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Illawarra Hawks guard Trey Kell III has opened up on a pre-game ritual that has helped him start the NBL season in form.
Trey Kell III credits his ritual of holding pep-talks with himself for the stellar form that has helped hoist the Illawarra Hawks to the top of the NBL ladder.
Three to four minutes before tip-off in any given Hawks game, the San Diego-born guard will sit on the bench and begin talking to himself.
"(I'm) instilling that confidence in myself and getting my mind ready for the game," the Hawks recruit told AAP.
"(I'm saying to) just stay confident through the good and the bad.
"That's the biggest one (tactic) to continue to carry that confidence that I'm carrying right now."
Kell first started practising his self pep-talks years ago, but went away from the ritual as he began his NBL career with South East Melbourne and then Adelaide.
When the 36ers hit a slump that cost coach CJ Bruton his job last season, an out-of-form Kell turned back to old habits for guidance.
The 36ers ultimately finished with five wins from their last seven games of the campaign, Kell posting two double-doubles in that stretch and finishing the season as the team's leader in assists.
"I felt like it really helped me with some of the down times," he said.
"Last year was a perfect example from an individual and team perspective that we were able to turn things around. Now it's kind of a staple for me before games."
The tactic is continuing to yield results at the new firm.
A month into the season, Kell averages the fifth-most points (18.67) per game for any player and is the leading scorer on a Hawks side announcing its championship credentials.
Kell had an off night in the Hawks' last-start win over Cairns, landing only four of 15 shots from the field, but said his ritual gave him the self-belief he could bounce back.
"I didn't shoot the ball too well but I was still staying confident, taking the next shot if it's there, being aggressive," he said.
"Just being proud of where I am and how my career's gone to this point and being proud of where you are."
The Hawks hold a 5-1 record heading into Thursday's match with perennial heavyweights Melbourne United, which firms as the most intriguing match of round six.
Kell marvelled at the side's improvement since firing coach Jacob Jackomas on a dismal 2-7 start to the 2023-24 season.
"Before, I think teams looked at us as an easy victory or a team that you don't necessarily need to have your A game to win the game," Kell said.
"It's definitely the opposite (now). Teams will kind of look at us as a benchmark game to see where they are for how their season looks and how their team looks."