Music and Basketball

 

Music and Basketball

It is scientifically proven that music, on a general scale improves the performances of athletes, the changes of rhythm as much as the musicality, helps the coordination of the human body. On another aspect, it pushes the mind to break mental and physical obstacles, therefore, it encourages sportsmens to work harder during exercises toward failure.



This influence is concretised in basketball. Every player can feel this wave of energy coming through as soon as the music is starting and it really connects you with the game. This music in my opinion shouldn’t be played on headphones, a speaker is much more efficient, to reach its most efficient form, music needs to be mixed with all the noises around the player, to create an atmosphere of rhythm and melody which is perfect for an optimal concentration and a will to enjoy what you are doing on the court.



On a more historical perspective, Basketball has always been close to music. It is often compared to Jazz. Indeed, the sport as much as the music have been built by African American icons. From Michael Jordan to Louis Armstrong, the list is long, but that’s not the only thing that is common to both fields. Indeed, Basketball is partly based upon improvisation, rapid adaptation that leads to a result that wasn’t planned. So is Jazz, artists are often playing with the flow when performing Jazz, using their flow of consciousness as a tool to create a new combination of musical note and tone.



Nowadays, these two elements are still associated, mostly through rap. Either players putting forward artists that they like or rappers making references about Basketball players. We could take for example Kendrick Lamar who has a track titled ‘Michael Jordan’ and opens with “I used to wanna be like Michael Jordan”. This connection is even deeper, you can even find players who have a rap career in parallel like Miles Bridges, having a contract with the Charlotte Hornets and at the same time operating under the rap name RTB MB and offering impressive lyricism on his home state's signature production.



Every type of music isn’t adapted to every situation in this sport. It isn’t really effective to listen to hard rock when you want to concentrate on the upcoming game or remember all the tactics that you need to apply. Similarly it isn’t optimal to listen to really calm and slow music when you want to repeat all your moves with a high intensity. I still want to nuance this statement, because this relation game-music is really subjective and everybody has his way to associate music with Basketball. So the point I’m making can’t be considered as a rule but more as an idea that can differ from an individual to another.



To continue on subjectivity, music has always been part of my progression in this sport. Often as a way to motivate me to train even though I don’t want to or a help that allows me to get the stress out before a game or a tryout. But not only, it also builds memories with my friends and teammates, I remembered listening to a particular song after a significant victory or before an important game or simply while playing for fun with them.



I would definitively say that Music is at the core of Basketball and that Basketball is influencing Music in multiple ways.