10 Tips To Improve Your Basketball IQ

The easiest way to make up for a lack of talent or athleticism and still get playing time is to be a smart basketball player. Knowing where to be on the floor, where your teammates like to receive a pass or where your defender likes to score are just a few traits of players that have a high basketball IQ.

We asked a few UH trainers from around the country to provide tips on how to become a smarter basketball player. Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to becoming the next Chris Paul.

Ken Koerner - Syosset, NY: Never stop learning. Watch videos about skill development, offenses, defenses and any other videos provided by highly-ranked coaches. You can never know enough!

Kwame Ofori - Centerville, VA: Be a student of the game and watch film.  Study the body language, tendencies, strengths, and weakness of your opponent. Understand that basketball is much a psychological game as it is a physical and skills game.  If your teammates are getting touches on offense and everyone is sharing the ball, the team will typically play better on defense. Chemistry is a huge part.  Positioning the right players in the right position leads to better chemistry with everyone understanding and buying into their roles to meet a goal. 

Peter Fabiano - Florham Park, NJ: Watch high-level basketball as much as possible.  Elite high school teams, college or NBA games.

Cassidy Klinfelter - Folsom, CA: Study plays until the point of memorization and then apply the knowledge on the floor.

Adrian Woodard - Bergen County, NJ: Make the fundamental play over the flashy play.

Bryce Lewis - Berkeley Heights, NJ: Spend more time playing, and listen to the commentary when you watch basketball.

Lorenzo Orr - Lakeville, MN: You must be a sponge during game play, absorbing every play and situation that happened. This allows for a faster reaction time when the situation presents itself again. Using this memory technique will give you a base of experiences to pull from.

Jonathan Nester - Franklin, Tennessee: The way to improve your basketball IQ is by studying the game of basketball. Watch NBA and college basketball games, and pick out a player that plays your position and study how they play. You should also watch basketball breakdown videos on YouTube on the specific areas of the game that you want to improve.

Reggie Thompson - Woodstock, GA: Watch film. Studying the game will improve your IQ. The mental aspect of the game is just as important as the physical aspect. Pick a player and watch their tendencies.  

Nick Malonga - Warrenville, IL: Watch basketball with intent and be curious. Basketball IQ improves when your players understand why certain actions happen on the court. When watching basketball games, a curious mind can empower a player’s brain. 

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