Basketball Friday: Lessons from Sacrifice to Small Sided Training and More

Basketball Friday examines concepts, a drill, and a set play.

Most coaches have an introductory meeting, a give-and-take session to share ideas with players and the extended basketball family.

A parent asked the coach, "what's your basketball philosophy?" and he answered, "I don't have one." The parent lamented, "I knew we'd have trouble." 

Coaches bring their ethos, philosophy, and culture, the foundation of the team's future identity. In MacArthur's epic speech at West Point, his message to graduates was clear, "duty, honor, country." Is our philosophy as clear? 

Coach Sonny Lane made it clear, success means sacrifice. In three seasons, he took the team from perennial cellar dwellers to a 21-4 sectional champion in a league that the year prior spawned two NBA first round choices (Ron Lee, Bob Bigelow). 

Jay Bilas's Toughness mandates include, "It's not your shot, it's our shot" linking the success of the team with accountable individuals. 

The optimal philosophy doesn't exist. We preach, "teamwork, improvement, accountability" in a developmental program. 

Drill. Small-sided setups teach decision-making and finishing. As in chess, "set up the board" and see how the pieces move. 

Constraint play on one side of the split with four options. 

Alabama 'corner drive' with reads against the closeout. 

Set Play. Early offense is a challenge for many young teams. "Pistol Get" action opens the floor for multiple options. 

Lagniappe. Jerry West's advice to John Beilein was to "be yourself." Sometimes good advice can still blow up on us. 

Lagniappe 2. "Every day is player development day." If we can't recruit, build better players. Better players beat better plays. 

Lagniappe 3. Attend to the details... as Bill Belichick does. "He focuses, with insane precision, on routine moments where a tiny individual improvement — better technique, better timing, better awareness — boosted the team’s performance." Hat tip: Brook Kohlheim

Lagniappe 4. "Failure can make you stronger" and other lessons from a Navy SEAL, Admiral William McRaven.