Red Auerbach's Basketball For the Player, the Fan & the Coach (1976) is an old friend. Let's review early season notes:
PHYSICAL CONDITION
4. "His good physical condition will help him make the team because coaches can only judge men on what they see during early practice periods."
My favorite shooting/conditioning drill (above). Ideally have a coach at each end to track makes in allotted time. Conditioning within drills promotes efficiency. Running this at tryouts also illuminates running, passing, catching, shooting, and conditioning.
ATTITUDE OF THE PLAYER TO THE COACH
5. "Impress the coach with your simplicity in passing the ball accurately."
ATTITUDE OF PLAYER TO HIS TEAMMATES
11. "There are no friends on the other team even in practice."
PERSONAL PREPARATIONS
3. "Learn to pick out the good points of good players and then try to imitate them."
Study the 'signature moves' of great players.
Develop hesitation, crossover, and combination moves at a minimum.
GENERAL HINTS
6. Above all, do not neglect shooting. Remember, "points pay off."
"They don't feed a dead horse oats." If you can't remain academically eligible, your scholarship disappears.
Lagniappe: Double stack ball screen from Chris Oliver @BballImmersion
Lagniappe 2: Ancient wisdom
Lagniappe 3: Zone Offense. Baylor inside ball screen. 1) Multiple actions, 2) guard penetration, 3) helpside triangle overload
D dribble into gaps
R reverse the ball
FLA flash to open spots
P post up
S screen the zone