If you read my first book, Buy a Game, you know what happened: I finally made the team my senior year, and the rest is history. I walked on in college, got recruited to another college after my freshman season, and played nine years of professional basketball in eight countries.

During this process, in 2006, I began publishing videos to a new site called YouTube. Over the course of more than 7,000 videos, many players asked questions about a shared challenge that has kept myriad players from advancing in basketball: performing at tryouts.

Some of the most common questions:

• How can I best impress the coach at tryouts?
• What can I do to stand out?
• What position should I play at tryouts?
• What if I'm not allowed to play my normal position during tryouts?
• How can I get the returning players to respect my game?
• What mindset should I have during tryouts?
• What can I do to better my skills with only a week’s time before tryouts?
• Should I get hyped up before tryouts or remain calm and steady?
• I didn't make it this year. Can you tell me exactly what I should do to get ready for tryouts next season?
• I feel like my career will be over before it starts if I don't make the team - can you please help me get ready for tryouts?

To address these questions and others on the subject of basketball-team tryouts, I created this workbook, 30 Days to Tryouts.

How it works:

I will share with you 30 pieces of information, suggestions, and calls to action that will have you ready for your next basketball tryout. The information in this workbook applies to all levels of tryouts, from middle school to professional teams.

By completing this workbook, you will:

• Know exactly what will be expected of you at tryouts
• Understand your ideal mindset for playing your best and know how to get into this mindset at any time
• Be able to relax yourself and defeat any possible nerves or performance anxiety before tryouts
• Perform to the best of your ability at tryouts, definitively securing the roster spot you covet