Pick Up Basketball Games | 1st & Zen

I have never been a huge basketball fan. Sure, I wll watch the NBA playoffs from time to time and course March Madness, but I noticed something the other day that might be the root of why I can't be a huge fan. I was watching some neighborhood kids playing a pickup game. Here is how the game went:

1) Someone takes a shot, they miss. 2) Someone rebounds it and takes it back. 3) Said kid stands there while the other team members try to get open 4) Said kid completley ignores everyone and tries to take it to the hole himself 5) Someone rebounds it, and it all starts over again.

I watched them for 15 minutes and I saw exaclty ONE pass. It all seemed like such a selfish act. Just ME ME ME all the time. I realized that about 90 percent of all pickup games I have seen followed this protocol. It was as if there were no teams. just everyone trying to out do everyone else, including their team mates.

My question is: At what age does this stop? At what age do these kids realize the concept of "team"? I suppose part of it is just youth, but is it me or does basketball tend to bring out this behavior more so than other youth sports? If anyone has some insite I would love to hear it.

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June 9, 2007 01:31 PM ET

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I'll tell you why no one is passing the ball. It is what you say it is, a PICKUP game. Most players are working on their individual games. Some, such as myself, are the exceptions. In games we are the playmakers and pass the ball so that's working on what we do in games.

The main problem with the kids is that the "point guards" in the NBA who score a lot of points (Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas) are setting examples for these other point guards who want to score.

But you have to realize that this isn't the case at every pickup game and as for when they grow out of it, some of them never do.

G.O.A.T. is back?

Scranton, PA

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June 9, 2007 02:31 PM ET

its not an age thing some of the time some kids are naturaly selfish and some arent some start passing in the 5 or 6 grade its about how much you know the game and little stuff like that but if you dont get the picture by high school your not going to play that much

jug

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June 9, 2007 03:29 PM ET

Thanks GOAT & jug. I guess most of it can be chalked up to kids being young and of course the point guard mentality. They see AI racking up the points and they think thats what the game is all about, just getting as many points for yourself as possible.

I know it's not every pickup game, but it just made me think about it because of my recent observations from the games I witnessed over the past month or so at the park and around my neighborhood.