The "Star" as Team Player

[philtenn]

There's a great thread about being a team player, but I think this topic needs its own thread.

 

I think that if you're the star on the team, it requires a whole new set of skills to not only BE a team player but also to be SEEN as one. It's a level of skills that no one else on the team has to have. After all, if you are truly the best player on the team and you are truly trying to do whatever it takes for your team to win, shouldn't you overlook a pass to someone else who may not be as good because in your hands the chances increase that a score will be made? And that's just one issue on offense. It's an issue that I think many people do not appreciate.

 

But that's the problem for the best player. The best "best players" I've seen are very good at recognizing that they should keep the ball and when to give it up. But that's an extra hard chore for the best player. It's easier for the other players, they can always look to pass to the best player without a thought. If the best player is to be the best TEAM PLAYER she can be, she must do more evaluating.

 

Their thinking process has to be even more precise because they don't just look to see if someone is open, they have to recognize the player and the skill level she has and also recognize the position the other player has on the court to score. Player X may be two feet away from the basket, but the star knows that she can only hit consistently if she's at the free throw line, for instance. (Maybe player X gets intimidated inside or maybe player x has problems catching the ball cleanly). So, in that moment the best player should recognize that she has the better chance of scoring even though she's got somebody on her and the other girl is open. (She feels she can beat the defender). Now, from the stands, it looks like selfishness, and that sentiment might be echoed from the standpoint of player X, who may not admit to herself that she can't be counted on to make that basket.

 

The other players on the team can more easily be seen as unselfish. They have someone to pass to who will get the job done and they can do it without a thought. But not the star. She has an extra burden. What's worse is that she's human. She can choose to keep the ball and try to score and fail... with another girl wide open under the basket...

 

So coaches, I'm wondering what you think. Have you ever run across resentment toward the star on your team when you knew that she was trying her best to do what's best for the team? Have had potential stars who never became a star because she didn't want to risk being seen as selfish? How did you handle the situation?

[thug dadi]

There's a great thread about being a team player, but I think this topic needs its own thread.

 

I think that if you're the star on the team, it requires a whole new set of skills to not only BE a team player but also to be SEEN as one. It's a level of skills that no one else on the team has to have. After all, if you are truly the best player on the team and you are truly trying to do whatever it takes for your team to win, shouldn't you overlook a pass to someone else who may not be as good because in your hands the chances increase that a score will be made? And that's just one issue on offense. It's an issue that I think many people do not appreciate.

 

But that's the problem for the best player. The best "best players" I've seen are very good at recognizing that they should keep the ball and when to give it up. But that's an extra hard chore for the best player. It's easier for the other players, they can always look to pass to the best player without a thought. If the best player is to be the best TEAM PLAYER she can be, she must do more evaluating.

 

Their thinking process has to be even more precise because they don't just look to see if someone is open, they have to recognize the player and the skill level she has and also recognize the position the other player has on the court to score. Player X may be two feet away from the basket, but the star knows that she can only hit consistently if she's at the free throw line, for instance. (Maybe player X gets intimidated inside or maybe player x has problems catching the ball cleanly). So, in that moment the best player should recognize that she has the better chance of scoring even though she's got somebody on her and the other girl is open. (She feels she can beat the defender). Now, from the stands, it looks like selfishness, and that sentiment might be echoed from the standpoint of player X, who may not admit to herself that she can't be counted on to make that basket.

 

The other players on the team can more easily be seen as unselfish. They have someone to pass to who will get the job done and they can do it without a thought. But not the star. She has an extra burden. What's worse is that she's human. She can choose to keep the ball and try to score and fail... with another girl wide open under the basket...

 

So coaches, I'm wondering what you think. Have you ever run across resentment toward the star on your team when you knew that she was trying her best to do what's best for the team? Have had potential stars who never became a star because she didn't want to risk being seen as selfish? How did you handle the situation?

 

I wouldn't give you two cents for any player, no matter how good she was, that isn't first a team player. So, if your "STAR" player can't play with the rest of the team, she's worthless to me. And as you said, a player that thinks she's doing the TEAM a favor by not passing a ball to a wide open player 2-3 foot from the bucket....Nah, YOU KEEP HER!

[philtenn]

I wouldn't give you two cents for any player, no matter how good she was, that isn't first a team player. So, if you "STAR" player can't play with the rest of the team, she's worthless to me.

 

I'm not sure what you mean in regards to my post. I think you mean that a team player is someone who makes sure that everyone on the team is involved even at the risk of losing. You are certainly entitled to that opinion, but I'm not sure if that's what you're saying.

[GottaLuvIt]

Philtenn I completely understand your point. "Star" players have to deal with that every game, unfortunately. They are blessed to be so talented, but then they deal with jealousy from some teammates, parents, etc. That's just one of those things that come with the territory. I have coached and to be honest if the game was on the line, I wanted the player that I knew could score to have the ball and use her judgement as to whether she should take the shot or pass off.

[thug dadi]

I'm saying, that if you think you can depend on ONE player to win a game, your the one that's wrong. I'm yet to see a "STAR" player beat a team that plays team ball. But on the other hand, I've seen a decent AA team beat a AAA team with a player that went to a pretty good SEC team. The problem with the way your thinking is that when the team learns to depend on that one player, then what do they do when they meet someone that can stop that ONE player...answer is nothing. Furthermore, if I had a player that thought she could FORCE a shot and hit with a higher percentage than ANYONE on my team from 2 foot, I'd set her behind on the pine. Maybe you should watch "Hoosiers". "5 players working as 1 unit."

[philtenn]

I'm saying, that if you think you can depend on ONE player to win a game, your the one that's wrong. I'm yet to see a "STAR" player beat a team that plays team ball. But on the other hand, I've seen a decent AA team beat a AAA team with a player that went to a pretty good SEC team. The problem with the way your thinking is that when the team learns to depend on that one player, then what do they do when they meet someone that can stop that ONE player...answer is nothing. Furthermore, if I had a player that thought she could FORCE a shot and hit with a higher percentage than ANYONE on my team from 2 foot, I'd set her behind on the pine. Maybe you should watch "Hoosiers". "5 players working as 1 unit."

 

thugdadi: I think I might have not gotten my message across very well to you. I'm not saying that the star player should do everything on the team. I'm a big advocate of team play over having the star do everything. The AAU team I'm associated with has no big star and plays team ball and because of that has finished in the top 25 at Nationals every year.

 

I'm just trying to point out how the "Star" can sometimes be misjudged as selfish. Certainly, you're not saying that if the star player hits, say 60% from 8 feet out and player x is in the game only because everybody else fouls out and has trouble even catching the ball that you'd want the star to pass up the shot with 2 seconds left to tie the game?

 

Maybe you would prefer that and to that I would say to each his own.

 

By the way, Hoosiers is my favorite movie of all time. It's one of the very few that I've seen more than once.

[coachgat]

thugdadi: I think I might have not gotten my message across very well to you. I'm not saying that the star player should do everything on the team. I'm a big advocate of team play over having the star do everything. The AAU team I'm associated with has no big star and plays team ball and because of that has finished in the top 25 at Nationals every year.

 

I'm just trying to point out how the "Star" can sometimes be misjudged as selfish. Certainly, you're not saying that if the star player hits, say 60% from 8 feet out and player x is in the game only because everybody else fouls out and has trouble even catching the ball that you'd want the star to pass up the shot with 2 seconds left to tie the game?

 

Maybe you would prefer that and to that I would say to each his own.

 

By the way, Hoosiers is my favorite movie of all time. It's one of the very few that I've seen more than once.

 

You know what, I say shoot the freakin ball if she is shooting 60 percent and I knew that a girl couldn't catch it. It's all about knowing your team and in some cases some players can't catch a pass in traffic but could catch a missed ball for a put back. It's about team ball for sure. With my team their are times when we have to shoot a technical foul shot and sometimes my best freethrow shooter in my mind in that particular game may tell another teammate to shoot it that she feels is shooting better, Man I love my team! They are just that unselfish and it has happened more than once and we understand that and have that kind of player/coach/team relationship to concede to the hot hand.

[smittygk00]

If it makes you feel better, philtenn, I understand exactly what you are saying. I think the toughest thing for a star player to learn is when and when not to be "selfish." It's like the star player needs to have that "it" factor, just an overall feel for the game. She has to know when she is hot, when she is a bit off, when someone else is heating up, and when there is no one on the floor that can stop her. If I have a player that is unconscious shooting the ball, then you had better believe that, as a coach, I am going to continue finding ways to get her the ball. It is also our job as coaches to make sure the best player has the ball in her hands in crunch time, and let her make the decisions. Ultimately, she has to learn when she is forcing shots and when she is not being aggressive enough with the ball.

 

And as for a star player as a team player, I have found that you can usually spot the team-oriented players and the selfish players by the way they play defense. Star "team" players lead by example and play defense like their life depended on it. Star "selfish" players are usually lazy defenders who just want to play offense and forget that more plays are made without the ball than with it. So that would be my advice for grooming a star, teach them how to make those great plays without the ball, and then hopefully they learn that they can make twice as many plays without the ball than with it.

 

And you are right, coachgat. 8 feet, 60%, she better pull.