Basketball is played in the fractions of seconds. Great players know this. And they know that they need to take action immediately or move the ball to another player if they want to give their team the best chance to score.
The decision to drive against your opponent must be made as soon as you receive the ball. The reason for this is simple. The longer you take to decide what to do, the better the defense can set up to defend your drive. This applies to both your defender and the helpside defenders. If you are going to drive to the basket, your best chance is to go right away and not to hold on to the ball. This is what being a 0.5 player is all about. Reacting with the right action within half a second of receiving the ball.
This same concept is true for taking shots. Your best chance to shoot will come immediately off the catch. It is also the highest percentage shot in the game. With each second you waste making a decision, the chance that the shot will go in decreases. So, if you are open and within your range, you should shoot - without hesitation.
If you have to take time to decide whether you should shoot or not, you should decide not to shoot it. If you hesitate, or are tentative about your shot, you will likely not make your shot. Hesitant shooters are simply not good shooters. Confidence is quite possibly the most important factor in shooting well. Follow your instincts. If you feel this is your shot, take it. And take it now! If you have to think about it, you should start looking for the best pass available.
Now, what if you aren't yet a 0.5 player? What if it takes you over a second to read the floor? Most importantly, don't worry. None of us were at first. The game of basketball takes years to master, and developing the basketball IQ to react immediately and correctly is one of the most difficult aspects of the game.
So, what should you do? First, practice. Practice making decisions more quickly. This should be done at training, or non-league games. And remember, it's ok to make mistakes. That is how we learn.
Secondly, make the best decisions you can for the team now. That may mean not taking as many shots yet. It may mean passing the ball off to players on the team who are more capable than you. Making good decisions will give you the experience you need to read the court and the confidence you need to become a 0.5 player.
It is important to remember that not every player has to contribute on the scoreboard. Each player has their strengths and weaknesses. Look at Dennis Rodman, easily one of the best rebounders of all time, if not the best. But he only averaged 7.3 ppg throughout his career. But that doesn't have to be you. You just have to work on decision making as if it were any other skill. Start with simple decisions, then add levels of progressions - speed, more options, defenders and live reads. Before you know it, you'll be shooting and driving to the net right off the catch.
While you are building up your basketball IQ and learning to make quicker decisions, make sure you are still helping your team. Keep moving to occupy a defender and keep them out of the paint. Set good screens to open up your best scorers. Make good passes and avoid turnovers. And play solid defense. Do these things and you will get the playing time and experience you need to become a better decision-maker.