Difference Between Good Player and Great Player

"To be a good player on your team, you have to affect someone else on the team. You have to cause them to play better by the way you play. You affect other players with character and attitude. To be a great player, you have to affect your entire unit. If you are a great player, every player on that unit plays better when you are on the field."  Nick Saban

Characteristics Of Great Players

A must share email I received today.  The following list is from Kevin Eastman, Boston Celtics assistant coach.  Here is part of his bio:

• NBA Assistant Coach for the 2008 World Champion Boston Celtics (7th season)
• 22 years as a an assistant or head college basketball coach
• 9 years as Division 1 Head Coach (UNC Wilmington and Washington State)
• 3 years as small college Head Coach (Belmont Abbey College)
• former Nike Basketball National Director of Player Development for the nation’s elite College and High School Players

Characteristics of Great Players
Just got to thinking how fortunate I've been to be in the NBA and observe all the great players -- but not from a “wow" standpoint.  I get to see how they operate and what makes them special.  Among many other things, here's a list of separators:

• They have tremendous focus on the floor and whenever a coach is talking
• They want to know anything a coach can give them that will improve their game; always willing to learn
• They want to get their work in every day
• They go every bit as hard in practices as they do the games
• They stay on the practice floor or in the drill until they get it right
• They know the little things often separate them from the rest of the players in the league; they pay attention to details
• They can’t stand players that don’t work
• They very seldom sit out of practices
• They don’t mind being corrected and coached when they know the coach is right and the coach is telling them the truth
• They want to hear the truth
• They are committed to all aspects of their game -- their skills, their bodies, their training, their conditioning, the food they eat……everything
• They hold themselves personally accountable
• They will also hold their teammates accountable for their roles
• They despise losing
• They understand that great players need great teammates; they appreciate team basketball