My Mental Playbook Card

Every player has that moment.

You're at the free throw line and the gym goes quiet. You just turned it over for the second time in a row. Coach pulls you out and you're sitting on the bench, cold, waiting to get back in. Your teammate takes a terrible shot and now you're frustrated.

What happens next in your head matters more than what happens on the court.

Most players let negative thoughts take over in these moments. They spiral. They lose focus. They play tight. And they never prepare for it — they just hope it doesn't happen again.

Hope isn't a game plan.

What is the Mental Playbook?

The Mental Playbook is a tool I built to help players prepare for the mental side of the game the same way they prepare for the physical side. You wouldn't go into a game without practicing your free throws. So why would you go into a game without practicing how you respond to pressure, mistakes, and adversity?

This interactive tool walks you through building your own personal self-talk game plan in 4 steps:

1. Pick your scenario — Choose the in-game situation that gets in your head the most. Turnovers, pressure free throws, getting subbed in cold, a teammate playing out of control — there are 40+ real scenarios to pick from, or you can write your own.

2. Name your negative thought — Be honest about what you actually think when it happens. This is just for you. No judgment. You can't fix what you won't face.

3. Create your prepared response — Build a short, believable, action-oriented phrase that you'll train yourself to say instead. Not fake hype. Not "I'm the greatest." Something real that tells you what to do next.

4. Choose a physical reset — Pick a body-based action that snaps you out of the negative spiral — a deep breath, clapping your hands, sprinting back hard, or anything that works for you.

At the end, you'll get a printable Commitment Card with up to 3 scenarios that you can keep in your bag, your locker, or on your nightstand.

Here's the key: Practice makes it a habit.

Print your card. Keep it on you. Use it in practice — not just games. When you rehearse your response over and over in low-pressure situations, it becomes automatic. And when the pressure hits in a game, you won't have to think about it. You'll just do it.

That's the difference between players who crumble under pressure and players who reset and respond. It's not talent. It's preparation.

My Example

When I step to the free throw line in a pressure situation, my first thought used to be: "Everyone is watching. I hope I don't miss and embarrass myself."

Now, my prepared response is: "I've been here before. I'll be here again. Take a deep breath, and watch the ball go in. Nothing but net!"

My physical resets: deep belly breath, same dribble pattern every time, find the rim, then breathe.

That's it. Simple. Believable. And because I've practiced it hundreds of times, it's automatic. 

Build yours now.

You are not your thoughts. You are your next action.