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The Leader: a Road Less Travelled
- Robert Bernard
- Dec 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 31
A Davidian Lesson by Coach Robert
Type: Skill
How to use a Davidian Lesson: (click to expand)
3 Types of Davidian Lessons: Skill, Maneuver, Tool
What is Skill in basketball?
Skill is knowledge that allows you to solve a problem.
What are Maneuvers in basketball?
Physical action that serves a purpose. (i.e. hesitate or counter uphill/downhill)
What are Tools in basketball?
A skill and maneuver combined
(click the red terms to jump to each tenet):
~ LEARN ~
1st Tenet: Identify the Problem
The Problem:
Basketball is meant to be a celebration of shared effort—a symphony of passing, communicating, and working toward a common goal. It’s a sport where teamwork is the heartbeat, and the beauty of the game lies in its togetherness. Yet today, a toxic culture is taking root, eroding these very principles, and replacing them with selfishness, emotional baggage, and unfiltered aggression. This shift has profound consequences, not just for the game itself but for everyone who steps onto the court.
The Playground of Pain
Pickup basketball, once a proving ground for camaraderie and skill, has become a stage for unchecked toxicity. People now show up, not for the love of the game, but as a misguided attempt to exorcise personal demons. It’s no longer about the joy of sharing the ball or executing a seamless play. Instead, players see the court as a place to vent frustrations, settle scores, or feed egos. This self-serving mindset strips basketball of its essence.
I’ve spoken to players—grown adults with jobs, families, and responsibilities—who dread the court but feel trapped by their love for the game. One man told me he often leaves the court in tears, unable to shake the hostility and negativity he faced during a pickup game. The sting of toxic interactions lingers long after the final whistle, invading his thoughts even as he lies in bed, trying to sleep.
I, too, have endured this. For years, I went home after games feeling broken—angry, hurt, and questioning why I subjected myself to such environments. Eventually, I had to confront a difficult truth: the pickup basketball culture was destroying my passion for the game.
How Did We Get Here?
This toxicity isn’t just confined to the playground; it has seeped into youth basketball, tainting the next generation. Warm-ups, which should be a time for focus and preparation, have become opportunities for heckling. Kids mock each other for missed shots, shouting “airball!” without a second thought to the damage they’re inflicting. Worse, adults—the very people who should be role models—stand by, allowing this behavior to flourish.
How did we arrive at a place where the game’s values of respect, discipline, and teamwork are drowned out by trash talk and unchecked egos? The answer lies partly in the environments we create. Many players bring the toxicity of their home lives or personal struggles onto the court, using basketball as an outlet. But instead of finding healing, they spread their pain, turning a shared space into a battlefield of emotional conflict.
The Ripple Effect on the Game
This culture doesn’t just harm individuals; it erodes the foundation of basketball itself. The game is not about one person dominating every possession or proving their worth at the expense of others. True basketball is about collaboration, about seeing the court as a puzzle that only teamwork can solve. Yet the toxic pickup culture prioritizes isolation over integration, undermining the very skills—passing, communication, strategy—that make the game beautiful.
For students of the game, this environment is a nightmare. Aspiring players who want to learn, grow, and practice find themselves stifled by the chaos. Instead of sharpening their skills, they are forced to navigate a minefield of emotional baggage and bad habits. The result? They either conform to the toxicity or abandon the court altogether.
A Call for Change
The solution isn’t easy, but it starts with a simple question: Why do we keep putting ourselves in these environments? For me, the answer was to step away. I stopped playing pickup games and instead focused on structured practice and skill development. I teach my students the same. If the court is a toxic space, it’s better to walk away than to let it corrode your love for the game.
But the broader fix requires all of us—players, coaches, parents, and fans—to reclaim the soul of basketball. We must model and demand respect on the court. We must teach the next generation that heckling and selfishness have no place in the game. And we must create spaces where the focus is on learning, sharing, and growing, rather than winning or dominating.
Rediscovering the Joy
Basketball can still be what it was meant to be—a source of joy, connection, and growth. But it requires us to root out the toxicity that has taken hold. The court should not be a battleground for personal struggles but a sanctuary for shared effort. Only then can we restore the game to its rightful place, not just in our gyms, but in our hearts.
Let’s make basketball beautiful again.
More Insight on Learning this Skill
In today's basketball culture, there is a fear of being different or not following the herd.
And due to social media, we are taught to be followers, not leaders.
~ PRACTICE ~
2nd Tenet: Study the Knowledge
Study the following image closely and think about its relevance to this lesson:
More Insight on Practicing this Skill
~ APPLY ~
3rd Tenet: When to use the knowledge
Look for the Moment.
The Moment:
In life, there is a strong urge to fit in. When a group of people, on or off the court, are doing something that you feel in your heart is wrong, resist the temptation to fit in.
More Insight on Applying this Skill
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