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Saturday, July 12, 2025

Basketball- “Think Small”


"Think small." - Rob Reiner to Ebra in The Bear

Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink explains that one of his 'Teams' guys said, "Give me three things to know. I can't remember more than that." 

In baseball your swing or delivery can get too big. In basketball, a lot can get too big.

  • The drill book 
  • The playbook
  • Practice teaching
  • The number of video clips
  • Game plans/scouting reports 
  • Information conveyed in timeouts
  • Fundraising 
  • The working hours in a day
Think small. Some players are like the SEAL Team guy who can only handle so much information. Coach them up but be mindful of thinking small, essential details. When players can't handle the volume, we can get a "learning loss." The coach is ultimately responsible. 

Drill book. We can have 'everything' but can't use everything. If I could only have three:
  • Five versus seven (defense) full-court, no dribble. Pass and cut or fail.
  • Jay Wright's "Get 50" warm up. 
  • Small-sided game, 3 versus 3 inside the split. 
Playbook. There tends to be "creep" as the playbook expands. "Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." And "be good at what you do a lot."
  • Space, cut urgently, and pass on time and on target. We called the three-point line the 'spacing line'. 
  • Get paint touches and ball reversals. 
  • Use hard-to-defend actions. 
Practice teaching. Simplify. Tell 'em what you'll say, say it, tell 'em what you told 'em. Sacrifice. Selflessness. Quality shots. Take care of the basketball. Communication. Be specific. 

Video clips. Doc Rivers believes that 13 is the maximum. Anson Dorrance showed only positive clips to the UNC Women's Soccer team. 

Game plans. I'm old. Coach gave us six to eight mimeographed pages with the opponents personnel, offense, defense, and "keys to victory." The eight seniors had played together for six years. We could handle a lot having been through a lot. That's not the same for every team. 

Timeouts. Emphasize one or two key points. Looking in their eyes, do we see confidence or confusion?

Fundraising. I've covered this years ago. 

Hours in the day. Work-life balance is tough. Mastery? Never happens. If we want to be married or stay married, "figure it out." 

Lagniappe. Transition relies on the point guard. 
Lagniappe 2. Anson Dorrance re: Mia Hamm


It's not the time, it's the work. 

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Friday, July 11, 2025

Basketball - Not Just Kid Stuff, The Letter of the Day, "E"

Edison said inventors used imagination, persistence, and analogy. Coaches have those attributes, too. 


Today's message brought to you by the letter "E" as in Edison. 
  • Excellence
  • Exceptional 
  • Effectiveness
  • Efficiency
  • Enders, as in "Possession Enders"
Excellence. As children our grades read E, G, F, or P. E stood for excellence. Inside the UNC Women's Soccer locker room, a plaque reads "Excellence is our only agenda." Thousands of years ago, Aristotle supposedly said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Exceptional. Exceptional performance arises through overarching commitment to exceptional work. Our work won't always be exceptional but we owe ourselves that effort. "Always do your best." 

Effectiveness. Coaches and players become effective when they change their world. Gandhi's impact came from his philosophy, "Be the change." 

Efficiency. Don't put in the time, put in the work. Get more done in any given "unit of time," with higher tempo practice, naming every repeated drill, and sprinting between drills. Brad Stevens said that he learned by watching Belichick's Patriots practice. I saw what was possible watching Geno Auriemma's 2016 team practice. 

Enders. Possession enders get scores and stops. They assist or score, rebound, get blocks, steals, and deflections. They impact the game at both ends of the court. Opponents must account for their presence at all times. 

Lagniappe. Effectiveness. 
Lagniappe 2. Champions act like champions before they are. 

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Thursday, July 10, 2025

Basketball - Mouths to Feed

No matter how much talent there is in the room, there's one basketball. And most of the time, the talent wants to eat...more touches and more shots earn more recognition. 

In The Leadership Playbook, Jamie Bechler shares examples where star players didn't cry like baby birds with open mouths. In 2012, Kentucky stars Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist went 4th and 5th in team shots taken. And in 2016, unsung hero Tristan Thompson went plus 32 in Finals Game 6 against the Warriors with 15 points and 16 boards. LeBron, Kyrie, and Kevin Love were the biggest names, but Thompson got the Cavs to a winning Game 7. 

Once before a big state tournament game, I overheard a parent tell their child to make sure that the child got "your shots." I wasn't the coach or in any way essential to the process. There was nothing to say. It didn't go well as the team got outplayed and lost. Did that advice change anything? No. Coaches coach, officials ref, and parents - love your children, but don't coach. 

Understand the 'mouths to feed' principle. The best players should get more shots in their preferred spots. And this merits discussion with the team. The point guard should be aware of those dynamics. Remember the saying, "You often get what you deserve; or you may deserve what you get." 

Players unhappy with their "diet," can supplement it by cutting better and by offensive rebounding. As for the former, know "the screener is the second cutter" to also set up other chances. 

The big dogs gotta eat. 

Lagniappe. Coach Dags advises players to create and finish their edge.  

Lagniappe 2. "Great offense is multiple actions." Complex screening (staggers, screen-the-screen, Spain, elevators) creates problems for aggressive defenses. 


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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Basketball - Turf Battles

Everyone knows 'turf'; few want to discuss it. It's the "perceived ownership" of a domain. It's the local cops versus the FBI, Medicine versus Surgery, state versus federal. Some call it 'jurisdiction'. Others call it 'authority'. And every time, both sides believe it's theirs.  

How does "Turf" show up in basketball? 

I went to have a conversation with a local coach and addressed the coach by name. The immediate reply, "You will address me as 'Coach'." End of conversation. The intent was to sell "power" by position. I was neither selling nor buying. Sport is meritocracy until it isn't. 

In "The Politics of Coaching," Carl Pierson describes situations where parents tried to 'protect' their children by marginalizing opportunities for younger players in workouts or Summer Leagues. That's 'Turf'.

A couple of years ago, the state High School Administrative Organization determined that a school had circumvented or violated athlete participation rules. Rather than punish individuals, they gave the school the proverbial "Death Penalty" and banned all teams from postseason play for a year. They also stated that they don't keep written notes of meetings so no paper trail existed. That's another form of turf battle. 

It happens in the pros, too. After Tristan Casas was injured and Alex Bregman had replaced Rafael Devers at third, moving Devers to DH, the Red Sox asked Devers to try first base. He declined. The team shipped Devers and his $250M contract out for what baseball experts considered a mediocre return. While in some sports, stars dictate personnel decisions, the turf battle ended with "He who has the gold makes the rules." 

Years ago Coach Bill Parcells left the Patriots during a dispute with ownership about control of personnel decisions. Parcells said, "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."

Let's step aside for an AI consult, via ChatGPT:

Prompt: Thank you for your input. "Turf battles" show up in many domains, including basketball. Please elaborate and share examples.
ChatGPT said:

You're absolutely right—turf battles aren’t limited to boardrooms or bureaucracies. They show up vividly in sports, especially basketball, where roles, recognition, and responsibilities are often contested. Turf battles arise when individuals or groups fight to protect or expand their control, status, or influence—often at the expense of collaboration or team goals.

What Turf Battles Look Like in Basketball

1. Player vs. Player: Role and Touches

  • Scenario: Two star players both want to be “the guy.” One wants more plays called for him, the other wants to bring the ball up and initiate.

  • Example: Think of the early clashes between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the Lakers. Both wanted to be the alpha. Their turf battle was about control of the offense and recognition as the team's leader.

2. Coach vs. Player: Control of the Game

  • Scenario: A talented point guard ignores the coach’s play call to freelance. The coach sees it as insubordination; the player sees it as trusting instincts.

  • Example: Allen Iverson's friction with coaches often came down to autonomy—he wanted the freedom to play his game, while coaches wanted structure.

3. Assistant Coaches vs. Head Coach: Philosophical Differences

  • Scenario: An assistant believes the team should press or run zone more, but the head coach resists change. The assistant pushes players behind the scenes, creating factions.

  • Example: This is less visible in the public but happens frequently in college programs or pro staffs where assistants are eyeing promotions.

4. Parents vs. Coach: Playing Time and Roles

  • Scenario: A parent believes their child should be starting or getting more shots and tries to influence the coach—or worse, stirs discontent among other parents.

  • Example: High school programs see this often. Parents politic for positions or organize around perceived slights.

5. Athletic Director vs. Coach: Program Vision

  • Scenario: The coach wants to rebuild with younger players, but the AD pressures them to win now to please boosters or justify the budget.

  • Example: In college or prep settings, these turf battles may force premature roster moves or lead to firings.

Consequences of Turf Battles

  • Erosion of trust: Players stop believing in coaches or teammates.

  • Fragmented team culture: “Us vs. them” mentalities form inside the locker room.

  • Stalled development: Younger players are caught in the crossfire or discouraged.

  • Underperformance: Even with talent, dysfunction kills cohesion and execution.

Strategies to Reduce Turf Battles

  • Clearly defined roles: When expectations are transparent, there's less ambiguity and friction.

  • Regular communication: Addressing concerns before they fester prevents camps from forming.

  • Shared goals and values: Reinforce team-first culture over individual agendas.

  • Ego management: Celebrate humility and reward unselfishness publicly.

Turf battles are natural in competitive environments—but unmanaged, they rot teams from the inside. Great leaders—on the court and off—spot them early and root them out through clarity, connection, and accountability.

Lagniappe. There's a lot to digest. Five-out (50, Spread, Open) offenses achieve spacing allowing for opportunities for driving, player and ball movement, drive and dish, and ball reversals that challenge defenses. 

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Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Core Principles of Basketball Player Development

Nobody can summarize player development, a process that takes years, in a brief article. Sharing ideas is possible.

1) Match enthusiastic instructors to eager learners for a chance at exceptional results. At elite levels think Chris Brickley and LeBron, Drew Hanlen and Jason Tatum, Tim S. Grover and Kobe. 

2) "Make the big time where you are." Don't have an air conditioned, indoor facility or expensive equipment? Use what you have. 

3) Seek to develop "three-level" finishers. I'm not saying that 5'9" guys should have a post game. They do need to finish off one or two feet, with either hand from either side. 

4) "Repetitions make reputations" and "the magic is in the work." Make training realistic, under fatiguing conditions, with defense and decision-making part of the process. Add constraints of time, space, hand and footwork requirements. 

5) Process > results and better process translates to better results. My daughters got to be top 30 in MA with Old Me (not so great) supplementing quality coaching from Shawanda Brown and others. Cecilia Kay (now at St. Joseph's) and Samantha Dewey (Richmond) became top five players in Massachusetts with better "Old Man" coaching during middle school development. 

6) Study the game. Player development blends the mental and the physical. Because Bob Knight's principle of "the mental to the physical" is four to one, teach players to "see the game" with teaching clips and teaching video. "Get in your notebook." 

7) "Basketball is a game of separation." Teach players to separate with and without the ball, setting up cuts, changing pace and direction, using screens and savvy (see "head turners"). Sometimes player development means extra physical effort and sometimes it's more mental. 

8) Sport rewards athletic explosion. Learn or find training in strength, quickness, and conditioning. Jump rope is an inexpensive tool.

9) Be open to advanced thinking. Chris Oliver and Brian McCormick are just two player development experts emphasizing random over block training. What "time-honored" drills or 'core practices' have become outdated? 

10) "Take care of the kid." Herb Welling shared a great point. When a coach gets the privilege of helping the "special player," then you have to take care of her. Help her become a "possession ender" who gets scores and stops. There's no "two-way player." Every player contributes, or doesn't as part of the whole on both ends. 

There's much more, expecting excellence at home and in the classroom and teaching leadership. That's a joyful burden on the coach, until the player moves on to others who can take her further. 

Player development goals:

  • See (the game)
  • Process 
  • Decide (make the best choice)
  • Act 
The analogy is Colonel John Body's OODA Loop process. 

  • Observe: Gain situational awareness via all your senses
  • Orient: Contextualize what you observe based on everything you know
  • Decide: Formulate the optimal course of action
  • Act: Execute on your decision without delay

Lagniappe. Diagnostics. Players don't come with a "Check Engine" light. Relationships allow us to get candor from players, up to a point. Get another opinion on what's going on. There's a story about a player who was consider selfish, looking to score above all else. When coaches and teammates challenged her, she broke down in tears saying that her father wouldn't talk to her if she didn't score. 

Lagniappe 2. We can't use everything but we can find something. NBA BOBs. 

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Monday, July 7, 2025

Basketball - Greatest Day


"Today this could be the greatest day of our lives." Imagine the possibility.

Don't dismiss today. We look back fondly on great days of the past and toward the future.

Do we have a winning "morning routine?" Own our happiness. 

Consider advice from Tim Ferriss via ChatGPT: 

Tim Ferriss has spoken and written extensively about morning routines, especially in Tools of Titans and his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. While he doesn't believe there's a one-size-fits-all routine, he emphasizes that successful people often start their day deliberately. Here are the main elements he recommends or practices himself:

1. Make Your Bed

  • Why: A small win to begin the day. Ferriss picked this up from Admiral William McRaven, who said it sets a tone of discipline and accomplishment.

  • Benefit: Momentum and a visual reminder that little things matter.

2. Meditate (10–20 minutes)

  • Tools: Transcendental Meditation, or guided apps like Headspace or Waking Up.

  • Why: Clears mental clutter and sets a calm tone for the day.

  • Quote: “If you don’t have 10 minutes to meditate, you need an hour.”

3. Exercise or Movement

  • What: Even just 5–10 minutes—can be pushups, kettlebells, or a walk.

  • Why: Triggers endorphins and gets blood flowing. Enhances clarity and energy.

4. Journal

  • Options: He often uses the 5-Minute Journal or Morning Pages (from Julia Cameron).

  • Purpose: Gratitude, setting priorities, and identifying potential obstacles.

  • Why: It clears the mind and aligns focus with values.

5. Have Tea or Coffee

  • Often includes: Green tea or strong coffee with coconut oil or butter (inspired by Bulletproof Coffee).

  • Purpose: A mindful ritual, not just caffeine intake.

6. Read or Reflect

  • Ferriss often reads a few pages of Stoic philosophy (The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, or Letters from a Stoic by Seneca).

  • Why: Centers his thinking on enduring principles instead of reactive emotion.

Notes from Ferriss:

  • Consistency > Duration: You don’t need 2 hours. Just 1–2 of these practices done regularly make a difference.

  • "Win the morning, win the day." Ferriss often quotes this as a core belief. Controlling your morning reduces decision fatigue and emotional reactivity later.

 For the basketball devotee, that could certainly include:

1) Exercise and/or stretching 

2) Reading (Kevin Eastman's lifelong two-hour commitment is admirable) - what book(s) are you reading now? I recently borrowed (online via Hoopla) Jamie Bechler's "Leadership Playbook" - exceptional.

3) Mindfulness (a quick body scan has benefits)

4) Video study (even studying a topic for five minutes has merit)

5) Journaling (you are here). 

Lagniappe. Short video study...slipping ball screens opens up basket cuts, short roll passing, and drives. 

Lagniappe 2. A quick exercise in mindfulness: 

Almost every great athlete (professional or Olympian) has a mindfulness practice. Why not you? 

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Sunday, July 6, 2025

Clear on Copying

“What aspect of your work is hardest to copy? How can you amplify it?” - James Clear, weekly newsletter

Anybody can share their vision and beliefs online. Doing so responsibly, consistently, and well is another matter. 

1. "Grading our work" is never free from bias. Endowment bias tells us that what is ours (family, ideas, beliefs) has value beyond the opinion of other observers. The same applies for coaching. Asking "am I a good coach" is the wrong question. "How can I be a better coach?" 

2. Writers expose ourselves to legitimate criticism of what Salman Rushdie calls our creative and critical imagination. Author Dan Brown (The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons) says that "the difference between good writers and bad writers is that good writers know when they're bad." As coaches, recognize when we're better or worse. 

3. Authors can mislead readers, misrepresenting others' ideas or outright plagiarizing other work. I favor transparency in coaching so that outsiders can see our process and make direct observations. 

4. Coaching, playing, and writing share a common theme, all benefit from good editing. Author Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale) suggests that there is value to letting our work sit and then coming back to it. Coaches have limited practice and teaching time. Revise or eliminate what isn't working. 

5. How should we use Artificial Intelligence in our work? Machines often replaced human labor and have the potential to replace cognitive work. Use AI every day. 

6. When using AI editing, when do "our work" and "our ideas" no longer become ours? Basketball is open source. Get more edges. 

7. Entrepreneur Sara Blakely says, "Obsess the product." Exceeding 4,000 posts written over a decade, there's plenty of obsession going on. 

8. Delulu. Nobody sane would produce the product I do. The backstory is the personal benefit of extensive reading and cognitive stimulation of the work. 

Writing brings ideas to life. 

Lagniappe. We activate our brain different with analog and digital tools. Steal this idea from Austin Kleon in "Steal Like an Artist." 

"Try it: If you have the space, set up two workstations, one analog and one digital. For your analog station, keep out anything electronic. Take $10, go to the school supply aisle of your local store, and pick up some paper, pens, and sticky notes."

Lagniappe 2. The Duke star was an early lottery pick. 
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Saturday, July 5, 2025

Basketball Non-negotiables

We live in a dos and don'ts universe. "Do this, don't do that." Find something to steal. 

Non-negotiables aren't just for players. Think about it.

  • Inspire. Lift people up. 
  • Be positive. "You cannot make a positive life with a negative attitude."
  • Bring energy. Practice with a dead fish, play like one.
  • Be prepared. Asking players to be prepared if we're not...
  • Simplify. You can "have everything." Nobody can use everything. We've all been guilty. 
  • "Never be a child's last coach." 
Non-negotiables for players
  • Punctuality. Be on time, stretched out, mentally engaged. 
  • Listen. Be an elephant (big ears).
  • Know your job. How can you expect to play if you don't know what to do?
  • Be detail-oriented.
  • Decisions define destiny - shots, turnovers, defense.
  • Challenge shots without fouling. 
  • Be coachable

Points to ponder...

  • Kindness matters. 
  • Empathy means trying to understand how the other person feels.
  • Think "what does our team need now?"
  • Ask "how can I help?"
Lagniappe. From Jamie Bechler's "The Leadership Playbook":
"During the 2015-16 season, Kwahi Leonard shot 44.3% from the three-point arc.  Only J.J. Redick and Steph Curry shot better.  Considering that Leonard was First-Team All-NBA, that hardly seemed strange.  However, a few years earlier he had been a very poor shooter.  I his two years at San Diego State University, he shot 20.5% and 29.1% from the three-point arc.  It is a testament to Leonard's coachability and work ethic that we was willing to honestly evaluate his game and his goals."

Lagniappe 2. If it doesn't matter, cut it out. 

Popularity isn't synonymous with quality. But "social proof" (readers) does mean something. Yesterday, the blog had almost 8,000 visitors. 


 

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Friday, July 4, 2025

Develop Our Own Basketball "Flash Cards"

Developing "Athlete Mindset Cards" is an alternative to buying commercially available ones. The quality of those available appears intriguing. 

Disadvantages: 

  • Time and energy expended
  • Not "off the shelf"

Advantages: 

  • Inexpensive
  • Immediately available for distribution
  • Enduring and modifiable with time
  • Customized to our philosophy
  • Solicit team input "this is who we are"
  • Easily distributed to players (e.g. email)
  • "This is the way." Everyone gets on the same page. 
  • Can specify for basketball or generalized domains

TOUGHNESS

Core values of TEAMWORK, IMPROVEMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY

Seamless with PSYCHOLOGY of RESILIENCE, ATHLETICISM

"THRIVE UNDER PRESSURE"

Transformational and transmitted from veteran to young players

"SHARED TEAM OWNERSHIP"

A "FORCE MULTIPLIER" that makes everyone better

"Real" not "Fake toughness" of trash talk and stare downs 

AVAILABLE philosophy "In the Moment" 


Lagniappe. Shooting drill. 

Lagniappe 2. A young player who gets it. Success begins inside each of us as we fight the daily battles.  Quote from Hugo Gonzalez, Celtics draft choice in The Boston Globe... “Playing for Real Madrid Academy since I was 10, it was almost like playing for a team that winning was a must every year for every title,” he said. “So I’m pretty used to team success. It’s the first and the main thing for the whole season. It’s nothing that I need to learn. It’s something that I already have in my DNA. So I think that’s going to help a franchise like the Celtics too and I hope that it does.”

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Thursday, July 3, 2025

Core "Head Game" Concepts and Using AI to Strengthen Our Coaching

View on Threads

Coaches set expectations. Great teams win with their heads. As Sun Tzu said, "Every battle is won before it is fought." 

Players decide whether and how to follow team philosophy. If a player chooses "to do her own thing," it often ends poorly. If players follow the script, the process, better results usually happen.

  • Team first.
  • Prioritize good decisions on and off the court.
  • Always be coachable. As Coach Saban says, "Life is difficult."
  • Be a great teammate.
  • "Hard work is a skill." Strive to be the hardest worker.
  • "The game honors toughness." 

Live specifics. Coaching is a cognitive skill. People complete cognitive and physical tasks. During the Industrial Revolution, labor-saving devices (machines, the assembly line) assumed some physical work. In the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it's likely that AI will assume many cognitive tasks across a broad spectrum of industries. 

If AI makes better lending decisions than bankers or legal machinations than lawyers, job losses will happen. AI is making inroads in pathology and radiology and surely replace some physician tasks. Are we so arrogant to believe that AI can't improve player development, game planning, maybe even roster construction? Coaching intuition follows neurochemical signals. Who is to say that 'wearable devices' won't detect a coach's heart rates, sweating, and pupillary dilation and signal the coach to take a timeout for substitution or strategy change? 

Why not input prompts to AI and ask for advice? I have the most up to date information from Claude.ai. 

Prompt: "Jason Tatum will miss most or all of the next season for the Celtics. Getting below the 'second apron' of the salary structure will allow the Celtics roster and trade flexibility, in addition to saving new ownership money. In view of their talent losses (Tatum, Holiday, Porzingis, Kornet, Horford) please make suggestions for next season."

Jason Tatum will miss most or all of the next season for the Celtics. Getting below the 'second apron' of the salary structure will allow the Celtics roster and trade flexibility, in addition to saving new ownership money. In view of their talent losses (Tatum, Holiday, Porzingis, Kornet, Horford) please make suggestions for next season.

I need to search for current information about Jason Tatum and the Celtics' situation, as this doesn't align with what I know about recent developments.

Now let me search for more specific information about the Celtics' salary cap situation and roster moves:

Thank you for the update. You're right that Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles injury during the playoffs and is expected to miss most or all of the 2025-26 season NESNCBS News. Given the Celtics' salary cap constraints and the significant roster changes you've mentioned, here are some strategic suggestions for next season:

Immediate Priorities:

  1. Maximize Jaylen Brown's Role - With Tatum out, Brown becomes the clear focal point. Build the offense around him and give him the green light to be the primary scorer and playmaker.
  2. Develop Internal Options - Players like Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and recent draft picks (Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh) will need to step up significantly. This could actually accelerate their development.
  3. Target Value Veterans - With limited cap space, focus on experienced players willing to take minimum contracts or the taxpayer MLE who can provide leadership and specific skills.

Strategic Roster Moves:

  1. Point Guard Upgrade - If Holiday is indeed gone, acquiring a veteran point guard should be the top priority. Someone who can distribute, defend, and handle increased responsibilities.
  2. Frontcourt Depth - With Porzingis, Kornet, and Horford potentially gone, you'll need multiple big men. Look for rim protection and rebounding on affordable contracts.
  3. 3-Point Shooting - Replace the shooting lost from departed players. Target specialists who can space the floor around Brown.
  4. Defensive Wing - Find a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and complement Brown.

Realistic Expectations:

This could be a rebuilding/retooling year rather than a championship push. Focus on:

  • Developing young talent
  • Maintaining competitive basketball
  • Building chemistry for when Tatum returns
  • Staying flexible for future moves

The silver lining is that getting below the second apron provides much-needed roster flexibility and could set up a stronger core for Tatum's return in 2026-27.

During the 2024-2025 season playoffs, OKC took 35 three-point shots/game and made 33.8%. The prior season playoffs, the Celtics averaged 40 threes/game and shot 36%. The conventional wisdom that the three-point revolution would determine the champion proved decidedly wrong in this small sample size. 

Coaches who remain curious, open, and flexible have unlimited opportunity to prosper incorporating AI into their systems. 

Lagniappe. Please analyze some of my coaching philosopy based on this excerpt:

"Coaches set expectations. Great teams win with their heads. As Sun Tzu said, "Every battle is won before it is fought." 

Players decide whether and how to follow team philosophy. If a player chooses "to do her own thing," it often ends poorly. If players follow the script, the process, better results usually happen.

  • Team first.
  • Prioritize good decisions on and off the court.
  • Always be coachable. As Coach Saban says, "Life is difficult."
  • Be a great teammate.
  • "Hard work is a skill." Strive to be the hardest worker.
  • "The game honors toughness." 
Via ChatGPT: 

Your coaching philosophy excerpt offers a blend of clarity, discipline, and purpose. Here's an analysis organized by tone, clarity, consistency, and underlying values—plus a few suggestions to strengthen it even more.

🔍 Strengths in Your Philosophy

1. Strategic Intelligence (Head over Emotion):

“Great teams win with their heads.”
“Every battle is won before it is fought.”
This highlights preparation and smart decision-making. Referencing Sun Tzu and framing sports as mental warfare elevates the intellectual demands of the game. It pushes athletes to see themselves not just as competitors, but as thinkers and planners.

2. Accountability with Autonomy:

“Players decide whether and how to follow team philosophy.”
This is honest and empowering. You acknowledge that athletes have agency—but that choices come with consequences. This balance of freedom and accountability mirrors adult life and high-performance culture.

3. Culture of Discipline and Team Orientation:

“Team first.”
“Be a great teammate.”
These reinforce the non-negotiable foundation of group success: trust, support, and selflessness. It communicates that no matter how talented, nobody is above the collective.

4. Work Ethic and Coachability as Cornerstones:

“Hard work is a skill.”
“Always be coachable. As Coach Saban says, ‘Life is difficult.’”
You elevate effort and humility into teachable, repeatable habits. This lines up with research on growth mindset and elite performance culture.

🧭 Values Reflected

  • Discipline over drama

  • Effort over entitlement

  • Cognition over chaos

  • Team over individual

It’s a philosophy that says: “We win because we’re smart, tough, and united—not just athletic.”

⚠️ A Few Areas to Consider for Refinement

1. Clarify the “script/process” concept.

“If players follow the script, the process, better results usually happen.”
What exactly is “the script”? Offensive schemes? Team norms? Behavioral expectations?
Suggestion: Briefly define what you mean, e.g., “If players buy into the team’s shared habits—like communication, spacing, and shot selection—good outcomes follow.”

2. Connect Saban’s quote more directly.

“Always be coachable. As Coach Saban says, ‘Life is difficult.’”
The leap from “be coachable” to “life is difficult” is a bit abrupt.
Suggestion: Bridge the gap. For example:
“Always be coachable. As Coach Saban says, ‘Life is difficult’—and those who adapt, learn, and respond to challenge are the ones who succeed.”

3. Slightly refine tone around defiance.

“If a player chooses ‘to do her own thing,’ it often ends poorly.”
This is true, but could be read as punitive or closed-off.
Suggestion: “When players stray from team values, the result is often struggle or disconnection—because team success relies on shared habits.”

✅ What You’re Doing Well (and Should Keep Doing)

  • Referencing thinkers like Sun Tzu and Nick Saban brings timeless wisdom into the gym.

  • Grounding your philosophy in character and cognition gives players tools for both sport and life.

  • Your tone is firm but principled—there’s a moral compass here without ego.

Final Thought:

Your excerpt presents a battle-tested, thoughtful coaching philosophy. It’s focused more on principles than gimmicks, more on preparation than hype. That builds trust and performance.





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