Think about basketball education as 'vocational training' like plumbing. We can't lecture our way to high performance. It's more about a balanced teacher-student approach and more "low tech" (hands on) than technology-oriented.
Lemov outlines his approach. He argues that skill mastery (automating) frees "working memory" for decision-making in games.
Skill acquisition. He adds that practice should evolve from blocked to random with decision-making and complexity. For example, one could teach pick-and-roll offense sequentially by adding defense and later help.
Automating responses does not preclude creativity. With experience, the screener knows when to slip, the ballhandler when to reject the screen, and to pass after "drawing two."
Game activities include adaptations and distortions of game play. I organize these:
If I'm fortunate to coach again, I'll put Doghouse on the menu.
Advantage-disadvantage. 5 v 7, full-court, no dribbling is my all-time favorite. It forces cutting, conditions, and pace. The ball is turned over after a score or anytime it hits the floor, becoming 'live' in the other direction. Pass accurately and cut is required.
4 on 4 shell, with a defender whistled off (must touch the center circle and scramble back) is another favorite.
Constraints. It's our laboratory, our world.
Kirby Schepp's "Volleyball lines" passing lessons teach small space movement. Add constraints on space, time, amount of dribbling, passing, etc.
Dribble tag within the arc (6 players) with constraints like non-dominant hand dribbling or crossover required every third dribble. Be creative and make it fun.
SLOB into "ten passes" before scoring is another alternative to emphasize pass and cut basketball.
Rules change. Not so different than constraints, hair-splitting at best. Some ideas:
4 on 4 half court no dribbling
4 on 4 paint scoring only, adapt with box or diamond zones
Non-dominant hand scoring only
Multiple actions required... e.g. off-ball screening and both paint touch and ball reversal required before shooting
Tactical activities"recreate specific match situations" according to Lemov. That could include pressure or half-court defense, special situations (set pieces in soccer), end-of-game situations, and so on.
Lemov argues that most game situations start from disorganization rather than organization. We don't start with 4 out- 1 in or 5 out but after a basket, a rebound, a live-ball turnover. So we should (as Mike McKay has shown) start from real life situations. In other words, we have to "shape up" offensively, not just (for example) in defensive transition.
"What is the best way to teach?" There is no "one way" or "it depends." Coaches teach and our pupils have different interests, aptitude, styles of preferred learning (visual, kinesthetic, etc.) and growth.
Find ideas to adopt, adapt, and refine. Ted Lasso's reference to Walt Whitman, "be curious not judgmental" serves us well.
Lagniappe. "ICE" or "FORCE" of the side pick-and-roll isn't new. Chad Iske reviews some core concepts. Remember Quin Snyder's warning, "if our team can't defend the PnR, ownership will find a coach who can."
