Monday, October 18, 2021

Basketball: Fast Five, From Daly to Daily, Getting Trust, A Return on Investment

"I'm a salesman." - Chuck Daly (two-time NBA champion coach)


Chuck Daly recap from Naismith Memoral Basketball Hall of Fame Page

As a player, turn Daly's observation around, "You are a salesman." You sell yourself as you seek minutes, role, and recognition. Those elements build trust. 

Maybe you're hesitant. Astronaut Chris Hadfield says, "the best antidote for fear is competence."

What's your plan for competence to earn the coach's trust to earn minutes in crunch time? Coaches want players who play smart, decisively, and take care of the ball. Players don't always know our expectations. 

Develop the qualities of productive players.

1. Physical preparation. 

  • Athletic training
  • Proper Nutrition
  • Adequate Rest (Lebron James gets up to 12 hours/day)
2. Skill 
  • Make plays (offensive possession enders - scoring, assists, rebounding, screen to scoring)
  • Make players around you better
  • Be capable of defending individually and within team concept
Example: the player knows strengths and weaknesses, understands how to reinforce or mitigate them, and works to do so. 

3. Mental
  • Game understanding (requires some film study, "The Truth Machine")
  • System understanding (what is the coaching staff's plan?)
  • Decision-making (the right play at the right time)
Example: the team leads by eight with a minute left and the ball sideline out of bounds with a full shot clock (30 seconds). The ball is passed in an a player misses a 22 footer five seconds later. That's unacceptable. 

4. Character
  • "Character is job one." - Etorre Messina
  • Academics. "There is no ability without eligibility." 
  • The player represents the organization honorably. 
"The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

5. Intangibles
  • Commitment to improvement (team and individual)
  • Unselfishness (decisions made in the interest of the team)
  • Good teammate (at worst, no distraction)
From the first moment we meet someone, we form impressions. It cuts both ways as players judge us. 



Successful programs have an ethos, a standard for "this is who we are" and "this is how we roll" here. Individual agendas can never transcend what is good for the team. That made military life 'easy' as decisions always weighed upon what was good for the organization. Naval Military Personnel Command (NMPC) carried the nickname "No More Personal Care."

"Coach didn't give me a chance." You earn opportunity with punctuality, preparedness, enthusiasm, engagement, communication, and performance. Bill Parcells said, "coaches are the most selfish people. We want people on the field who make us look good." 

Lagniappe. Ball movement distorts the zone. 



Lagniappe 2. "Great offense is multiple actions." 
Space the floor. High ball screen. Drive, back cut, pass, pass again, and score. 

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