DEFINE TOUGHNESS IN BASKETBALL

There are so many attributes that can be used to define “toughness” in basketball, but here a few that standout:

Talk on defense: The toughest players talk on defense, and communicate with their teammates.  It is almost impossible to talk on defense and not be in a stance, down and ready, with a vision of man and ball.  If you talk, you let your teammates know you are there, and make them and yourself better defenders.  It also lets your opponent know that you are fully engaged.

Get to your teammate first: When your teammate lays her body on the line to dive on the floor or take a charge, the tough players get to her first to help her back up.  If your teammate misses a free throw, tough players get to her right away to encourage her.  Tough players are also great teammates.

Show strength in your body language: Tough players project confidence and security with their body language – not cockiness, but strength.  They do not hang their heads, do not react negatively to a mistake of a teammate, and do not whine and complain to officials.  Tough players project strength, and do not cause their teammates to worry about them.  Tough players do their jobs, and their body language communicates that to their teammates -- and to their opponents.

Set a good screen: The toughest players to guard are the players who set good screens.  When you set a good screen, you are improving the chances for a teammate to get open, and you are greatly improving your chances of getting open.  A good screen can force the defense to make a mistake.  A lazy or bad screen is a waste of everyone's time and energy.  To be a tough player, you need to be a "screener/scorer," a player who screens hard and immediately looks for an opportunity on offense.  On the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, Bob Knight made Michael Jordan set a screen before he could get a shot.  If it is good enough for Jordan, arguably one of the toughest players ever, it is good enough for you.

Post your man, not a spot: Most post players just blindly run to the low block and get into a shoving match for a spot on the floor.  The toughest post players are posting their defensive man.  A tough post player is always open, and working to get the ball to the proper angle to get a post feed.  Tough post players seal on ball reversal and call for the ball, and they continue to post strong even if their teammates miss them.

Concentrate, and encourage your teammates to concentrate: Concentration is a skill, and tough players work hard to concentrate on every play.  Tough players go as hard as they can for as long as they can.

Make every game important: Tough players don't categorize opponents and games.  They know that if they are playing, it is important.  Tough players understand that if they want to play in championship games, they must treat every game as a championship game.

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