Team Building

Collaboration doesn't always come naturally or easily. Elite teams have elite players accustomed to being the "Alphas" at every previous level. 

How do teams navigate the "exceptional talent, unlimited potential" minefield that can prevent championships? 

Culture

• The San Antonio Spurs, authors of "The Beautiful Game," emphasized culture built around their Big Three of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker. Coach Gregg Popovich's mantra included, "Get over yourself."
• Golden State won four titles built around Curry, Thompson, Green, and Durant. Steve Kerr's philosophy emanated from culture, mindset, and mentors (including Popovich). 
• The 2008 Celtics had three players in Pierce, Garnett, and Allen who sacrificed shots and numbers for winning under the umbrella of "Ubuntu," meaning "I am because we are." 

Joint Workouts

Team sports need exceptional togetherness, often built around working out together. Urban Meyer believed that teams fell into 10-80-10 percent categories and required top 10 percenters to bring a teammate to workouts, seeking to "drag" players into the top ten percent performance. 

Team Reading

Many books add value by sharing examples of achievement earned through shared vision and missions. Here are a few:

• Legacy by James Kerr, profiling the All-Blacks rugby program
• Toughness by Jay Bilas, detailing what toughness means
• Vision of a Champion by Anson Dorrance, winner of 22 National Women's Soccer titles at Carolina, the record for any D1 coach

Team Socialization

Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski held regular team dinners for players and coaches. Informal gatherings allow team members to interact in a noncompetitive atmosphere. 

Guest Lecturers and Events

Some coaches bring in guest speakers to discuss their experiences with winning. Bill Belichick used this approach regularly including:

• Bill Russell speaking about the winning habits required for championship play. 
• IMAX event showing a private screening of the film "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure," illustrating the possibilities of teamwork and testing the limits of human endurance. 
• Team trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to expose players to the history and evolution of professional football. 

As young players we got exposure to team building in a variety of ways. 

• In 1970, players were recruited to upgrade outdoor courts in our community. That included posting a sign "Tech Tourney 1973" as part of the long-term vision for becoming competitive. 
• In 1972, Boston Celtics Assistant Coach John Killilea spoke at our "Breakup Dinner," including each of us in remarks. 
• A framed poster of Coach John Wooden's "Pyramid of Success" hung in our basketball "team room." Wooden's values were timeless and remain part of coaching today. 

Lagniappe. When a team embraces "sacrifice," more is possible. 

"Sacrifice is not giving up something, you're doing something for your teammate."

- Doc Rivers

— Coach Mac 🏀 (@BballCoachMac) January 1, 2026

Basketball - Study Video to Learn the Game and How Individuals Flourish

If Chik-Fil-A's motto is "Eat More Chik'n" then mine might be "Watch More Tape." 

Challenge ourselves to learn more by watching and studying. 

"Basketball is a game of separation." Jazz guard Keyonte George has made himself into a force with footwork and finishing. 

The inside game is not as dead as you think. Young players should learn the reverse pivot/drop step like Queta. 

Screen and 'rescreen' separated by a pass. This leads to a "screen assist." Queta boosts Pritchard's separation with a screen and then (illegal) screen. 

The midrange is not dead. Watch Pritchard create separation but also watch Garza screen the middle to cutoff the help. 

"The ball has energy." Simons penetrates and then gets a "hockey assist" with a pitch to Pritchard who throws a "one more" pass to Garza. 

Sam Hauser's shot varies as he doesn't always "dip." But here he does. Also worth noting this is a hoop in that "first six seconds" of a possession. 

Nurkic is a gifted offensive player. Yet here, in drop coverage, there is no help whatsoever on White. It's the "yin and yang" of some players. 

George is a menace. Clever gather and fire. 

Brown had a "bad handle" especially going to his left. That was then (although he is still turnover prone). He has a devastating midrange game, shooting over 50 percent. 

Classic "Mazzula Ball" as White draws two and finds Walsh alone. The Jazz have defensive issues. 

The Celtics manipulate two bigs into the PnR with Pritchard and Queta. It doesn't go well for the defense. 

Garza and Simons show how not to defend the PnR. 

Real-time, I thought this was supposed to be Spain PnR (screen-the-roller). The Jazz's defense is so uncommitted that it turns the play into do whatever you want. White hits the midrange but Queta was open low, too. 

 

Lagniappe. Invested most of my coaching 'career' as an assistant - loved teaching and don't enjoy substituting (controlling minutes). Advice from Kevin Eastman...

🚫 It's NOT your team.
from @kevineastman pic.twitter.com/1c1CnVv1qm

— CoachLync (@CoachLync) December 31, 2025

Applying AI - Investigative Methods for Coaches

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a bright future for coaches. The applications offer many possible insights. Here are a few:

• Player development
• Analytics (assessing possessions by team and individual)
• Anticipating player sentiment
• Offensive development
• Game planning
• Psychological profiling

Let's focus on two - offense development and player development. 

AI generates "hallucinations" which need checking. AI makes errors. Its recommendations may not work for you as they may not fit your philosophy or personnel. 

And yes, I understand the TLDR (too long, didn't read) sentiment. Coaching isn't easy. 

Learn to "prompt" AI to get better responses. For instance:

Prompt: I'm interested in basketball 'system' development. Efficient offenses benefit from spacing, avoid turnovers, and challenge defenses with "hard to defend actions." They create better scoring chances. Please describe three high points per possession sets.

Here are 3 high-PPP (points per possession) sets you can plug into a basketball system that values spacing, simple reads, and low turnover risk. Each creates leverage without complex timing or risky passes.

1) Double-Gap 5-Out “Chase & Replace”

Core idea: Create a driving lane by vacating it, then replace it instantly for a kick-out 3.

Alignment:

• 5-Out, corners wide, two players flanking the top (slots), one in the middle, one wing.

Flow:

1. Slot initiates a hard sprint (“chase”) to the opposite corner.

2. Corner player fills up to the vacated slot as the drive begins (replace).

3. Handler attacks the now-empty double gap to the rim.

4. Reads become binary:

   • Help at rim → kick to replace (slot 3)

   • No help → finish at rim

Why it scores per possession:

• Defense can’t load the nail and rim at once.

• All passes are forward-facing kick-outs.

• Spacing is dynamic and self-correcting.

Coaching cue:

“Clear it, fill it, then score it.”

2) Side Pick-and-Roll “45 Series” (Reject → Lift → Corner)

Core idea: Start with the highest-efficiency screen action in basketball (side PnR), but with built-in automatic spacing responses.

Alignment:

• Ball handler at 45° wing, screener outside the lane line, weak-side corner filled.

Flow:

1. Big sets wide side PnR (shoulder to sideline, not middle).

2. Handler’s reads:

   • PnR defender goes under → handler shoots the 3

   • Roll defender steps up → big rolls to rim

   • Tag from weak side → handler rejects baseline, big flips to short roll

3. After the read, handler lifts to top, weak-side slot drifts to corner for a 1-more pass.

Why it scores per possession:

• Side PnR produces the best paint or rhythm 3 outcomes.

• Reject + lift eliminates strips.

• Short-roll catches are stationary and forward.

• Corners remain anchored for efficient 3s.

Coaching cue:

“If you don’t score, lift to space. Someone else will.”

3) Pistol Flip with Back-Door Bailout

Core idea: Convert dribble into a handoff immediately, turning ball pressure into receiver pressure instead of handler chaos.

Alignment:

• Shooter receives at wing, handler follows into Pistol handoff.

• Big starts at dunker or 5-Out, depending on your roster.

Flow:

1. Wing catches → immediate Pistol handoff back to trailing handler.

2. Big sets screen-the-screener slip into a short roll.

3. Reads:

   • Wing defender top-locks handoff → wing back-cuts for bounce pass at rim

   • No top-lock → handler turns corner off the handoff

   • Big defender steps up → short roll finish or drop-off

   • Late rotation → 1-more to corner 3

Why it scores per possession:

• The ball never stops.

• No idle dribbling to invite strips.

• Bounce passes only to rim or back door.

• Every catch happens facing the rim.

• Physicality is legal and contained (clean screens, not moving chaos).

Coaching cue:

“Handoff or back-door. No third option.”

PPP principle shared by all 3 sets

Set	How it creates points	How it protects the ball	How it keeps spacing
Chase & Replace	Paint drive or slot 3	Kick-outs only	Auto corner fill
45 Series	Side PnR or rejection 3	Short roll, handler lift	1-more to corner
Pistol Flip + Back Door	Turn corner or rim cut	No idle dribbling	Corners anchored

---

System note for your coaching philosophy

These are classroom sets:

• They teach players to read one defender at a time

• They avoid in-air or behind-vision passes

• They anchor corners unless scoring is immediate

• They scale cleanly to high school and college because they rely on geometry and cognition, not improvisational fury

Player Development

Prompt: "Every day is player development day." Suggest your best individual shooting drill, best one-on-one attack drill, and best two-on-two practice action.

1) Individual Shooting Drill — “3-Level Rise & Settle”

Goal: Train a high, clean, repeatable release, game-speed footwork, and automatic balance recovery.

How it runs

1. Start at corner 3 → shoot 5 makes.

2. Sprint to elbow (mid-range) → shoot 5 makes (square your shoulders, same release point).

3. Pop to top of key 3 → 5 makes.

4. After each shot, land and settle into a defensive stance for 1 second before the next rep.

Why it’s your best

• Keeps mechanics consistent across 3 distances/angles.

• Adds post-shot stability so missed shots don’t bleed into rushed follow-ups.

• Hard sprints between spots raise heart rate while preserving forward vision and clean foot alignment.

Coaching cue

“Same shot, 3 floors. Rise, release, reset.”

2) 1-on-1 Attack Drill — “Angle, Shoulder, Finish”

Goal: Create advantage using legal force, clear geometry, and one read (your Iverson/Munger overlap).

How it runs

1. Offense starts on the wing at 45°, defender on ball.

2. Offense gets 3 dribbles max.

3. Choose one angle:

   • Middle drive (attack top foot)

   • Baseline drive (if middle is cut off)

4. Defender must absorb a legal shoulder bump at the lane line before the finish.

5. Play continues until shot or turnover.

Why it’s your best

• Trains ball security by eliminating wasted dribbles.

• Forces players to win with angle and shoulder control, not wiggle dribble indecision.

• Encourages rim finishes with a physical element that is legal and contained.

Coaching cue

“Bend the line, bump the line, finish the line.”

3) 2-on-2 Action — “Short Roll → 1-More”

Goal: Fast cognitive reps, clean catch geometry, and automatic spacing answers.

How it runs

1. 2-on-2 begins at wing.

2. Big sets a wide screen outside lane line → instant short roll catch.

3. Guard reads the tag:

   • No tag → bounce to short roll

   • Tag commits → 1-more swing to corner

4. Corner player catches on the move or back door and finishes.

5. Switch roles every 3 reps.

Why it’s your best

• Every pass is bounce, forward, or 1-more (lowest strip/TO risk).

• Short roll simplifies the read to one defender at a time.

• Corner spacing keeps help defenders late and reactive.

Coaching cue

“Roll to score, swing to punish.”

---

Daily Development Principle (one line)

Shooting = repeatable rise. 1-on-1 = angle + shoulder. 2-on-2 = roll + 1-more.

Learn to use AI and benefit from its access to the universe. 

Lagniappe. Kelvin Sampson discusses improvement. He'd get the Bob Rotella ("Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect") approval. Rotella says there is "training" practice and "trusting" practice. Training improves skill and trusting wins championships. 

Kelvin Sampson is not a fan of the “trainer culture” / “Cone Culture”

“In order to get better at basketball, you have to play basketball” pic.twitter.com/Yzjforafvg

— PGC Basketball (@PGCbasketball) December 31, 2025

Unconventional Basketball- Personal Practice

Every coach has favorite offensive drills. Few if any of these are among yours. You've probably never seen or heard of them. 

Why practice? Practice to build skill and confidence. Our brain has to see the ball go into the basket for both. 

Perhaps the most unconventional ball handling drill was Kyrie Irving's "ball in the plastic bag" dribble. 

I used these growing up. Make practice hard and games are easier. 

Ball Control

• Winter Gloves - Shooting in winter gloves takes the 'feel' off the ball. Plus the cold Boston winters were even colder back in the day. 
• Blind Man - set up on either elbow with eyes closed. One dribble attack off the jab either strong side or off the rib through. This forces better feel into the shooting pocket. You can't open your eyes until the ball is in the shot pocket. 

Target Better (side of backboard) 

Shoot at a spot on the side of the backboard. There's minimal margin for error, so every bad shot means chasing the ball. 

Quicker Release

• Quick draw - Hold the ball above the waist, slamming it down to require a "soft hands" catch and then the quickest release possible.
• Turn and Fire - stand just inside the free throw line facing the basket. Flip the ball back over your head; catch the ball on the bounce, "turn, target, and fire. This improves targeting and quickness of release off the catch. 

Higher Release

• Prayers - Shoot off of one knee. Unless the release is high enough, then the shot has no prayer. 
• Ladder Drill...I taped a tennis racquet to a step ladder to simulate a defender in "Camp Driveway"...image created by ChatGPT Plus
• 

Accuracy 

• Swish or miss (free throws). The goal is to make at least 50 percent of free throws via swish. Score only when swishing the free throw. 
• Bill Bradley (Beat the Pro) - Game to 11. One point for a make, "Bill" gets three for a miss. Must make 11/14 to win. Harder version...game to 14, "Bill" gets eight points for a miss. Must make 14/15 to win. 

We are only limited by our imagination. 

Lagniappe. "Always protect the team." Represent. 

Pete Carroll shares the 3 team rules he uses to build culture.

Not 10 values. Not a 100-page manual. 3 rules.

Simple, repeatable, and powerful.

1: Always protect the team - "This isn't just about behavior. It's about conscience."

Protecting the team means being mindful of… https://t.co/4X8fA8jnmw pic.twitter.com/xpZ3mbJNva

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) December 31, 2025

Basketball - Perspective Headed into 2026

"On a personal level, perspective demands thoughtfulness. I hear people pronounce the evil of Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, but I believe that with the same life journey, most would have done the same. I know slavery was evil, and I believe the Southerners were wrong, but I also believe the power of perspective was the dominant force in society at that time." - On Character: Choices That Define a Life by General Stanley McChrystal 

Experience uniquely shapes our perspective. Our basketball journey crafts our opinions about the game and the controversies within. 

Youth Basketball Training Arc

Then: Growing up, many of our generation played whatever sport was in season. Early specialization was rare. The chance that sports participation could earn free college or compensation never occurred to most of us. 

Now: Early specialization is common. Players access personal trainers, sport-specific position coaches, and players and families target scholarships. Many seek a pot of gold at the end of basketball rainbows. 

Then: There was no gravitational pull from AAU. If there were, money wouldn't have been available for most.

Now: Offseason basketball is big business. Families pay thousands to participate, travel within and outside their area and get showcased.

Then: An orderly progression from freshman, through JV and varsity was the norm. Freshmen weren't eligible. 

Now: The "crabs in a bucket" mentality reaches down ever lower. Freshmen sometimes arrive after "informal" and unspoken redshirting in middle school. Freshmen compete for roles and upperclassmen (and parents) sometimes bigfoot upstarts whom they see as cutting the line. 

Rules

Rules evolve yet are non-uniform. As of October 2025, 32 states have adopted a shot clock (now or future) in some capacity (some require it, others offer optional use depending on the game).

The lack of a shot clock changes game strategy and sometimes development in a "game meant to be played fast." 

Strategy

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." In youth and high school basketball, "chicks" and "chicos" dig the long ball. It's not unusual to see teams "abuse the privilege" with games regularly featuring airball after airball. Pete Newell's advice to get "more and better shots than opponents" seems silenced. 

In youth basketball, full court pressure and zone defenses proliferate as homage to winning often transcends commitment to development. 

Coaching

Coaches have access to a firehose of information impacting leadership and philosophy, player development, offensive and defensive system development, analytics and more. The tasks of teaching, adding value, and getting buy-in have never been more available or harder with critics everywhere. 

Officiating

Basketball has always been hard to officiate but the speed and physicality of the game create collisions tough to adjudicate.  Coaches, players, and fans have always targeted officials, but without the vocality or violence sometimes seen now. Unless officials get more relief, they will become harder to recruit and retain. 

A dynamic environment ensures change. One set of rules across the planet would make sense. Moving the three-point line out in high school might prevent bombing without conscience. 

Lagniappe. Floppy. 

Many think of "Floppy" as an action for shooters

But it's FANTASTIC as a power game option pic.twitter.com/xRLF8do8mh

— Matt Kramer (@coachk6463) December 23, 2025

Lagniappe 2. Give what the game needs. 

Coloring Outside the Lines - When Coaching Isn't Coaching

Life trains us to color inside the lines. Society works because most of us accept norms of fairness, order, and restraint. Coaching lives in the same domain. 

Great programs win because of consistent, transparent habits. Competitive advantage in basketball comes from preparation, execution, and culture, not intimidation or bending rules until they break.

But recurring subplots emerge:

• Winning at any cost

• Talent aggregation above all else

• Officials put under pressure

• Physical play that crosses boundaries

Where the Blur Begins

Ego and winning tempt some coaches to step outside the boundaries:

• Preferring “home town referees” instead of neutral crews

• Recruiting with a mindset of “collect assets first, teach later”

• Normalizing “Gorilla Ball” physicality under the banner of toughness

• Coaching moving screens and illegal contact as if they’re strategy

• Treating officials as objects to outmaneuver

There’s a difference between hard and harmful basketball:

• Clean physical play? Yes. (Solid screens, legal box-outs, competitive hands.)

• “Gorilla Ball” to remove players? No. That’s not basketball. That’s damage. We had four players taken out in one game. 

• Testing limits? Yes. Every system probes boundaries. Teaching players to weaponize illegal actions? No. 

Coaches Messages Reveal Intent

The tell is often language. You've heard lines coaches crossed:

• “They can’t call a foul every time.”

• “They can’t call the game from the stands.”

• “Winning is the only thing.”

• “The end proves me right.”

You can win a game while losing your honor. 

The Ethical Line Isn’t Abstract

It’s practical. It protects:

• The players

• The officials

• The fans

• The sport

• The classroom basketball becomes for young athletes

When coaches teach:

• “Sportsmanship doesn’t matter”

• “Winning is the only thing”

• “Rules are suggestions”

They’ve stopped coaching basketball and started coaching ego.

Coaching, Like Banking, Needs Stress Tests

The Fed evaluates banks to ensure they survive pressure. Basketball programs need their own version:

Can your offense survive without illegal screens?
Can your defense contain without fouling?
Can your culture win without casualties?
Can your language teach accountability instead of excuses?

If the answer requires “Well, technically…”, you’re off the court already

A Jury of Our Peers

Most coaches coach the sport. Some coach the scoreboard. A few coach the rules until the rules collapse. Those outliers deserve warnings -  retraining or removal.

Basketball excellence is public domain. Harm is preventable.
Basketball advantage is habits, not harm. Teaching violence isn't teaching the game. 

Lagniappe. Winning demands sacrifice. 

A high school basketball team won’t win championships on talent alone.
It wins because of:
- Communication on defense.
- Effort in the little things nobody notices.
- Sacrificing personal stats for the good of the team.

— Steve Collins (@TeachHoopsBBall) December 21, 2025

Lagniappe 2. Better offense spills into defense.  

This is the kind of thing I had to incorporate into net points. It isn't a huge impact, but it's a relevant impact for good scorers.

I was actually working on a post to show this but Todd did his usual great job to save me some time. https://t.co/gK7kvsJGoe

— Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics) December 23, 2025

Basketball- Buffett Style

“There is seldom just one cockroach in the kitchen. You know, you turn on the light and, all of sudden, they all start scurrying around.” - Warren Buffett

Every organization has cockroaches - issues that degrade the experience. And "there is never just one cockroach."

Top notch programs have fewer cockroaches than cellar dwellers. Call it "culture of excellence" or "tradition" or "legacy program." They're different in a good way - more discipline, more immediacy, more cohesion. 

What commonalities belong to excellence? 

Divide the positives into two categories: IDENTITY and EXECUTION. "This is who we are" and "that is how we play." 

• Joy. Success makes fun, although fun doesn't always make success.
• "Basketball character," how they compete, care about winning, team play, execute under pressure - more than physical skills alone. 
• Selflessness. "Basketball is sharing," says Phil Jackson. 
• Intent. There's a plan - spacing, player and ball movement, quality possessions. 
• Value the ball. Turnovers reflect poor decisions or execution. 
• Toughness - the best play "harder for longer." 
• Ball pressure. Loss of containment equals the start of breakdowns.
• Energy. Energy is contagious. 
• Attention to detail. They sweat the small stuff. 
• "Crunch wrap." They don't give away games with sloppiness.  

Invert the positives and you'll find the qualities of cockroach-infested programs. 

Take inventory of our program and see where we fall.

Lagniappe. Players learn at every level. From Jay King in The Athletic, "I think the way you watch film, the process of how the coaches communicate during film, the way guys process information, taking notes, their ability to answer questions in real time,” Mazzulla said."

Lagniappe 2. Randomness, chaos, unpredictability. 

🏀 So refreshing to hear about Joe Mazzulla's thoughts on practice design. Great to see more and more motor learning concepts influence the NBA! pic.twitter.com/STIQSCEmpz

— Transforming Basketball (@transformbball) December 26, 2025

Lagniappe 3. Take advantage of General Stanley McChrystal's "Character Equation."

Character = Conviction × Discipline 

Basketball - What Don't You See?

Everyone 'watching' basketball games sees something different. Some see the big picture, others the granular detail, still others a mixture. What if we watch the game with an eye for what we don't see?

In "Inside Man," a miniseries starring Stanley Tucci, in a pivotal scene, he asks what didn't you see? 

Think back to the last high school game you watched. You may have seen many three-point shots, some "bad fouls," and perhaps some transition hoops. 

Here is some of what I didn't see:

• Hard to defend actions (e.g. complex screens like Iverson action, screen-the-screener, Spain pick-and-roll)
• Pick-and-roll
• Taking charges 
• Urgent cutting leading to give-and-go scores
• Consistent on-ball pressure (saw a lot of "dead man's defense" - six feet under)
• Offensive rebounding with anticipation and aggressiveness

When "core" actions that separate 'success from less' are absent, questions arise about core skill development, priorities, and the ability to be comfortable with discomfort. 

How do we design systems to implement our philosophy?

A hard-to-defend system isn’t built on deception. it’s built on sequenced clarity: 

Show one problem. Hide the next. Score from the space created when they solve the first. That's what Mazzulla Ball is, seeking 2 vs 1. 

For example, consider a high ball screen with a filled corner. If the corner help leaves to defend the driver, "drive and dish" (penetrate and pitch) pass is exposed. 

Or, if the defense extends and opens the "short roll," then the defense has to adjust, which is generally not a strength for young players.

 

You've heard the saying, "If all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail." Three-point or nothing offense makes for a tough equation when teams have off nights or defenses work to limit the open three. 

Lagniappe. How do you adjust PnR coverage? 

More games are lost on Defense because Teams won’t change/ adjust their Ball Screen coverages in a Game when it’s obviously not working.
Having 3-4 different coverages in your “Bag” is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of preparation.

— Tom Crean (@TomCrean) December 27, 2025

Lagniappe 2. Do our players have a strategy to 'disrupt' 2 on 1 breaks? 

Basketball- Ten Coaching Points to Consider

Excellent coaches resemble archeologists, seeking artifacts that enhance their knowledge of our world.

1. When asked about his team, Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg said that he'd be able to give a better answer in twenty years. On Christmas Eve I ran into a fair of former youth players, Meg, our "glue guy" and Kiki, a toughness exemplar. One had finished her Masters in Finance and the other completing her advanced degree. They're shining examples of program graduates.   

2. Shakespeare wrote that sleep, "knits up the raveled sleave of care." Players should seek at least eight hours of sleep. Sleep consolidates memory and objectively improves basketball performance. 

Has extended sleep been studied in basketball players? Yes. Here are the highlights:

• 11 Stanford University basketball players
• Baseline measurements followed by 5-7 weeks of sleep extension with goal of minimum 10 hours/night 
• Performance measures (speed, shooting accuracy) and sleepiness scoring
• Improved sprint times, 9% improvement in free throw and 3-point percentages
• Sleepiness scores improved
• Subjective improvements in physical and mental well-being 
• Conclusion: better sleep improved athletic performance

3. Alcohol impairs memory imprinting and muscle recovery. Coaches don't impose arbitrary rules. Why would anyone who cares adopt a habit that’s intrinsically negative? Discipline defines destiny. 

4. Study more tape. Video is the “truth machine.” An abundance of teaching video (YouTube, FIBA, coaching clinics, etc.) and game tape are invaluable tools to boost basketball IQ. 

5. Ask better questions. If you aspire to be your best, what are you doing to make those around you better? What skills get and keep you on the court? If you don't know, they don't exist. 

6. Keep a “leadership scorecard” tracking how you acted like a leader.

7. Copy Don Meyer. Keep a notebook of basketball insights acquired.

8. Practice gratitude. Brad Stevens said, “Coaches get more than we give.” 

Cecilia gifted me a St. Joseph's Hawks hoodie for Christmas. 

9. "Never be a player's last coach." How does it feel to be coached by me? Every player deserves coaching. 

10.Players won’t remember the Xs and Os. They remember how we made them feel. As Dr. Bob Rotella would say, "It’s not a game of perfect.”

Bonus. Live ball turnovers kill you. They sabotage offense and translate to high points per possession, often in transition, for opponents. Players have to hear this again and again..."Turnovers kill dreams." 

Lagniappe. Playing hard is a skill. 

Talent might win you games, but culture wins you seasons.
A great high school basketball team has:
- Unselfish players who take pride in the assist.
- Tough kids who dive on the floor with zero hesitation.
- Leaders who know when to speak up—and when to listen.

— Steve Collins (@TeachHoopsBBall) December 22, 2025

Lagniappe 2. Zoom action variant.  

 

Basketball - Film or Flim Flam?

People learn best from different styles - verbal, auditory, kinetic. Film study isn't new...we watched grainy 8 mm black and white film in the early 1970s.

A few principles stood out:

1) "Everybody listens. Any "lessons" (screw-ups) that one player makes apply to everyone. Let's not repeat them." It wasn't personal...

2) There was no 'advanced' film study (although we did have scouting reports from a paid scout).

3) The ratio of mistakes to positive film shown was high. 

What's the "data" on video study, the dos and don'ts?

What's the decision? 

A strong line of research uses video scenarios (often with temporal occlusion, stopping the clip  before the key moment) to train players to pick the right action. An example in elite youth basketball found that video training improved decision-making tests and showed better passing decisions in small-sided games.

Application: show a clip and stop before the moment of truth. 

Example: 

      

I thought this was going to be the initiation of Zoom Action (downscreen, DHO) but was obviously off, as it could have been a great variation with a slip.

Example 2. End-game, white leads by three after a score, 11 seconds left, ball under their own basket. What are you thinking? 

Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Video demonstration can help young players understand what "good" looks like. Video modeling to training reported improvements in technical skills (e.g. passing, shooting, dribbling, defense).  

Application: use selected clips as fundamental training aids

Ownership Matters

In a motor-learning basketball study on the set shot, giving athletes self-controlled video feedback (they choose when to view) improved learning, supporting a broader motor-learning principle: self-determination helps.

Application: work with individual players on training film (time intensive)

Lagniappe. Doc Rivers preached to show no more than 13 clips because he felt players can only focus for so long. UNC Women's Soccer coach Anson Dorrance believed women should only see positive clips. 

Lagniappe 2. Ideas for decision-making. 

Three Underrated Books with Lessons for Athletes and Coaches

Little is more subjective than “Underrated.” Underrated sports literature should share timeless, valuable, and clear lessons. 

Great books deserve to be reread as they reveal new lessons and reinforce older ones. 

Here are a few:

The Boys in the Boat - by Daniel Brown 

Brown tells three stories woven with brilliant journalism. The Great Depression spawned millions of desperate Americans with hard work and dreams. Joe Rantz parlays a chance at the University of Washington crew team to become an Olympic oarsman. The team competes against great odds in the 1936 Olympics during the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany. 

Brown's lessons inspire belief in hard work and competition, the possibility of overcoming long odds to earn a chance at becoming a champion. Both never go out of fashion.  

Application: Most NBA players don't emerge from a privileged few. They often overcome hardscrabble upcoming to find excellence through extreme commitment. Feeling sorry for ourselves earns us nothing. 

Maybe your life was hard. You probably weren't tossed out of your family at 15, the "biggest mouth to feed" during the Great Depression...left to fend for yourself. 

The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh

Walsh was the consummate coach and executive. He believed in his "Standard of Performance" a comprehensive philosophy centered on core concepts that prioritize preparation and mental excellence over immediate results. Professionalism mattered for the staff answering phones, workers striping the field, and coaches and players' attention to detail. 

Application. Few endeavors in life involve more collaboration than NBA teams. As great as individual players can be, they don't win by themselves. From the top of the organization on down, success demands total team effort. 

Relentless attention to detailed, winning process earns results. 

Book summary. Sometimes innovation is met with ridicule, even when it's winning championships. 

Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Ming Tan

Chade-Ming Tan was a Google engineer who shared his expertise in mindfulness, mental training that raised individual and team performance in one of America's most successful companies. The author shares how mindfulness works on a physiologic and anatomic basis in non-technical terms, and explains how everyone can benefit with raised focus and achievement, less stress and depression, as well as better immunity and sleep. He demystifies mindfulness in a practical sense.  

Application: Most elite professionals and Olympians have a mindfulness practice. This helped Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James just to mention a few. 

Neglecting the mental side, your software, leaves athletes and coaches less than they can be. 

Slideshare presentation

Lagniappe. Coaches have to give bad news. Former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss explains how. 

What’s the best way to deliver bad news? Say, “I’ve got bad news,” pause for about a second, then share it. Never blindside someone/ They need a moment to prepare, no matter how serious it is. Wait too long and their mind starts spiraling. Skip the dramatic buildup. Give them a… pic.twitter.com/YcpoqiwEap

— Christopher Voss (@fbinegotiator) December 23, 2025

Lagniappe 2. The ball has energy. 

🎙️ Kon Knueppel on the importance of ball movement:

"That's how the game was designed to be played. Obviously, great players are gonna dominate the ball sometimes, but the game is designed to play together and as a team against the other team. When the ball is moving, it's the… pic.twitter.com/9WRZaQ0zxi

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) December 24, 2025

Merry Christmas.