“I know my shot will fall. It’s just confidence, honestly. You can’t get down on yourself. You can’t focus on the negative. If you’re in your head, from experience, it never works out.”
~Aubrey Galvan, 5'6" Vanderbilt Point Guard

Hey Reader!

My mom sent me a text the other day: “Unbothered. Good subject for the next newsletter.”

She was talking about Vanderbilt’s freshman point guard Aubrey Galvan. She’s 5'6" and playing point guard for the No. 5 ranked team in the country, which is insane. Aubrey’s been described as tenacious, high motor, the spark, confident, playing with a vendetta. Vandy head coach Shea Ralph calls her “unbothered.”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard that word to describe a player, much less a small guard.

Let’s be honest, basketball is a sport where tall people tend to get rewarded. If you’re undersized, you can’t rely on those physical advantages. It’s a different game for you. Shots are harder, you’ll get bumped and blocked.

So if you're small, your skillset has to be different and so does your training. But, this can work to your advantage.

You can't just get your shot off, even if you’re open. You have to use fakes to create space, have a quick release, and be comfortable shooting deeper to get a clean look. Because you’re not shooting over people. You’re shooting before they get there.

In the lane, you have to get creative. Extension layups, high floaters, and “wrong-foot” finishes.

Your handle and passing have to be elite, too. You’ll get trapped, your passes will get blocked, and you often can’t see over a taller defender.

On defense, teams will try to switch you onto bigger players and post you up. You have to have active hands and quick feet, get physical, and basically be annoying.

I’m pretty tall, but I’m also pretty unathletic. And I’d argue this fact has been the key to my development and success and is the reason I’ve made it to the pro level.

Because if you’re a freak athlete or really tall for your age, you aren’t forced to develop skills that are going to help you later on in your career. That’s because you don’t need crafty moves, you can shoot over defenders, and you can rely on those physical traits over improving your skills.

That might work in high school, but it probably won’t in college.

So if you’re unathletic or short or have a small wingspan, something that you think is holding you back, look at it as an opportunity.

And if you aren’t, still train like you are. And play like you are.

And… play "unbothered".

HLA Alicante Spain Pro League

P.S. If you’re tired of overthinking every mistake, worrying about what others think, or dealing with a slump, check out my Unshakeable Confidence Video Series and Playbook. I share my own experiences and techniques I've learned from playing with some of the most elite players.

3 Hacks From Me

Hack 1: Study smaller players

Watch a full game with Aubrey Galvan (Vanderbilt) or Jalen Brunson (Knicks). Don’t just watch the highlights. Study what they do when they get to the paint and a big steps up. Watch how they use their body to create space before the shot. Pay attention to how they handle taller defenders, being switched on and posted up.

Hack 2: Make “no reaction” a training rule

To be “unbothered,” you have to have a short memory. And, this takes practice. So make a workout rule: no complaining, no slapping the ball, and no reaction after misses. If you react, that rep doesn’t count. And you have to redo it. This builds the habit, so it shows up in games.

Hack 3: Practice like you’re undersized

In games, you'll see smaller guards taking fast, awkward layups and missing because they haven't practiced them. Don't let that be you. In your next workout, work on floaters from 6 to 8 feet, wrong-foot finishes, and game-speed layups where you’re moving at a full sprint. You can do this by yourself, too. Just pretend there’s a bigger body on your hip and you have to get the ball up early, high, and clean.

2 Questions for Growth

1. Are you practicing shots you’ll actually get blocked on instead of training for the reality of what you’ll see in a game?
2. Who are you watching film on and why?

Reply to this email and let me know!

1 Video to Watch

​Skills You NEED To Have As An Undersized Guard (Full Breakdown) | Vision Driven Basketball