Notes on Chris Oliver (Basketball Immersion) Podcast #103
Lessons learned - NBA constantly evolves. "Play some zone defense in the NBA...extended 1-3-1...keep out of PnR sometimes."
"Nick Nurse put his team in the best position to win...but never taking away from basic man-to-man" (despite using 1-2-2 pressure, box-and-1, triangle-and-two)
"Toronto bought in...because of his competence...they knew they were in good hands."
"Most coaches feel the same pressure at every level...Hall of Fame players bail you out of poor decisions...you can win while learning."
"Have empathy...at all levels." (CO)
"All coaches that are considered great, have Hall of Fame players attached. The NBA humbles you...wins are on the players."
"There are many ways to win, but you really need good players."
Misconception about halftime: "You're going to adjust the moment you think you have a better option."
NBA coaches excel at "getting on to the next best thing."
"You may not need as much time to put something in (NBA)." (Good at retention)
A great college coach told him that "he would have used his practice time better."
"As a college coach, they practiced a lot of 5-on-5...the game is about decisions." (Obviously at advanced levels, players have more skill...young players don't have the skills)
"Learn how to play, make decisions...when to use the skill."
As a college coach, he would play 5-on-5, but intensely. "We didn't lose anything not playing one-on-zero."
"Very few players want to do the hard things." Practice hard and pass the ball.
Five-on-five allows you to have a clear pecking order (the stars shine). He argues for whole-part-whole, not part-whole. (Plus players enjoy playing)
Nobody in the NBA plays one-on-one anymore (?)
At the HS level, thinks you should practice less and play more. Chris Oliver suggests self-organized one-on-one early in practice.
JVG had players practice 1-on-1 from low post, high post, wing (thought he got high effort) at one basket. Players watched each other, learned.
"People are slow to change if they've won. All of us should evaluate what we can do better."
Internationally, there's a lot to learn.
- He likes international rules.
- They move without the ball.
- More emphasis on offensive rebounding. (Extra possessions)
Pitino - value of 5-on-5, conditioning
Pat Riley - "never avoiding conflict." HS coaches have to deal with parenting that is so different (which makes people reluctant to be direct and honest)
"Play your best players more." (If winning is the priority)
"The film doesn't lie." Players have to be able to hear the truth...
"Any player could walk in and tell me their truth...but I got to tell them my truth."
"We're player centric." (He thinks that's bad because it de-emphasizes the team.)
When you talk in generalization, players don't think it applies to them...but if you're specific, they may not want to hear it. "You always walk a fine line."
"You will never win if your best players don't have the right amount of stubbornness versus coachability."
"Get rid of the sandwich approach." (Need more honest, direct feedback)... thinks the Positive Coaching Alliance has some drawbacks. "Only give praise when it's deserved."
You don't get praise for showing up on time.
"The truth" is not meant to be positive or negative. "This will get us beat." (At our level, we had to stop pressing, couldn't contain the ball, and got lost in transition)
(CO) "Do you think I'm trying to sabotage you? How would that help us win?"
Steal some wins with better practice and playing better players more.
Players have to learn to absorb contact, hit the floor, be uncomfortable. "Develop strength to play through contact." But he is against early specialization, thinks it relates to injury. We don't want so much offseason practice/play that they can't play in the regular season.
He encourages players to play more than one sport in high school.
JVG doesn't like NBA Summer League. He'd rather have veterans (and drafted rookies) practicing for two weeks during the summer.
"We want to be the lightest, strongest, fastest we can be (and healthy). The weight room is critical to improvement."
"There are going to be clear, concise answers." FALSE. Injured, you sit. Tired, the coach has to make decisions.
Analytics? More information is better. Highly efficient championship players (e.g. Durant, Leonard) took and made mid-range shot. "Get your players to play their best when their best is needed." There is an art and science of coaching.
My top takeaways:
- "Wins are on the players. Many ways to win, but you need really good players."
- We didn't lose anything not playing one-on-zero."Five-on-five allows you to have a clear pecking order."
- "All of us should evaluate what we can do better."
- "Play your best players more (if winning is paramount)."
- "Learn how to play, make decisions...when to use the skill."
- "Players have to be able to hear the truth. Any player could walk in and tell me their truth...but I got to tell them my truth."
- "Only give praise when it's deserved."
- "The truth" is not meant to be positive or negative. "This will get us beat."
Lagniappe: from Zak Boisvert, many actions out of two player fronts with cuts off the post. Another way to attack man defense by moving defense away from the basket.
Lagniappe 2: The Dunning-Kruger Effect. "Know your limitations." Embrace humility.
