
The physics of making shots are exactly the same for everyone. Things like arc, trajectory, and backspin are equally in play for all of us, with every shot we take. Yet the "fundamental shooting form" taught by most coaches when teaching players to shoot doesn't
always match proven science. Biomechanics and physics say it's about the ball--not the body.
Rick Barry (6th on the all-time scoring list when he retired) averaged over 90 percent from the charity stripe for his entire career and has the second best free-throw percentage in the history of the NBA. At the NABC convention, I had the opportunity to talk to Rick about his two-handed/underhanded free throws. Barry’s shooting form is a totally different technique from what players prefer to use today. But Barry is the perfect example of a player who focused on getting the basketball to go in, regardless of how he got his body to do it.
While players can use totally different shooting form and "fundamentals," the physics of the shot arc, trajectory and distance remained constant.
Get Beyond Analysis Paralysis
As coaches we often tell players to "concentrate," or "take a deep breath and relax." Another popular coaching directive is "don't
think too much" and just shoot. But how do you deal with the mixed signals of relax, stop thinking and yet still work to concentrate? What does being relaxed mean? By the way, when was the last time your mind was completely blank? Okay, except for now while you ponder the question! To get beyond analysis paralysis in shooting you must learn to control your focus.
Feel Your Body and Trust Your Feelings
Top shooters have a feel for what a good shot is. They know the moment a shot leaves their hand if it is good or not. So what "feel" should you aim for? Here's a simple drill to get more control over the basketball and one of the most effective ways to improve your shot:
Stand within eight feet or so from the basket and make an all-net shot with one hand.
Do this over and over again. Memorize how
the ball feels rolling out of your hands and off your fingers as you make all-net shot after shot. Do it with your eyes closed and focus on feeling the ball roll off your fingers--don't look, just feel!
When you duplicate that feeling, you will engrain the necessary physics of arc, directional control and even backspin to make more shots. When you focus on getting that feeling, you are better able to duplicate the feeling. When you use this technique you stop thinking. Your mind will then subconsciously search for and recreate the feeling/sensation of the ball rolling off your fingers towards the basket. As you focus on that one specific thing, all of a sudden your footwork, jumping, and everything else will begin to align to give you the best chance to make the shot.
This "focus on the feeling" action is how our mind clears away conscience thought (even fear) and finds "the zone." This will happen all by itself if you "focus" on one simple feeling.
This is exactly what happens when people use a mantra to meditate and find enlightenment.
Meditate to Concentrate
According to psychologist Daniel Goldman, "powerful concentration amplifies the effectiveness of any kind of activity."
Meditation, or mindfulness, is the ability to retrain attention, so that it fosters concentration. Several NBA players meditate before games. Lakers coach Phil Jackson is a proponent of meditation and is known as the "Zen Master." Coach Jackson has had both his Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers teams practice Buddhist meditation before they practice jump shots.
Jackson has won 10 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers. Meditate on that...
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Improve Your Shooters EQ
Basketball IQ is incredibly important in shooting. Shots are often made or missed before they are ever even taken.
Shooters IQ is the instinctive ability to know how to get open for a shot, where and when to take a shot, what type of shot to take, and even when not to shoot.
Basketball EQ (Emotional Quotient) is a player’s ability to control emotions regardless of the changing circumstances (time and score – missed/made last three shot attempts, etc.) of a basketball game. EQ affects a player’s abilities to adjust on the fly and perform under pressure. Our research indicates that your emotional quotient may be twice as important in contributing to shooting excellence than basketball IQ and shooting skill alone.
Actualization
Start doing. Stop practicing shooting. Start making shots. It doesn’t matter how many shots you practice. What matters is how many shots you actually make during practice.
For true shooting mastery, it also helps to limit practice to making only the one or two types of shots you will actually get to take while in the flow of your team's offense. Also, instead of trying to "practice at game speed," make shots while being denied the ball and even guarded by one or two defenders.
Successful experience in practice leads to successful experience in games and raises the your personal level of expectation.
Raise Your Level of Expectation
Make perfect shots. In our player development sessions at 1on1 Basketball Academy, we require that all layups go off the
backboard and through the net without ever touching the rim. Hit the rim and the shot does not count. Jump shots must also be "all-net" in order to count.
Make shots with your eyes closed. Play "all-net/eyes closed" shooting competitions in practice to develop your "feel" for making shots. Focus on the feel needed to make perfect shots from warm-up to cool down, and your practice effort will transfer into real game success.
Transference
Basketball players and teams practice hard and often still play inconsistently or poorly. Make better use of practice time. Get your practice time effort to transfer into real performance in real games.
As an expert in pedagogy and behavioral science, I firmly believe that the most effective way to perform at peak performance levels is to practice (even when you are initially learning new skills) with a success/failure-based immediate and effective consequence.
That's how it is in a real game. That's how it is in life."
Go Beyond Confidence
We do clinics for coaches and players all across the country and internationally. Unannounced at every clinic, I walk to half court and a make shot, facing backwards, with my eyes closed! I never practice, yet I consistently make the shot in less than seven attempts.
How can I do this? I have simply memorized the feel of a successful shot. As I'm holding the basketball, I take just one to two seconds to focus/meditate on getting that feeling as I take the shot. With everyone now watching, we then take a player from the clinic group and get them to make the shot (eyes open for rookies!). Always a crowd pleaser, this is a great example of what mastering the mental aspects of shooting can do for any player.
Release old ideas and beliefs. Empty your cup of pre-conceived barriers and fill it with new knowledge. Be in the moment--no past, no future--and only aware of the meditative mantra feeling of the ball rolling off your fingers.
21 Easy Ways to Improve Your Basketball Shooting Percentage – The Breakthrough Basketball Blog
Tip #1 – Locate Your Target (the Rim) Earlier
Getting in the habit of locating your target (the rim) earlier will improve your shooting percentage. Why?
Locating the rim just a split second earlier gives your brain more time to subconsciously calculate distance and focus on your objective. Your eyes should be on the rim as early as possible. To make this little trick work, you need to develop this habit in practice, which carries over into games.
Tip #2 – Always Hold Your Follow Through
You’ve probably heard this a hundred times but there’s good reason for it. Holding your follow through solves a multitude of shooting problems. This simple movement helps you maintain good basketball shooting technique without even thinking about it.
Tip #3 – Finish with a Relaxed Wrist
A common mistake is for players to follow-through with a tense wrist.
Your wrist should be as relaxed as possible. Your hand should finish on line and even bounce a little during the follow-through.
Tip #4 – Use a Colored Ball to Improve Rotation
To improve the straightness of your shot, try a colored basketball during practice. This makes it easy to see the rotation and direction of the ball. The immediate feedback makes it quick and easy for you to adjust and improve your shot.
Tip #5 – Don’t Shoot like Kobe (By Hanging In The Air)
TOO many kids try to copy Kobe and end up with bad shots for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!
Youngsters have no business trying to hang like Kobe and shoot. Kobe is a freak of nature! You should shoot as you’re going up (at least 1 inch before you reach the top of your jump). Trying to mimic Kobe’s shot will just earn you a place on the bench and lots of frustration.
Tip #6 – Stop Thinking about Your Shot During Games
One of the worst things you can do is think about your shooting mechanics during a game.
Thinking about your shot is for practice, NOT for games! In fact, you should only think during certain parts of your practice. It’s ok to think during a form shooting session or when learning a new skill, but once you start developing rhythm and get further into practice, don’t think!
During games, train yourself to think about other things or nothing at all.
You’re going to miss a few. So what! Don’t think, just shoot the damn ball!!!
If you adopt this mentality, your shooting percentage will go UP.
Tip # 7 – Eliminate Negative Thoughts with this Simple Trick
Eliminating negative thoughts can dramatically improve your basketball shooting percentage.
To stop thinking and eliminate bad thoughts, you can try this little trick…
Before each game, practice, and shooting session, tell yourself that you don’t care if you make any baskets. Say it out loud or in your head several times.
THEN, when you go to shoot (right as you’re catching the ball), say something to yourself like, “Nice shot.
I can do better.” In other words, try not to care if it goes in or not.
This simple little trick helps you to relax into the process and not think about the result. Using this technique will be enough to break you out of mini slumps and restore your confidence.
Tip #8 – Develop Optimal Arc
DID YOU KNOW that a shot with a flat 35 degree arc only has .6 inches of margin for the ball to clear without hitting the rim? The shot has to be almost perfect to get a swish.
BUT a shot with a 45 degree medium height arc has a 3 inch margin of error!
That’s right. Just by increasing the arc of your shot, your margin of error could increase as much as 500%!
How many shots bounce OUT of the basket because you missed by just a fraction?
As a general rule of thumb, finish your follow through with the rim clearly visible beneath the fingers of your shooting hand. That way you will ensure that you have a decent arc on the shot. Shots with proper arch have a much better chance of going in.
Just don’t go too high. Because if your arc gets too high, you’ll loose your distance control.
Tip #9 – Watch DVDs
Simply by watching great shooters groove their shots over and over, you can improve your confidence and form.
The good habits and examples can be contagious. As you watch, the good form becomes ingrained in your mind.
Not to mention, you should never stop learning. There are lots of good shooting DVDs and books for you to learn from.
Tip #10 – Use a Partner to Tune your Shot Alignment
Spend a little time during each practice lined up along a court line about 20 feet from a partner, shooting back and forth and trying to have the ball bounce as close to the line as possible. This simple practice technique will help you to fine tune your control of the precision of your shot.
Tip #11 – Land In Front
Balance is a very important aspect of shooting. You achieve balance primarily through a proper stance and footwork.
After your shot, you should land in front of where you started. You can do this by making sure that your momentum is going towards the basket on every catch. You should also establish good balance from your stance.
Tip #12 – Film Your Shot
You’d be amazed at how filming your shot in both games and practices can help you.
The most common response from players is… “That’s how I shoot!!??”
That’s right. Most players haven’t seen their own shot before. Seeing your shot on film can help you to detect poor mechanics and motivate you to make commitments for improvement. Bottom line– it’s a great way to refine your shot.
Tip #13 – Get a Partner
When possible, try to shoot with a partner. Because when you’re alone, you end up chasing the rebound before following through properly.
This is important. Think about how you practice…
You shoot and then you start following the shot immediately so you can get lots of reps.
Guess what? This can mess up your follow-through. You need to FINISH each shot and hold your follow-through. That’s why we recommend getting a partner to rebound for you. Now just because you can’t find a partner you can (and should) still practice by yourself. Just be aware of holding your follow through.
Tip #14 – Fix Bad Habits by Immediately Correcting Your Shot
This is one of the easiest ways to break bad shooting habits. For example, let’s say you forgot to hold your follow-through. Well, immediately after you shoot, raise your hand back up and put your hand in the correct follow-through position. This simple technique will help you quickly correct the bad habit
Tip #15 – Use a Return Device
Using basketball rebounding and return devices can literally double the number of shots you can take in practice. Just think how much time you spend chasing the ball when you practice. A return device solves that problem and lets you take more shots in less time.
Tip #16 – Get To Set
When you catch the ball, you should get the ball to your set position as quickly as possible. This will speed up your shot. Your set point can be anywhere between your hip and your shoulder.
Tip #17 – Don’t Fall for Gimmicks
Too many players spend their hard earned money on shooting gloves and gimmicks, thinking this will make them great shooters.
You can’t use these devices during a game so it really doesn’t do you much good. You need to learn how to shoot effectively without these devices. There is NO magic pill.
Tip # 18 – Keep Your Shot Motion Balanced, Fluid, and Consistent
A fluid motion means that there are no jerky movements or stopping points, just one constant flow from start to finish.
Consistency can’t be stressed enough. Your feet, arms, set point, and jump height should use a consistent motion every time you shoot. All the greatest shooters in the world have amazingly consistent movements.
Tip #19 – Groove 50 Shots Before Every Game
Before every practice and game, face the basket and shoot 50 EASY shots about four to ten feet from the basket.
Not only does this improve your shooting form, but it helps to develop phenomenal confidence.
You’ll quickly become very good at grooving these shots over and over. You’ll see the ball going in the basket over and over. You’ll swish the ball repeatedly and probably shoot 60%, 70%, 80%, or more, which is great for your psyche.
Why do you think that NBA players do this before games? Why do you think that Tiger Woods starts all of his practice sessions by making 100 three-foot putts?
Because it works! Don’t overlook this powerful strategy.
Tip #20 – Quickly Chart Your Shot to Determine Tendencies
Head to the gym and shoot a bare minimum of 50 shots. Ask your partner to chart your shots. The KEY is to chart the detailed results of each shot. You will track how many shots fell short, too long, to the left, and to the right.
This information will help you to determine what you need to work on.
For example, if you consistently miss short (like many players do), you’ll need to work on your power and distance control. If you consistently miss to the right and the left, you need to fix the mechanics of your foot and/or arm alignment.
Tip #21 – Work Game-Like Movement into Your Practice
To make game shots, you need to practice game shots. You should use good shooting drills and practice movement off screens, cuts, chairs, and pivoting in both directions.
Get to the Gym and Apply What You’ve Learned
There ya go… 21 simple ways for you to improve your basketball shooting percentage. Now get to the gym, apply what you’ve learned, and knock down more shots!!
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Siskauskas: the success of the guy from Kaišiadorys in European basketball
Ramūnas now looks absolutely calm, the smile never leaves his face. It seems that the decision to end his career has removed a serious burden from the shoulders of the European basketball star. Although this step of the Lithuanian came as a shock to many fans.
When and why did you decide to quit?
When - in the middle of the season. Why... I just feel like it's time to stop. I could still play, of course. And health allows. On the other hand, I don't want to play until they carry me off the court on a stretcher.
On top of everything else, you had a great rebuild last season.
Yes, I always try to do what is required of me - for the coach, for the team. My game has really changed, but I don't want to complain about it. If I was seen in such a role, I tried to perform it well.
You spent almost your entire career in the position of number three. Now you are more often used as a second. Was it difficult?
I would not say that these positions are seriously different. It's not the first with the fifth to compare. Another issue is that wherever I play, I have more freedom. Created myself, helped create others. In attack, it depended more on me. This year, first of all, they saw me as a defender, and in the attack - only to help. It wasn't something I've done all my life.
Did you feel comfortable in your new capacity?
Tried to help the team. It worked out better or worse... You can't change that. On the other hand, I'm not finishing because of changes. No matter how the season ended, the decision was made long ago.
You mentioned defense and I think a lot of fans were surprised to see you as a stopper. You had to fight against Diamantidis, Spanoulis, Vuyachich, Domercant, Planinic - the opponent's shock forces.
Do you feel like you've added to the defense yourself, or have we not seen these qualities behind offensive abilities before?
Hard to say. Coach Jonas used me in this way when I was young - in the national team and Lietuvos Rytas. Then I was also his main defender, who took on the opposition to the leaders of other teams. Other coaches were also satisfied, they didn't complain, they weren't afraid to entrust good players. Another thing is when I came to CSKA, Jay and Trajan were there, and usually they were trusted to keep the snipers. Of course, everyone defended, but I had to work more in attack. And Jonas probably remembered what I was capable of and turned me into a protector again. (Laughs).
Were you glad about this fact? Is there satisfaction in such trust?
Any trust is good. And, of course, I liked it. It's just that, probably, because of this, it was also more difficult to keep up everywhere. After all, I'm not 22 or 25 years old, and when you run after a player like a dog, you get tired great.
And if you give all the energy in the attack, then you will have enough strength for five minutes. That's why he tried on defense, but on the other side of the court the team used other options.
When you made the decision to end your career, did you ever think about playing for the Lithuanian team in the end – in the Olympic qualification, in London? There were no thoughts or conversations on this topic?
No, somehow I didn't think about it. I decided a long time ago that I would finish with the national team earlier. Because if you also devote the summer to basketball, and then return to the club, then there will be no strength left. Of course, everyone does what they want, but I didn’t want to do what some basketball players do. Like, come on, I’ll play now, then I’ll rest for a year or two, then I’ll play again ... I think this is not very good for the team. It is unfair to the young, who seem to be pulled into the national team, and then they can be removed in favor of the veterans.
I guess you have to be consistent.
Let's reminisce a little. Let's think, what is the most memorable in your career? Matches, shots, titles...
Looking back, it's hard to believe how much I've achieved. After all, he came to basketball, in fact, from nowhere. Many guys dream from childhood, study, go to sports schools, make plans for how they will become professional players. I, in fact, started training only at the age of 15, I went to an amateur team in my native Kaišiadorys, we had two or three training sessions a week, sometimes even ten people didn’t come to them, they could, for example, play four by four . And at the weekend they played in the third Lithuanian league. At 18, when I graduated from high school, I entered the Lithuanian Premier League... You look how quickly everything went, spun, serious teams went, awards, titles... It's hard to believe.
It turns out that you graduated from high school in 1996 and won the Olympic medal in 2000.
Yes, in 1998 he also played for the Lithuanian youth team. I don’t want to lie, but, probably, in the second year in the major leagues, Jonas Kazlauskas took me to the training camp of the national team. Then, of course, I unhooked it, but for me it was a huge event. It was unrealistic to leave the yard, where we were chasing the ball with friends, watching basketball on TV, and being in the big leagues, almost immediately in the national team, was unrealistic. To remember all this is a sin to complain about something in a career. It turns out that I won the Euroleague - this is the highest possible achievement in club basketball on the continent, I won the European Championship with the national team, and the Olympic medal came at all on my debut in the national team. It's impossible to forget. Third place at the EuroBasket in 2007 ... And any victory in the national championship is significant. In every country where I played, I won both the championship and the Cup.
All these titles are important.
It's not even a question of which title is more valuable. After all, there are always some bright moments that stand out in memory.
To put it this way… In the national team, I can remember the meeting with the Dream Team in Sydney, back in the group stage. Four years before that, I had just graduated from high school, watched the NBA on TV and could not even imagine that I would go out with these guys on the same site. I didn’t even know that I would be a professional basketball player. It was… wow. And the Olympics are something special. Even just getting on it is incredibly difficult. When you arrive, all the strongest athletes in the world are around, the best of the best walk at arm's length. And also to win a medal… Of course, I will also remember the victory in Europe in 2003. Because the meeting at home was incredible. We flew to Kaunas, and people were standing all the way from the airport, greeting us, bowing.
And in the center of the city gathered, it seems, about 50 thousand people. Never forget this. Then the Euroleague - both the first and the second. They can not be compared with victories in the national championships.
Tell me, when in 1998-99 you were just being pulled up to the national team, there was no talk, they say, who is this? Where did they get this streetball guy from?
Nobody spoke like that in my presence. (Laughs). Then I heard that many were strange. Others try their whole lives, but then a man came ... Probably, this is a gift from God, and he got to the right place at the right time. After all, the coaches did not go to every town in the yards. And here it so happened that we played at some kind of championship in Kaunas, among city school teams. I performed well, and I was noticed by the coach of some women's team, who suggested to the coach of Sakalaya (my first team) that there was an interesting guy in Kaišiadorys. So it happened.
This would not have happened - maybe he would have spent his whole life in his Kaišiadorys.
Are you visiting your hometown?
Of course, my mother lives there. And I see all my friends on that team. I no longer go to play with them - I can, perhaps, go to quit. And the guys still play in the local amateur league. We communicate easily, no one has changed, relations have remained good.
Do you have any negative points that make cats scratch to your liking? After all, of course, now many people are talking about Istanbul...
Of course. I can remember Berlin. It's impossible without this. There are no single victories in sports. Most importantly, I think I was lucky that I went through my entire career without serious injuries. I had a broken arm in my youth in Lithuania. But, in general, there were no operations, long-term rehabilitation. And game moments - they happen in every sport. Sometimes you fall, get up and move on.
Yes, at the very moment it’s a pity, a shame, you think how it could have turned out. But, on the other hand, people think the same way. Today you are lucky, tomorrow - another. In any case, it's just a game. There are much more serious problems in life - diseases, wars. The main thing is that he is healthy, his family is healthy, his children are healthy. What more could you want?
What are your favorite teams in your career? Individual players, coaches, with whom it is especially pleasant to communicate?
Let's say my first teams are Sakalai, then Lietuvos Rytas. For me, playing in their line-up at that time seemed the highest assessment of my capabilities. In Rytas we had young Macijauskas and Javtokas, we were national champions, won the NEBL and the ULEB Cup. I already felt at the top. Then there was Benetton and coach Messina, whom everyone was talking about, was called a basketball professor. It was my first foreign experience. It was very interesting to work under Messina, and to debut in the Euroleague, at a different level.
Then a year at Panathinaikos, one of Europe's top clubs. Then it seemed: “How so? Only recently I was chasing a ball in the yard!” (Speaks in a whisper.) And then a superclub, coach Obradovic, and immediately victory in the Euroleague. A year later - already CSKA, again a top club. Despite the fact that as a child he was rooting for Zalgiris in confrontations with CSKA, there was no doubt whether to accept the offer or not. I came here with pleasure and do not regret for a minute that I stayed. Here, if not the best, then one of the best organizations in Europe. I feel at home here, everyone is trying to support and help you. I am glad that I ended my career in such a club, and did not sink down. I want to be understood correctly. I don't have high self-esteem, disdain for other teams. It is important for me to leave in demand. At the same time, I respect when players want to finish where they started.
Were you persuaded to stay?
My opinion was respected.
I think that if a person has doubts, then there is a sense for persuasion. If the wish is expressed clearly - why?
Do you still have big friends from different teams with whom you call up, meet?
I am talking to Trajan. We have a good relationship with Zoran [Planinic]. Now there will be more time, probably, and it will become easier to communicate. And then, after all, I myself see when you play - constantly training, matches, there are no opportunities to meet. At the same time, I am glad that in the course of my career I met so many good people. I will be glad to communicate with them in the future. It was lucky that in all the teams - in Italy, Greece, Russia - there was a great atmosphere. This is also important for victories.
Will you come to Moscow?
I will. There are things. (Laughs). No, really, basketball lives on in me. I am interested in both matches and tournaments. You can rest for a year or two, but you still can’t sit at home all the time.
How do you see your future? After all, you don't have to take your kids to school all the time.
It so happened that all the options in my life appeared as if by themselves. The same basketball - one day the coach came to the school, said to come to the team. So I don't have specific plans. But surely there is something.
Would you like to study?
Quite possible. There will be time. I look around and see what interests me. I'll think about it while I'm on vacation.
When you were at school, did you have dreams? Imagine who you want to be?
That's what I'm talking about: it seems to me that God is leading me through life. Someone from the ninth grade knows where he will go. In the twelfth grade, graduation in Lithuanian schools, I still did not know where to go, to act. The year was coming to an end, and I still doubted, rushed about. And then - oh-pa, come on, go to basketball. Opportunity arose - took advantage of it.
So, I believe that everything will work out.
Parents didn't press, they say, come on, Ramas, make up your mind?!
Now we are talking - they were really worried. But then they didn't show it. And I am grateful to my parents that I did not feel pressure from them. No one pushed me, no one forced me to do something by force. I had my choice. Everything worked out the way it did. And it turned out well.
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Evgeny Pashutin. There is a person - no problem
On Friday, Evgeny Pashutin was appointed the new head coach of the Russian men's basketball team. About why the candidacy of the coach of Lokomotiv-Kuban turned out to be the most suitable for appointment to this post - read the material Sportbox.ru.
It's not true that Russian basketball is sinking.
He rather goes with the flow. There is simply no one to direct it in the right direction, and where it will endure - God knows. Turnover is generally a familiar concept for our basketball. Maybe that's why David Blatt didn't want to step into the same river twice. In addition to tact, good manners and thoroughness, he has a consistency that makes him a brilliant strategist, not only when it comes to basketball schemes, but also when it comes to career growth. Since the 2000s, Blatt has had virtually no noticeable slippage. With minor interruptions, he won cups, won championships, received individual awards. When in the summer of 2012 he led Russia to the historical bronze of the Olympic Games, Blatt took another step up, and now he has the right to count on proposals from teams such as Turkey, Italy, Brazil.
During resignations or at the moments of making difficult decisions, as if summarizing everything done or not done, it is customary to say - this is business, nothing personal.
Behind the frequent mention of this expression, it was somehow forgotten that in addition to the material meaning associated with obvious and not too financial manipulations, there is another translation option - business. Now, more than ever, for Blatt, doing what he loves has come to the fore. And a new opportunity, for which he quite possibly worked all his life, is more important to him than the best offer. Especially when the party making it has nothing to offer, and its credit history is slightly damaged.
I started the article by mentioning Blatt, also trying to be consistent. After all, the new coach of the Russian national team Evgeny Pashutin, to some extent, follows in his footsteps. We can say that this is the usual way for every coach. First, the main one in the youth team, then the assistant in the main one, after which the promotion follows, and already further - the international level. The difference between Pashutin and the rest is that he very carefully chose a new place of work and the moment of making the right decision.
Last summer, he only confirmed this idea. After the features of national basketball were demonstrated to the whole world, there were three main candidates left: Vasily Karasev, Sergey Bazarevich and Evgeny Pashutin.
After a short debate, the choice fell on Karasev, whom many were quick to blame for the lack of achievements and lack of experience. In fact, during his work at Triumph, Vasily Karasev achieved the main thing - respect. In Triumph. This does not mean that Triumph is some kind of small-town club that should be neglected. This means that painstaking work over three years is slightly different from several months, during which you need to understand the real state of the team, select the final line-up, instill in him your understanding of the game, supply the players with a number of schemes and check how effective they are. All this accompanied by bravura uncertainty, nervousness and seething... Vasily Karasev earned a reputation in basketball as not only an intelligent, but also a brave player - he knew what he was getting into.
Evgeny Pashutin knew what he was not going for, and therefore it was he who now led the national team. As a mentor, Pashutin won six titles, three of which were at the European level: two European Cups (2011, 2013) and the gold of the European Championship among youth teams in 2005. Before all these successes, Pashutin sat at CSKA as assistants to Dusan Ivkovic and Ettore Messina, diligently investing his own time in experience not only in terms of the purely technical side of basketball.
In the summer, Pashutin was reproached a lot for withdrawing himself before the EuroBasket, motivating his resignation by family circumstances and the inability to fully concentrate on work. Quite a lot was speculated on this, words like “setup”, “cowardice”, “betrayal” were used. First of all, it is quite difficult to reproach a person for all this, professionally, clearly explaining his act. And then, remember the words of the famous character of the film: "To betray in time, this is not to betray - this is to foresee.
" It was possible to foresee the result of the national team? Can. And, to put it mildly, not only the followers of Grandmother Vanga shared their predictions in this regard. So why waste time?
Instead, Pashutin did what he did at CSKA, only this time he stepped up the investments, thanks to which his Lokomotiv Kuban is now rushing through the Euroleague at full speed and has already made it to the Top 16. In addition, the club has gathered basketball players who are already or will become players in the national team in the near future. The eldest - Sergey Bykov, who won the EuroBasket 2007, is now 30 years old, and he did not get to Slovenia only because of an injury. Maxim Grigoriev, Alexey Zhukanenko, Valery Likhodey - all are regularly called up to the national team and unhook them only at the very last moment. Given the uncertainty surrounding Kirilenko and Khryapa, the situation may change. On the way, young, but early Andrey Zubkov and Maxim Kolyushkin. Pashutin will have constant access to all these players.
What will happen besides this? Obviously a lot of time. Given the conflicting information about the intentions of the RSE to apply for a wild card and search for funds to rent an office, one can only guess with what degree of probability the Russian team will be able to be in the World Cup. Pashutin perfectly fits the current situation. Availability of time, a successful developing club career, an impressive list of existing achievements, a considerable number of collections in Lokomotiv, a representative of the so popularized “Russian school of coaches”. Its own, it is somehow dearer, always more accessible.
There is another reason why Pashutin is the best fit for the post of head coach of the Russian national team, it does not have his merit or, conversely, omission. No person - no problem, this postulate is characteristic not only of the Russian mentality, but it is in our country that for some reason it manifests itself with enviable regularity. I repeat, Vasily Karasev knew what he was getting into.
