Sports Then and Now

Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins should lead the New Orleans Pelicans to victory next season.

Anthony Davis has conquered the NBA in just five seasons.

He is a four-time NBA All-Star, including earning All-Star game MVP honors in 2017.

Despite playing on primarily losing teams with the New Orleans Pelicans, Davis has earned first-team All-NBA honors once, second team All-Defensive honors, while twice leading the NBA in blocks and made the NBA All-Rookie team in 2013.

During his career he has played in 335 games, with a .513 field goal percentage, a three point shooting percentage of .290, free throw percentage of 78.7, 10.2 rebounds per contest, 1.8 assists per game, 2.4 blocks per game and 22.4 points per game.

Between his sophomore and senior year in high school Davis grew from 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-10. He went from a mediocre point guard who just might get a college scholarship to a Division II team to the number one prospect in high school basketball and could attend any college in the country he wanted.

He would be an Olympic Gold Medalist straight out of college after leading Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament and winning it all. He was the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year during his one season in college. Read the rest of this entry →

Athletes that play any sports know that their natural talent alone will not get the job done on the field. Half of the battle comes from the process of preparation before a game begins. Like Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” In the following piece, you will learn the best tips necessary for having an advantage in preparation over the competition.

Visualization

In life as in sports, it is important for one to see the bottom line in their mind’s eye before the action manifests itself during in-game action. One must always begin with the end in mind. It is essential that an athlete engage in a great deal of mental imagery. These mental images must have specificity and be of great detail. For example, a basketball player can sit in the stands overlooking the basketball court before everyone else and go every game situation in his head before the game begins. This is especially helpful when it comes to a player going over critical late-game situations.

They Master Motivation

During a long season, athletes must do whatever it takes to keep themselves motivated throughout the season. A motivated player will have the energy to push through the internal and external pain. They are able to navigate through the difficult day-to-day circumstances and keep themselves in an enhanced state of preparation and readiness. A motivated player exudes self-confidence. Players can develop their self-confidence by engaging in positive self-talk. If effectively done, positive self-talk can regulate an athlete’s mindset to the point that they are ready to conquer the world by the time the game starts. Read the rest of this entry →