Sunday, July 7, 2019

Basketball: Posterized (What's on Your Poster?)

What belongs on your basketball poster? What expresses your world? 



Maybe you have a signature move, tagline, or imagery for your worldview. Make it yours; make it powerful. The Karate Kid (1984) poster radiates emotion and inclusion.


Word clouds appeal to our subconscious. I don't think so. 


Quick slogans are personal. Do we want personal? 

Do you have a few favorite quotes

"Basketball is sharing?" - Phil Jackson
"Do more of what works and less of what doesn't."
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Einstein
"The ball is gold." - Coach Sonny Lane
"Everyone can be a great teammate." 

Pretty high chance these don't universally inspire. 


Photographs add emotional connection but certainly don't define you. The last thing we need is a coach's picture on their poster. 


Core offensive tactics? This puts players to sleep. 

How about edited pithy defensive core concepts (stolen from Kevin Eastman)?

Work at getting better at getting better.
“Know the game, see the game, feel the game."
Communicate (head start), wake up (engage all)
All in physically, mentally, VERBALLY
“No middle, no give” (know where you’re forcing)
Ball must constantly SEE the next defender (illusion of no lane/gap)
Shoulders game, ‘leverage game’
1) Get between man and basket, 2) Get shoulders lower
Ball side ‘D’ wins games, “Weak side” ‘D’ wins championships (urgency)
Paint consequences: charge, block, turnover, deflection, hard foul
Shot fake at both the beginning and END of PLAY gets you in FOUL issue
Don’t waste fouls (show your hands)
Transition defense is decision ‘smalls’ and EFFORT bigs
If great player has ball, get ANTENNAs up (HELP)
Know your NOs - no middle, no paint, no gives, no corner 3 (NBA), no offensive rebounds
Contest the first shot (FG %), no second shots
Losing teams are one action, one effort teams (winners are relentless)
Keep track of what errors happen to reduce future errors (e.g. bad D, TO’s)
Put a body on length
Defensive runs just as important as offensive runs 
Player-policed team (high levels)

Transition D 1) no pass ahead score, 2) no strong side score, 3) no shot attempts on first two passes (loads responsibility on transition guys running) 
PLAYOFF defense means NO PLAYS OFF

Problem? TMI (too much information for young players). 

At the end of the day, a poster won't define you. "Define yourself."

Lagniappe: If we intend to improve, we have to shoot better. Let's borrow the Maryland 180 shooting drill from Brenda Frese. 



Lagniappe 2: From Charles Ngo blog, A Lesson in Patience. Invest two minutes to read. 

Lagniappe 3: "Tell the story you want to tell."