"Know your strengths." - Serena Williams
Pete Newell said that a coach's responsibility is to teach players to "see the game." Most young players just go out there. Without experience, they lack a "game plan" for individual and team success.
What's your success plan? As a team what's our pace and space strategy? As an individual, explain your 4 ways to score. Ask players to write them down. Be specific.
What's your edge? How will you wear down your cover? Physiologically, everyone can't have imposing athleticism and size. And neither guarantee skill, knowledge, and resilience.
“The person who makes opponents make mistakes is going to be more profitable in the end.” - Phil Ivey, WSOP champion
Develop skill. Have specific plans (examples).
- Finishing skills with a variety of layups (either hand, either foot or both, from either side of the basket)
- Basket attack off the catch
- Free throws (practice fatigued, work to finish with five consecutive swishes)
- One v one
- Three-pointers off the catch, off the side dribble, off the cut
Exploit defensive mistakes.
- Transition (numbers)
- Urgent cutting
- Screens and back cuts against overplay
- Opportunistic cutting (e.g. versus head turners)
- Scores off turnovers
When about a third of games are decided by two or fewer possessions, teach players the value of small edges.
Lagniappe. "Every day is player development day." Create edges.