Nick Anderson a Sports Psychology Case Study
In Game 1 of the 1995 NBA finals, Nick Anderson a shooting guard with the Orlando Magics, missed 4 crucial free throws (in their own home court) that could have won the game for the Team against the Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston Rockets. Kenny Smith then hit a 3 pointer and sent the game into overtime. From there the Houston Rockets were able to win the game and eventually the 1995 NBA Championship.
The 1994-1995 season is said to be a miracle season for the Houston Rockets because they came back from 3-1 cards in the playoffs where they never saw home court advantage and had their series stretch to almost 7 games. That season was punctuated with the statement of Rockets Coach Rudy Tomjanovich: “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion”
The sad thing about that season was that it shattered the confidence of Nick Anderson. After those missed free throws, he developed a psychological disorder that made him lose his confidence in his game. Free throws were the most obvious and the lack of confidence was most evident on the 96-97 season.
Anderson developed a psychological problem that greatly affected his free throw shooting. His free throw percentage dipped sharply and dropped to 40% at one point. He had developed a fear of shooting free throws as a result of his belief that his missed free throws in the NBA Finals caused the Magic to lose. This was an anomaly as he was considered to be a great shooter (Source)
A shooting guard that losses his/her confidence is his/her death knell. Aside from possessing the skill to put that rock in from a distance, they have to have the skill to deliver consistently and in the face of adversity. That’s why we have to understand why some of these players are so cocky, that cockiness is the fuel that feeds their ability to deliver at crunch time and fend off all that heckling and trash talking from other players. Just goes to show that basketball transcends just the physical, it is also a mind game.
Nick Anderson played for the University of Illinois in the NCAA. His 18 pts and 7.9 rebound average helped lead the team to the 1989 NCAA Final Four during his 3rd year. He wore No. 25 in memory of Ben Wilson a highschool teammate who died in a shooting. He was the first round pick of the expansion team, the Orlando Magics, with the 11th pick. He played 10 years with the team and went to the finals once in the 1994-95 season. From there he moved to the Sacramento Kings then the Memphis Grizzlies where he then retired.
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This is really interesting. I never knew about this before. I mean I know how he missed those freethrows coz I watched that particular game on tv but I never knew the effects it had on him psychologically. Excellent post!
Thanks Jaypee