Tryouts are the most stressful week of a young basketball player’s year. The difference between making the team and getting cut often comes down to preparation.
Here’s the truth: the players who make the team aren’t always the most talented. They’re the ones who showed up prepared.
What Coaches Look For at Tryouts
Before you prepare, understand what coaches are evaluating. It’s not what most players think.
Effort and attitude. This is number one, every time. Coaches want players who sprint back on defense, dive for loose balls, and compete on every play. You can’t teach effort — and coaches know that.
Fundamentals. Can you dribble with both hands? Can you make a layup on both sides? Can you catch and make a solid pass? These basic skills separate prepared players from unprepared ones.
Coachability. When the coach gives instruction, do you listen and apply it immediately? Or do you keep doing things your way? Coaches are watching for players who can be taught.
Basketball IQ. Do you make good decisions? Do you pass to the open man? Do you help on defense without being told? This is harder to develop in a short tryout period, but it matters.
Athleticism. Notice this is last on the list. Speed and jumping ability are nice, but coaches would rather have a smart, skilled player than a raw athlete who can’t dribble.
The Pre-Tryout Training Plan
If tryouts are three weeks away, here’s how to use that time:
Weeks 1-2: Fundamentals Boot Camp.
Spend 45 minutes daily on fundamentals:
- 15 min: Ball handling (both hands, full speed)
- 15 min: Shooting (form shots building to game speed)
- 15 min: Conditioning (sprints with a basketball)
Week 3: Scrimmage and Simulation.
Find pickup games and play. Focus on applying the fundamentals you’ve been drilling. Make the extra pass. Sprint back on defense. Compete on every possession.
Tryout Day Tips
Arrive early. First one in the gym shows the coach you care.
Warm up on your own. Don’t wait for the organized warm-up. Be shooting and dribbling when the coach walks in.
Talk on defense. Communication is rare at tryouts because everyone is nervous. If you’re the loudest voice on the court — calling screens, calling help — you stand out immediately.
Don’t try to do too much. Play within yourself. Make the simple pass. Take the open shot. Coaches are looking for players who help the team, not players who try to go 1-on-5.
Hustle on every play. Sprint to the end of every drill. Chase every loose ball. Box out on every shot. These things don’t require talent — just effort.
The Mental Game
Tryout anxiety is real. Here’s how to manage it: focus on what you can control. You can control your effort, your attitude, and your preparation. You can’t control who else shows up or what the coach’s preferences are.
If you’ve put in the work, trust it. Play your game, play hard, and let the results take care of themselves.
Prepare for tryouts with the The 19 Day Basketball Blueprint — a 19-day structured training program that builds shooting, ball handling, and basketball IQ from the ground up. Available on Amazon.
Related Reading: