This Is About Psychology. Not Just Shooting

At first glance, it seems simple.

But this isn't about jacking up shots.

It's not about chucking the ball every time you touch it.

Let's break it down, because this is bigger than basketball...

A lot of players today aren’t scared because they can’t shoot.

They’re scared because they’re not allowed to.

You spend hours in the gym.

You work on your form, footwork, balance, pace, rhythm.

But then… in the game:

•    One miss? You’re pulled.

•    One turnover? You’re subbed out.

•    One wrong read? You’re done.

And so you stop trusting your training.

You stop taking the shots you’ve worked on, not because it’s a bad shot, but because you’re afraid of the reaction.

You play not to mess up.

You play not to get benched.

You play scared, not smart.

That’s Not Development. That’s Survival Mode.

And it leads to a mindset where players:

•    Overthink open looks

•    Second-guess good decisions

•    Avoid leadership moments

•    Freeze in key possessions

They hide behind “perfect timing”, which never comes.

And that’s exactly what the bottom half of the video represents:

The player who’s always preparing, but never committing.

Always dribbling, but never trusting.

Always playing it safe, and never playing free.

Growth Comes from Action

The player in the top half of the video?

They miss a lot — sure.

But they take the shot.

They decide.

They learn through real reps, not just drills.

That’s what the quote means:

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

It’s not about volume.

It’s about courage.

You miss every opportunity you never even tried to take.

To the Coaches

If you want confident players, you can’t punish them for using the confidence they’ve built.

•    Confidence doesn’t grow when a player is afraid to mess up.

•    Confidence grows when a player knows they’re trusted to make a read, even if it’s not perfect.

You want your players to read, react, and rise?

Create an environment where mistakes are part of learning, not something to fear.

Final Message to Players

This isn’t a green light to force bad shots.

This isn’t a pass to play selfish.

It’s a reminder:

If you’ve worked on it.

If it’s the right shot.

If it’s the right moment.

Take it.

Not because you’re guaranteed to make it, but because hesitation will always guarantee you don’t.