"You own your paycheck." - Kevin Eastman
Economics studies the allocation of limited resources. Early societies used barter, trading goods and services...my fish for your vegetables. But small groups (communities of 150 or so) couldn't develop specialists. And if they could, how could specialists exchange with each other? That fostered the development of units of exchange, money.
The more we understand economics, the better our coaching.
Concepts: What does that have to do with basketball? The best known coach with a degree in Economics is Bill Belichick. Brad Stevens is another. As coaches, we fight for more and better resources, the better gymnasium, equipment, practice time, uniforms, scheduling. 1 Our universal currency is minutes. Chuck Daly's quote is famous, "every player wants 48, 48 minutes, 48 shots, and 48 million." Minutes are the precursor to role and money. Control of minutes is power.
What is the most sensitive nerve in the body? The money nerve... touch it and everyone jumps.
Coaches "assign" minutes and roles. "Are you ready to do that?" 2 Minutes breed conflict. Everyone is unhappy with lesser roles.
Coaches allocate roles, furthering conflict. Shots are not a democracy but a commodity. Everyone doesn't get the same number of bullets. Bob Knight's scarcity comment lives forever, 3 "just because I want you on the floor doesn't mean I want you to shoot."
Our job won't make everyone happy. Economics force us to make choices. My high school coach, Sonny Lane, is in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. During his third season, Coach cut a politician's son. The pol made it his mission to find reasons to fire him. A thirteen game winning streak and sectional title derailed that mission. The rest is history including two nominations as National High School Coach of the Year.
Drill: "Three passes, everyone shoots."
Play: What comes to mind first when you think "staggered screens?" Iverson actions? BOB with staggers to a corner three?
I think about Horns with multiple options including isolation, cuts, and perimeter shooting.
Lagniappe: from Chris Oliver, Staggered Screens and More
