The lost art of the jump shot – and basic writing

ESPN high school basketball recruiting expert Paul Biancardi made a simple – yet telling – statement during this past weekend’s ESPN RISE National High School Invitational. The inaugural tournament featured eight of the top high school boys’ basketball teams in the nation.

When asked about the evolution of high school basketball players, Biancardi talked about how today’s players are better athletes than ever before. He also discussed their increased skill sets because they play throughout the year.

Then he made the comment many veteran coaches around basketball echo. He just wished the players would work more on their shooting.

Pure shooting is becoming a lost art in the game of basketball. The ability to continually knock down the open jumper from 10-to-17 feet is rare to find.

Instead, today’s basketball players grow up wanting to emulate what they see on highlights. Three-point shots, dunks and acrobatic drives. Unfortunately, there is not much flashiness in being able to consistently nail a 15-foot baseline jumper.

But think about it. Shooting is the core fundamental skill needed to achieve success in the game of basketball. It is the crux of everything in the game offensively. If your team consists of good shooters, it opens up the options of driving, having a strong inside game and providing great spacing on the court. All of this leads to the highlights we discussed – but more importantly, it leads to offensive success on the court and winning as a team.

The lost art of shooting in basketball parallels the lost art of writing in today’s world.

Being able to communicate is paramount to succeed in life – both personally and professionally. Writing is the fundamental skill set needed to communicate at the highest levels. Strong writers are generally able to prioritize their thoughts and deliver compelling messages to their audiences – both formally and informally. Show me a good writer and I will show you someone who has the opportunity to become a brilliant communicator and, thus, an all-star in business and life.

Unfortunately, many of us in today’s world are poor writers. We struggle with condensing messages or conveying the proper tone. Also, many of us struggle with grammar or vocabulary. (The minute we use the wrong “there/their,” “its/it’s” or “defiantly/definitely,” readers begin to question the validity of our message.)

Writing is simply a chain of small details coming together to form important messages. Truth is revealed in the details.

Like the 12-foot jumper, basic writing is not the most glamorous of skill sets to hone. However, it does separate the best communicators from the rest.