Tempo.
Attention to detail. "Do it right." Every possession matters. Attention to detail shows up in how players and teams compete possession by possession.
A. I saw a team lose a one-point game in which on the first two defensive possessions, their "star" player allowed offensive putbacks for scores by not even trying to block out.
B. I saw a team, leading by 8 with a minute to play and the ball at halfcourt out of bounds (shot clock league). After the inbounds, a senior starter jacked up a three FIVE SECONDS later (and missed). "What is unacceptable in defeat is unacceptable in victory." Those were teachable moments of epic proportion.
Urban Meyer at Ohio State calls total effort - "4 to 6 (seconds), (point) A to B." Basketball demands constant engagement.
Energy. False hustle means phony enthusiasm, industry without purpose. It also includes playing without thinking. If someone were secretly filming your practice, what would they see and hear? We want authenticity from players who truly love the game not just playing. "Are you investing your time or spending it?" (Nick Saban)
Clarity. Progress intersects autonomy, purpose, and mastery. I want players to 'own' the game. But ownership also means making decisions in the best interest of the team. "It's not your shot, it's our shot." (Jay Bilas) Do you know what you don't know? How do we defend that? Do our players have a growth mindset and an organized process for improvement on and off the court? Moneyball. Can we see gains such as shooting percentage differential, assists, rebounding percentage, and turnovers. Do they understand screen means screen and move and pass means pass and move?
Discomfort. "Make practice hard so that games are easy." Play 'advantage-disadvantage', no dribbling, shooting practice against defenders, competitively, with consequences. Accepting mediocrity in practice means encouraging mediocrity in games. Create an 'expectation culture' where players push each other to improve. "You can play better defense than that against me." Recall the great story about a little girl telling an excellent mogul skier, "I love that you never fall." The skier realized that she wasn't going all out and became a champion by embracing adversity.
