hadn't played vs didn't play

[bennyfriendly]

I have made up the sentences below.

(1) I didn't play basketball for at least five years. I didn't think I could work as a coach.

(2) I hadn't played basketball for at least five years. I didn't think I could work as a coach.

I am not sure which tense of "play" is correct. Please help me. Thanks.

 

[PaulQ]

Both examples would be better as a single compound sentence with a conjunction, e.g. so or and. It would then depend on the context as to which you chose.

Basically, both are possible depending on context.

 

[Cenzontle]

Number (2) sounds right to me.
At some time in the past, someone asked me to work as a coach.
Now I want to mention my (not) playing, also in the past—in a prior past, before the invitation to coach.
The past perfect in (2) locates my (not) playing before the invitation to coach.