Which basketball skill is hardest to acquire?

[SVictor]

Playmaking. You either have it or don't have it.

[og15]

Sometimes it's not so much about handles as it is about how to read defenders. Some people can do a lot of advanced ball handling alone, but with defenders around, and in traffic, their ball protection is just not good, and it isn't really about their ball handling skill. In addition, other things line attacking in a straight line (north to south) as opposed to going (east to west) affects a players ability to get to the basket, and seemingly their ball handling ability.

In reality, it a guy just totally focused on it, he could put insane time and become an amazing ball handler (at least by himself in the gym), but ball handing alone is one of the most boring things to work on, the ball doesn't go in the net when working on that. Post moves, free throws, shooting, you're seeing the ball going in, it's fun.

Play-making is an interesting one. I believe it can be improved, as I know from personal experience that it happens, but I will agree that it is the hardest for a lot of players. There's just sort of a mentality in being a play-maker in comparison to just looking to score, and some guys struggle in adapting to that. Some people are also just naturally bad at awareness, and that affects their ability as playmakers. But playmaking has the added effect that in order to create plays, you have to possess some ability to draw defenders and/or create shots.

Playmaking. You either have it or don't have it.

It's actually learned to be honest. You don't just "have" playmaking, what does that even mean? But it's if you value it and enjoy it, and also have the ability to do it, it becomes natural to you.

[jazzfan1971]

Size and coordination.

[og15]

Size isn't a skill, but if you're referring to the combination of size and coordination, that's interesting, and at face value seems like it makes sense. But there's a lot of big and coordinated guys, and they aren't even all basketball players. They just have to do something a lot to gain coordination. The uncoordinated ones generally don't do enough to improve it. Considering a ton of the guys in the NBA are big coordinated guys, that can't be the hardest thing, lol

[tsherkin]

I think there is a difference between ball-handling and handles, and that's where people get hung up. The comment about reading defenses was spot-on there.

You don't need to have Rucker handles and be crossing people up left, right and center. That's rarely how people actually get to the rim. It's usually simple change-of-direction and hesitation stuff, things that are mechanically easy to execute even at game speed.

The real difference is reading the momentum and footwork of your opponent, reading the second defender, getting the timing down on your sequences, etc. It's more about offensive awareness and timing than handles, with only a few exceptions.

[jazzfan1971]

Yeah, I'm not sure coordination is anymore learned than size.

At least not elite coordination.

I'll bet you could take a guy like Stephen Curry (who I deem to have elite coordination) and have him play just about any sport or game of skill at a reasonably high level with a little practice and instruction.

No matter how much practice and instruction I get I'm just not going to be able to do that. Throwing that apple core into the trash can (or not into the trash can) confirms to me on a regular basis that I'm lacking in coordination.

Some guys just seem to have it and some don't.

[Ron Harper]

I went with ball handling. Growing up it was a struggle getting really comfortable trying to put the ball on the floor. The game moves fast and when you are young it's hard to know exactly what you want to accomplish with your dribble. You can practice it all day, but it's tough to implement.

Playing making is just about how often you are around the game. Now that I'm older in rec leagues I notice how few people really truly have played and been coached up. Lots of bad passing, poor shot selection...just kind of lost.

Only way to become a better play maker is to play the game a lot and understand what type of play is needed.

[DG88]

Awareness on both sides of the court.

[TGW]

Easily court vision and playmaking. Some players just see the court differently from others. The great players now how a defense is going to react before they adjust. Magic Johnson's ability to see the floor is something that will never ever be duplicated.

[Bertrob]

post game

[bbms]

Try guarding Nate Robinson or running all court trying to keep Kevin Martin tight.

Defense.

[thinktank]

1. Playmaking
2. Defense (especially team D)
3. Ballhandling

You don't have to be a ballhandler to be a playmaker, you need to have vision (see Divac, Webber, etc.).

[HartfordWhalers]

I voted shot selection.

Players without it never seem to get it.

[doctorfunk]

playmaking and ballhandling

IMHO both can be improved and worked on but it is hard. Same thing is with catching the basketball(hands) you can improve it over the time but very rarely to the point you become a guy with great hands having trouble catching the ball in the beginning.

[magicman1978]

Court vision. I was able to practice and improve significantly at everything else - but my court vision always sucked. I was great one on one, but in a team setting I wasn't very good because of my lack of court vision - which forced me into playing the role of a 6-foot shooting guard. It wasn't really something I could get better at with practice.

[doctorfunk]

I think you can work around the 'get' better court vision
- ballhandling; the more comfortable you are with your dribble the more you can see on the court
- passing, the better you are at passing the better passes you can make reduce TOs etc
- experience, after playing/learning basketball you see things you were not able to see before on basketball court, you anticipate some situations on court you were hard time seeing before

[Fast Dont Fib]

Court vision / playmaking may not be something that is easily aquired, and I wont argue with those that believe its the hardest.

However, I see all the time "you have it or you don't" And I can't see how anyone who grew up playing basketball advancing through multiple tiers of talent levels could say that. At least not anyone who was expected to make plays. Making plays has alot to do with building familiarity, and confidence. The ability to react instead of overthinking. I always considered myself a decent playmaker. I always struggled adjusting to better competition though. Until I got familiar, and the game re-slowed down for me. Basically all im saying is people can have the ability to make plays and struggle till they are familiar with nuiances. And they can improve. So speaking from personal experience, the "have it or you don't" when referring to playmaking is bs.

[ShabazzMuhammad]

I voted shot selection.

Players without it never seem to get it.

Nah ... trust me all NBA players have shot selection, a lot of them are just ignorant but most purposefully choose to shoot at a high volume or out of the rhythm of the offense because they're given the free reign to do it. Helter skelter offense. Just like gimmick players in football.

[Ron Harper]

I voted shot selection.

Players without it never seem to get it.

Shot selection is part of play making IMO

[Ron Harper]

Court vision / playmaking may not be something that is easily aquired, and I wont argue with those that believe its the hardest.

However, I see all the time "you have it or you don't" And I can't see how anyone who grew up playing basketball advancing through multiple tiers of talent levels could say that. At least not anyone who was expected to make plays. Making plays has alot to do with building familiarity, and confidence. The ability to react instead of overthinking. I always considered myself a decent playmaker. I always struggled adjusting to better competition though. Until I got familiar, and the game re-slowed down for me. Basically all im saying is people can have the ability to make plays and struggle till they are familiar with nuiances. And they can improve. So speaking from personal experience, the "have it or you don't" when referring to playmaking is bs.

+1. For sure my man. You can definitely improve on playmaking/court vision. It's actually the most natural process in one's game. It's about having a real strong skill set and then just lacing them up and figuring it out. You really have to play daily and WANT to make the right plays.

I'm amazed at the local gyms how often turnovers are just accepted. IMO if you are playing Rec ball, you should very rarely turn that ball over. A lot of guys do and I get the feeling that most don't understand how far they have to go to improve. As you get older a lot of the 30-50 year old players are the best players because their experience has given them much better play making abilities and the games are just cleaner.

/my two cents