Fatigue can manifest itself in many different ways on a basketball court, but there is no mistaking a tired player on the basketball court. Symptoms of fatigue on the basketball court could include missed jump shots, sloppy turnovers, sluggish defense or a pile-up in personal fouls. While all of these signs of fatigue negatively affect a player and his team, all can be prevented with strenuous, consistent preparation on the practice court.
Correcting Missed Jump Shots
Perhaps the easiest way to spot a tired basketball player is to look for players who are missing open jump shots, especially when they miss off the front of the rim. Tired players usually come up short on jump shots because their legs are fatigued, leaving them unable to jump high in the air on their shot and create the necessary arc on their shots. To overcome the fatigue factor while shooting, a player must turn proper shooting technique -- a slightly staggered stance, feet, shoulders and hips square to the basket, elbow up and palm of the shooting hand off the ball -- into muscle memory. These habits are developed only through daily repetition, whether by shooting a series of shots solo from key spots on the floor or by shooting rapid-fire with a partner.
Avoiding Sloppy Turnovers
A good defender has a knack for sensing a tired ball handler. When the defender sees that, she will be ready to pounce. Sometimes the defender will steal the ball, but more likely the defender will simply force a tired opponent to act more quickly than her body is able to respond, resulting in a turnover. Although teams can build their conditioning level by running endless sprints, players can add an element of skill to their conditioning by dribbling the length of the court at full speed. Drills such as power dribbling, which produces a low, strong dribble, two-ball dribbling, improve balance and ambidexterity. Slalom dribbling through obstacles such as cones or chairs emphasizes a strong crossover move. Both build the kind of strength that carries over into game situations.
Overcoming Sluggish Defense
Proper defensive principles require a player to stay low in his stance, move with short, quick strides, keep his hands active to swipe at the ball or close passing and shooting lanes, hold his ground while rebounding and communicate with his teammates. However, each of these tasks becomes exponentially harder as a player fatigues. Just as on the offensive end of the court, a player must build strength on the defensive end through repetition, focusing on strength in the hips and core that will translate into quick feet. Defensive stamina can be built through such time-tested exercises as jumping rope, running through agility ladders or sprinting up stadium stairs.
Staying out of Foul Trouble
Even if an opponent doesn't recognize a tired defender, a referee most likely will and will inevitably assess the tired defender with personal fouls. Fatigued players are most susceptible to foul trouble because they are forced to play defense with their arms and hands instead of with their feet. Tired players are unable to move quickly. As a defender attempts to slow down a player by slapping at the ball or pushing and shoving, instead of moving her feet to stay in front of the player she's guarding she quickly draws the ref's attention. When a player starts piling up personal fouls, coaches are often forced to take that player out of the game before she can foul out, which would take a player out of a game permanently.
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