Most players obsess over dunks and crossovers. But the ones who actually make it? They obsess over the basics that nobody else wants to practice.

Here's the honest breakdown:

1. They don't know their dominant hand strengths

Every elite player has mapped out what they can and can't do in a live game. Most youth players haven't thought about this once. Know your game before you try to expand it.

2. They skip the film

You will never catch your own bad habits in real time. Watching 15 minutes of your own footage after a game is worth more than an extra hour of practice. Every coach at the high school and college level will tell you this.

3. Their off-ball movement is passive

The ball is in someone else's hands 80% of the time. What are you doing during that 80%? Players who can't move without the ball get weeded out fast.

4. They practice at game speed 0% of the time

Slow drills build slow players. Every rep needs to be at the speed you'd actually use it in a game. If it feels comfortable, you're going too slow.

Fix these four things and you'll be ahead of 90% of players at your level.

If you're serious about leveling up, I coach players through all of this at Next Level Hoops — courses, weekly drills, and a community of players putting in real work.