First, FastModelSports contrasts basketball with both football and soccer. A few major principles they discuss are:
1) Free-flowing versus structured play. We've all watched basketball where coaches want to dictate every action. My seventh graders would know that if the other coach called "UCLA" that the opposition would run wing entry/UCLA cut action at the outset.
2) "Let the ball do the work." This loosely translates into "pass and cut."
3) Play the beautiful game. For many years, I coached with another coach who implored players, "Entertain your parents and me." Yes, he was very competitive and emphasized winning, but he also wanted to win with team play and style.
The majority of the players I've recently coached were "soccer players playing basketball." That often translates to athleticism, but less often to high basketball skill levels or size.
What core concepts translate well between other sports and basketball?
- Give and go in soccer (triangular passing/through pass)
- Futsal (small court, limited number players)...we often play 3 on 3 'one side' (yellow areas above are out of bounds). Futsal prioritizes small-area-play and gives players more touches than 5-on-5. More touches promotes more skill.
- No dribbling. Full court without dribbling, we only have pass and cut. Initially, I also add the constraint of no bounce passes. If the ball hits the floor, it's a turnover, which also teaches players CONVERSION, immediate change from defense to offense and vice versa. As players become more comfortable, then I add bounce passes, which speeds up the game. Over time, we add more defenders, and play either 4 on 6 or 5 on 7 no dribbling, simulating pressure defenses.
I'm absolutely NOT saying my teams are better prepared or more skilled. We're not. But we have to do something to compensate for our lack of size and skill.