I am not a gamer. As a kid, I enjoyed playing Mario Bros. and also got into NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat. The last time a video game really sucked me in was the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater. This past weekend, I got a chance to play Madden 15 on the new XBox system that my brother has. I got to admit, I was pretty amazed with the graphics of the game. I was also amazed at how hard of a time I had playing! My experience with playing one game of Madden got me thinking about the importance of developing instincts within the world of athletics.
When reacting to the defense and making reads (with or without the ball), every split second matters. During my game of Madden, I continually looked at the controller to find the button of the receiver I wanted to throw to. This resulted in a sack instead of a huge passing gain.
To be able to make quick decisions in the game of basketball, it’s important to be a student of the game. Drills in practice that seem meaningless and boring are often the most effective at building your basketball IQ. Not only is active participation in practice important, but watching games and seeing how great players respond to their defender is important, too.
Develop your instincts as a basketball player. With and without the ball. And don’t waste your time developing your instincts on Madden.
