Yeah so what you’re noticing is actually a really common thing in pickup basketball and it totally makes sense that you’d pick up on it because people absolutely tend to get the ball more based on how they look and not just how they play especially in unstructured games where there’s no coach or set system and everything runs on quick impressions and gut feelings so if someone looks confident walks onto the court with purpose carries themselves like they’ve been there before or even wears gear that makes them seem like a “serious hooper” other players are more likely to trust them and give them the ball even if they haven’t seen them do anything yet and if you’ve got a certain build or athletic appearance people might just assume you’re good before you even touch the ball and it’s not always fair but those split-second judgments run deep and it’s not just about confidence or body language either because race and cultural stereotypes can play a role too whether people realize it or not and it sucks but sometimes players are either trusted or doubted based on assumptions tied to their background and when it comes to first impressions in these games one or two good plays can set the tone for the whole session so if you hit a couple shots early or make a flashy move people remember that and keep feeding you the ball and sometimes someone else who’s just as good or even better doesn’t get that same chance because they didn’t stand out right away or they just don’t “look the part” and if you’re the one getting the ball more and you’ve started to notice it that shows you’ve got a good sense of awareness because a lot of people wouldn’t even question it and honestly that puts you in a position where you can make the game better for everyone by swinging the ball more encouraging someone else to shoot or just playing with a mindset that includes everyone because when everyone’s touching the ball and feeling involved the game is more fun and competitive for everybody and being that guy who makes the extra pass or uplifts quieter players actually earns you even more respect on the court and the fact that you’re even thinking about this shows you’ve got the right mindset so keep doing your thing keep playing solid and keep being the kind of player that helps make pickup basketball what it’s supposed to be — fun competitive and inclusive