Name: 1 on 1 with Yourself
Author: Nico Bourgade

Part I

Build the mental foundations

The first part of the guide walks players through ten essential chapters. Each one is written in a clear, accessible way so young players can understand the concept, apply it, and revisit it throughout their development.

Define your objectives

Clarify who you want to become and connect your daily standards to your long-term goals.

Understand the process

Learn to focus on repetition, patience, and progress instead of reacting emotionally to every result.

Your bread and butter

Identify what separates you on the court and build around the strengths that make you valuable.

Stay in control

Separate what you control from what you don’t, and protect your performance from frustration.

Play now

Train your focus to return to the present moment: not before, not after, just now.

Handle adversity

Prepare your mind to stay composed when the game becomes uncomfortable or stressful.

Humble and proud

Understand how to be respectful off the court while switching into competitor mode when it is time to play.

Self-confidence

Build confidence through preparation, visualization, repetition, and the way you speak to yourself.

Definition of success

Measure success through effort, attitude, response to adversity, and use of what you practice.

Have fun

Reconnect performance with joy, gratitude, and the love of playing basketball.

Part II

20 real situations players face

The second part prepares players for moments they will meet in games or throughout their career. It gives them a way to mentally rehearse situations before they happen, so they can respond with more clarity, calm, and control.

01 Pre-game routines

02 The free throw

03 The one-on-one

04 The last possession

05 Full-court pressure

06 Playing with pain

07 Time while injured

08 When you can’t score

09 Foul trouble

10 Trash-talking

11 The comeback

12 Opponent can’t miss

13 Perfectionism

14 Losing

15 Away games

16 Eating and sleeping

17 Body language

18 Pressure

19 How to kill the game

20 The zone

Why it matters

Simple enough to read. Strong enough to use.

For players

A clear entry point to understand objectives, confidence, pressure, adversity, focus, and enjoyment.

For coaches & parents

A shared language to support young players and help them approach their development with more clarity and emotional control.

About the author

Nico Bourgade

Nico Bourgade is a Mental Performance Coach specializing exclusively in basketball.

He started playing basketball in France before continuing his journey in the NCAA, gaining an inside understanding of the game’s demands and the mental challenges players face as they develop.

Today, he works as the Mental Performance Coach in Žalgiris Academy, while also supporting players individually from around the world remotely, helping them develop the mental side of performance with precision, clarity, and authenticity.

He is also the host of The Mind Game of Basketball podcast, where he explores the psychological dimensions of the sport with players, coaches, and specialists around the world.

1 ON 1
WITH YOURSELF