How to Land Your Dream Career in Basketball

Professional athletes live and breathe their sport. It’s not a game, a hobby, or a simple pastime; it’s a matter of being the best they can possibly be at their chosen discipline. 

To get to the most elite level, where the rewards are plentiful, a long and strenuous journey needs to be undertaken. Even then, there is no guarantee it will totally pay off. 

The more you commit, the better chance you have. All the natural talent in the entire universe won’t account for much if you aren’t able to apply yourself to the situation, get your mind in the right space, and seize upon the right opportunities. 

If your heart is set on chasing your dream career in basketball, it’s worth bearing in mind the fierce competition you’ll find yourself up against. 

Here are some tips and tricks you might want to consider using on your journey toward an exciting, invigorating, and fulfilling career. 

Consider All Your Options

Basketball isn’t just limited to the court stars themselves. It’s a huge industry, and it’s home to thousands of roles and responsibilities. 

From coaching and broadcasting to marketing and refereeing, there are countless hardworking individuals that make up the infrastructure of the sport. 

Whether you’re a superfan who can find a future as a player, or you’ve always wanted to be the next best commentator, it’s worth considering all your options. 

It’s also worth noting that the odds of making it as a pro player are extremely low, 0.03% chance in fact, and the road can be an immense struggle that yields little by way of respite. It’s by no means impossible, though, and for those who feel the strongest of callings, such odds will mean little. 

Start as Soon as Possible

Start applying yourself as soon as you possibly can. This means finding out about the history of basketball, important historical events in the NBA, top players, the ins and outs of the rules and regulations, and any information related to the sport. 

The more you know, the more you can fully absorb the sport. Getting on with constant practicing is good, but what’s even better is practicing with those who are better than you or practicing under the guidance of professional coaches. 

If you want a prime example of how an official and top-quality basketball camp can help prepare you for the road ahead, check out the HSB Academy – they will likely have an opportunity for you to hone your skills with elite professional guidance. 

Many pro basketball players start out their careers at a very young age, sometimes being picked up by academies as young as six years old. 

There is little to stop you from starting out much later, provided you are able to work harder than everyone else who may have years of playing experience on you. Dennis Rodman, one of the world’s best, started playing when he was 21! 

Whatever you do, just remember that it’s never too late to pick up any sport. If you’ve been a fan of basketball for forty years and never picked up a ball, there’s nothing to stop you now. 

If you’ve never even watched a basketball game and you’ve got a sudden urge to play it in your golden years, you should go for it! 

Join a Team 

If you can play and train in a team, you should make the most of it; basketball is a team sport, after all, it’s not all about individual talent. 

The more experience you can gather playing as part of a team, the more familiar you will become with the ebb and flow of the game, the nature of the various roles, and the style of play that works best for you. 

You’ll need to find your ideal position too, and this might be hard to do if you’re constantly practicing on your own. 

Even if you don’t want to make a career as a pro player, it’s still superb experience for your professional foray into basketball, and it’s also a wonderful way to make important connections. 

It can also help you get fully immersed in the rules, an important factor if you were considering becoming a coach or a trainer at some point in your journey. 

Pick Your Path

There are plenty of routes to choose from in the world of professional basketball. For example, you could join the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) if you wanted to test your skills against some of the country’s best amateurs. Plus, talent scouts often keep high-potential AAU teams and players on their radar. 

Most of the time, professional NBA players are drafted straight out of college, so taking the student athlete route might be best for you if you’re in high school right now. 

This is a highly competitive, potentially bank-breaking, and physically demanding path to take, but it’s the most common and the most effective if you are able to exhibit talent and commitment to learning and developing your skillset. 

You could also consider trying out for the NBA G League, as this can be a good way to find yourself an opportunity to go professional in your local area. 

The NBA is always hiring for a wide range of roles, so if you have your sights set on an internal position, like a marketing director, a content creator, or even a legal advisor, just go straight to their website and search for careers. 

No matter what your background happens to be, there will likely be some kind of opening for you, so don’t hesitate to have a look at the type of roles on offer. 

Stay Fit and Healthy

Health and fitness are integral to the world of sports. It’s all about how you can push yourself further, train harder, and constantly break records. 

By keeping yourself fit and healthy and learning about the science involved in the process, you may be able to give yourself a distinct advantage over your competition. 

If you love basketball, there will undoubtedly be a career worth exploring, so don’t give up hope.