Discover universal truths by just watching. Great players leverage game understanding using various degrees of athleticism and ability. No 'dumb' great player exists, although even great players make poor plays (witness James Harden's consecutive late offensive fouls recently).
Excellent teams find strategies to wear teams down. Coaching young (11-12 year-old) girls this season, I'm focused on the long term...skill and will, not tactics.
Simple. Simple is hard. If we want really want to show people how much we know, simplify.
Process rules. Study the Richard Feynman Technique. Learn, teach, review, simplify. We can use this for any area. Players first need to defend the pick-and-roll one way. We first teach "fake trap" (hedge, show), and can advance to others (trap (blitz), under, over, switch, etc.) after they show proficiency at one technique.
Stories are powerful. Become a storyteller. "Someone is looking for something." Is it a journey, a mystery, biography, inspiring, comedy, a blend? Sylvia Hatchell gave her lackluster team a halftime speech. "Put your hand over your heart. Anybody feel a heartbeat? I didn't think so." The UNC women rallied to win.
Share. "Share something great." Everyone has value. Draw it out.
Patience. We all know about the Pyramid of Success and how "faith" and "patience" flank the top of the pyramid. Patience doesn't only mean player and team development. Patient teaches, "wait, wait, wait" for the screen.
Patience also says wait for your opportunity. Don Kelbick shares "designated shooter."
Movement kills defenses. Young players don't naturally move. There is no playground for them to learn to play. This is simple, but my newbies need this progression (work at multiple baskets).
- Basic give-and-go
- Screen away for cut and shot
- Screen away for curl and penetrate
- Screen away for roller opportunities
Sprint to the screen. Use angles for deception. Wait for the screen. Set up your cut. The screener is always the second cutter ("screen selfishly").