The 7 Traits You Must Have as a Small Guard
Memo Bener
College Recruiting Mentor
November 7, 2026 · 3 min read
Most guards think a college coach drives to their game to watch them score. A coach who drives to watch you is already sold on your game from the film. They came to see what the film can't show them. As a guard 6'1 or under, that's where you win or lose the offer. That's why these seven traits matter more than your stat line.
A coach once drove four hours to watch me, and I scored zero points that game. My shots weren't falling, and I was sure I'd lost that coach. After the game, he told me he loved how I was the loudest in the gym, how I encouraged my teammates, and how fast I moved on after bad calls. He said it was a great day to watch me, because nothing went my way. Then he offered me on the spot.
1. Talk on defense
Talk on defense, every single possession, loud enough for the coach to hear you from the stands.
A guard your size who talks on defense shows the coach they see the whole floor, even without the ball. Your teammates hear it, and so does every coach in the gym.
2. Run team huddles
When the ball is dead, be the one talking in the huddle. Your voice should be the one your team hears.
A coach can't tell from your film whether the team listens to you. In person, they can see it.
3. Pick up full court
Pick up your man full court, every trip down. Be a dog.
Being a small guard, your toughness and being a pest are some of the biggest assets you can bring to a college team. Your film shows it, and a coach who watches you live sees it too.
4. Own your mistakes
You will make mistakes, and that's totally fine. Don't keep your head down. Own the mistake, sprint back on defense, and make a defensive play right after it. And never talk to the referees, even after a bad call.
Every guard makes mistakes. The coach is watching how fast you snap back from one, because a small guard who sulks after a bad play can't lead a team through a bad night.
5. Be loud on the bench
On the bench, cheer for your teammates, loud. When you get pulled out of the game, don't react, and never make a face. Don't sit at the end of the bench and complain. Stay in the game.
The coach watches what you do when you're not playing as closely as when you are. That's who you'll be on their bench too.
6. Encourage your teammates
When a teammate makes a mistake, never yell at them or chew them out. Keep their head up, and encourage them where everyone can see it. Keep everybody up, not only yourself.
A coach recruiting a guard your size is picking the kid they hand the team to. They want a team that's better with you on it.
7. Just play
Don't ball hog, and don't try to show off just because a coach is watching. Don't even look at the coach. Just play. Take the shots the defense gives you, and keep moving when the ball isn't in your hands.
The coach already likes your film. A guard who plays for the stands stops playing their own game. On a night your shot isn't falling, smart shots and moving off the ball are how a coach still sees a smart player.
