Know Yourself As A Player

By Denny Kuiper

Many basketball players have a tough time utilizing their skills in a game.
They fight internal and external factors which get in the way of playing
up to their potential. This book identifies the many events that players
struggle with but, most importantly, steps and strategies offered to help
the player cope with and embrace those many events.
This book also offers tips for the player to better understand the game
of basketball. That understanding will allow the player to know when
and how to use his or her skills.
The ability for the player to emotionally and mentally prepare for the
game and to have the ability to understand the game will give him or her
a big leg up on their opponents. This book teaches you how to do that.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9781663262578

Denny Kuiper

DENNY KUIPER has a master’s degree in counseling from Central Michigan University. A coach for more than twenty-two years. Denny leverages his experience as a coach, counselor, basketball consultant and player to provide a unique perspective on what it takes to be the best version of yourself as a player. He lives with his wife, Terree, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Contact information: [e-mail] or 919-434-8147

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 Denny Kuiper.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

844-349-9409

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-6258-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-6257-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024908541

iUniverse rev. date:  05/17/2024

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Foreword: Shaka Smart, men’s basketball coach of Marquette University

Introduction

Why Do You Play Basketball?

SECTION I

Understanding the State of the Game

1. Basketball Is the Ultimate Team Game

2. Rankings

3. Outside Noise

4. Division 1, 2, 3

5. AAU, High School, College: Switching Teams

6. Study of Successful and Unsuccessful College Players

SECTION II

Getting Your Mind Right Before You Play

7. Instant Gratification versus Delayed Gratification

8. Responding to Adversity and Success

9. Accelerate Maturity

10. Today—Not Yesterday, Not Tomorrow

11. Soft Skills: Four S’s

12. Get To versus Have To

13. Humility versus Entitlement

14. Intentional Practice

15. Process versus Results

16. Role Players

17. High (Strong) Character

SECTION III

Handling Emotional Events in a Game

18. Criticism

19. Confidence

20. Self-Compassion

21. Intangible Athletic Skills

22. Do What You Can Do

23. The 1-to-10 Scale

24. Referees

25. Control What You Can Control

SECTION IV

Utilizing Your Basketball Skills in a Game

26. Dribbling

27. The .5 Concept

28. Field Goal Percentage

29. Low-Hanging Fruit

30. Two Minutes

31. Basketball IQ

32. Offensive and Defensive Basketball Mindsets

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to extend sincere thanks to all the high school and college coaches that I have worked with the last 20+ years. Much of what is in this book comes from conversations and interactions I have had with you.

Special thanks to Shaka Smart, men’s basketball coach at Marquette University, I have learned so much from Shaka about the mental and emotional aspects of being an effective basketball player. Also, thank you for encouraging me to write this book.

Thanks to Cody Catt, assistant basketball coach at Marquette University, whose ideas of how to format this book were most helpful.

Thank you to Laurel Ferejohn for her editorial assistance. Also, thank you to my grandson, Chet Yardley, for his help with the technical and computer skills in preparing this manuscript.

And, finally, to my wife Terree, for her love, support, and patience, writing a book can be at times frustrating and having support of Terree was most important.

Of course, any errors that might have crept into this book are my sole responsibility.

FOREWORD: SHAKA SMART,

MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH OF

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

In the last fifteen years of working with Denny, there have been countless interactions where his impact on the growth and development of young men on and off the court has been a difference maker for our team. When those in our locker room needed someone to lean on regarding the mental and emotional aspects of the game, Denny was consistently there to guide and lead. His expertise in what goes into winning in life has guided countless players throughout the years. The admiration and joy exhibited when seeing his former players experiencing career success shows the type of mentor that Denny Kuiper is. Seeing these emotions reciprocated by the players and their families in these moments underlines the impact Coach Kuiper has consistently had on people. Maintaining those relationships after the clock strikes zero in their final game is a major piece of direction that Denny himself gave me in my younger days as a coach. The trials and tribulations that players go through are often more of a mental task than physical, and a vital portion of cohesiveness requires a demand of the players’ attention through those times. Denny embraced that reality and has endless experience in assisting players through those ups and down on their way to successful lives. Denny has worked with some of the most talented individuals at the college level and to know the impact that he still holds on to them speaks volumes to the human being he is. Knowing everything that Denny has put into this latest work, it is very exciting to witness it all come together. Decades of real life, hands-on experiences, are being passed on to generations of players. His experience of being a former player allows for connectedness with the player’s point of view. His long and successful coaching career taught him to see how to evaluate and elevate a player’s mindset and mental fortitude.