Excerpts from Neil DeGrasse Tyson MasterClass lesson 9
Every coach has pet phrases and cliches of varying effectiveness and content. "Pass the ball" reduces to "Pass." Players must know the what, the when, the how, and the why.
Share cliches and specifics that translate to the player.
Play hard.
- Beat your man to half court in defensive transition
- Sprint to screen
- Attack the rim explosively
Play together.
- Communicate
- Be a willing passer
- Help and recover. "The help can never get beat."
Play smart.
- Make the right play for the situation.
- Reduce fouling, "show your hands"
- Quality shots. There is no "my turn"
Do unrequired work.
- "Do five more."
- Study film every day.
- Have an elite warmup.
Summary:
- Teach in specifics. Players do not know what you know.
- "The devil is in the details."
- Get feedback on what the concept means to the player.
- Give feedback on whether effort and execution meet expectations.
- Have a winning routine of unrequired work.
Lagniappe. Pump up. If you want to be the "Top Gun" you have to bring it.
Lagniappe 2. Coach Hanlen explains the how and why of separation.
Tyson reminder, "It's not good enough to be right. You have to be effective."
Good enough is never great.