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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Basketball: Can You Fall in Love with Boredom?

Inspiration surrounds us. A wireless network in my daughter’s co-op building is named, “Are you what you want to be?” When the owners see their network, it challenges them. Dare to be great. “We make our habits and our habits make us.”

You have to fall in love with boredom,” writes James Clear. John Wooden wrote about Bill Walton that he never tired of working on fundamentals, especially footwork. 



Walton's footwork was impeccable. 


GrandMaster Garry Kasparov studied chess books and played tens of thousands of chess games. 


Kasparov teaches studies (Black to move). White has seemingly sacrificed its extra rook. But if black captures the rook, rook on a1 checks the king, whose only move is to the fourth file. The white rook then moves to a4 attacking both the king and black rook, sealing victory. 

Leonardo never wearied while seeking to understand light and shadows. 



Leonardo, example of chiaroscuro

Our high school coach explained, "I'm pleased but I'm not satisfied." In Atomic Habits, Clear writes:


SATISFACTION = LIKING - WANTING

Some players chase "the life" but not the job, and wash out. Elite performers enjoy success and its trappings (the Liking) but maintain high craving (the Wanting) to be better. Relentless means never being satisfied in finding excellence.

The basketball elite want more - more minutes, bigger role, fame, more success. The taste just whets their appetite for more. 

Lagniappe: Shooting progressions (2 drills) 



Players have a few ways to execute this drill. The video is self-explanatory. Another way is to drill with 3-2-1 point (layup) from each of the five spots and finish with two free throws. I've heard that called Celtics' 32. 


Lagniappe 2: SLOB box with multiple options, including a layup (great offense is multiple actions)


Lagniappe 3: rewatching a great interview with Don Kelbick...basketball is a metaphor for life. 




"...his battalion (as an Army Lieutenant Colonel) had the lowest casualty rate of any battalion in Afghanistan..."


"You can't make anybody do anything...people do things in spite of you...the essence of coaching is for me to get you to do what you do best to the best of your ability." 

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." 

"The capacity of NBA players for work is what sets them apart." 

"What is your job." Develop a workout based on their job...

For young players, "let's find out what you're good at."