The number three conveys magic across domains. Religion has a Holy Trinity. Politics has tripartite government - Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Armies carry out wars with infantry, cavalry, and artillery.
Rhetoric uses tricolon...a series of structured words or phrases.
"I came, I saw, I conquered." - Julius Caesar
"Truth, justice, and the American Way." - Superman
"The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion" - Wizard of Oz
The number three carries significance in basketball, too. A few samples:
- Offense, defense, conversion.
- Spacing, creating advantage, prosecuting advantage.
- Three point plays (Old School)
- Three point shot
- Big Threes: Chamberlain-Baylor-West, Bird-Parish-McHale, Pierce-Garnett-Allen, Lebron-Wade-Bosh, Curry-Thompson-Durant
- Small-sided games, 3 versus 3 inside the split
- The Triangle Offense.
- Short roll passing.
- Zone offense, "Boeheim vs Boeheim"
- Baseline out of bounds plays. Duke 'Line' and Duke 'Triangle'
- Iverson action.
- Complex screening like Spain PnR, backscreen the roller
Bottom line? Leverage the power of three, historically, rhetorically, and functionally.
Lagniappe. Don't go back to basics. Never leave. Every young player should watch.
Lagniappe 2. What Coaching Isn't. Hat tip: Phil Karker
