When I think about an athlete’s journey, I picture what I call the Athletic Potential Arc.
Lets break down how our coaching changes as athletes move through each stage.
The Young Athlete
At the start of the arc are young athletes. They’re at the bottom, with nearly unlimited upside ahead. Gains come fast and almost everything works. If you’ve ever worked with 12-18-year-old athletes who eat McDonald’s for lunch, lift a couple times a week (or don't), and still get gains… you’ve seen this stage in action.
The Collegiate Athlete
As they move into college, things get more interesting. Some people will tell you that high-level Division I athletes are already close to their genetic ceiling. I can tell you firsthand that’s not the reality. At Kansas, I've had players gain 20 pounds in just a couple of years while adding 4 inches to their verticals. Even at this level, there’s room to grow, and good S&C programming makes a difference.
The Professional Athlete
During my years in the NBA, I had the opportunity to witness athletes in their prime. This is the top of the arc, where athletes have optimized nearly everything. They’re fast, strong, and skilled. To make even marginal gains, you need more specific and dialed programming.
But at this stage, chasing big physical gains doesn’t make much sense. The “juice” of a small increase in vertical or strength usually isn’t worth the “squeeze.” The real battle here is consistency. It’s about keeping them sharp while prioritizing recovery, travel demands, and an 82-game season.
The Veteran Athlete
Then comes the post-prime phase. I've worked with veterans like Vince Carter who weren’t adding inches to their vertical anymore. Instead, the win was showing up healthy, night after night, for another season. Holding onto their athleticism was the key to extending careers.
And here’s the throughline across the entire arc:
Health and availability are always the most important thing.
Early on, you can get away with ignoring it. By the time you hit your prime, it’s non-negotiable. On the backside of the arc, it becomes the difference between staying in the game and walking away early.
The Athletic Potential Arc is a reminder that athletes aren’t static. They’re always moving along this curve, and as coaches, we need to meet them where they are.
The question I'll leave you with is...Where are your athletes on the arc, and are you coaching them accordingly?
By the way, I am developing the ultimate basketball performance course and certification program.
In this course, you’ll learn how to:
✔️ Program for the real demands of basketball
✔️ Testing the qualities for the game
✔️ Build strength, speed, and reactivity that transfers
✔️ Real-world conditioning that works
✔️ Manage in-season fatigue and development
✔️ Design long-term programs for youth to pro
✔️ Apply it all with templates, case studies, and real-world tools
Click here to get on the waitlist.
Ramsey
