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Friday, January 31, 2025

Basketball - Who's on Your Success Team?

"If you lie down with dogs, you get fleas."

Surround ourselves with people who encourage and support us. 

Jack Canfield wrote "The Success Principles." Here are some highlights via Blinkist:

  • "You are responsible for the course of your life." (habits and choices)
  • "Find your purpose in life." Set goals with specifics behind them.
  • Use affirmations and visualization. "I will do this" or "I will enjoy watching former students and players succeeding."
  • "Persist." Develop a portfolio of persistence stories - e.g. Stephen King 
  • "Do it, delegate it, delay it, or dump it." Choose our paths.
  • "Be positive." Stop judging. 
  • "Build a support team of successful people." That includes mentors.
  • "Support others and they will support you in return."
  • "Wealth is more than financial assets." 

Coach John Calipari has a "Personal Board of Directors," trusted allies with whom he meets several times a year to discuss direction and future.

Develop a roster of confidants to supplement our skills with other experience and perspective. They could emerge from the coaching ranks, friends or family, or well-regarded colleagues. One of the big transitions in leaving the Navy was losing readily available, experienced physicians.

Dr. Atul Gawande wrote a terrific piece, "The Coach in the Operating Room," discussing the value of professional oversight.

Having a high degree of confidence is not the same as either superior skill or a breadth of perspective. Know the expression, "not always right but never in doubt." 

Be grateful to advisors and employees. "In a study of some 200 companies  employees rated appreciation as the number one motivator."

In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant describes styles including givers, matchers, and takers. We all know people fitting those styles. Those who did best were what Grant called, "Ambitious givers." Being part of another's "success team" can earn both personal and professional satisfaction. 

Lagniappe. Encourage growth. 

Lagniappe 2. Being coachable is a skill.  

Lagniappe 3. Attack from the get-go.  

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Does Basketball Need Rules Changes?

The NBA is always looking for ways to enhance the game, increase competitiveness, and improve player safety. Here are some potential future rule changes that could be considered:

1. **Four-Point Line**: As players become more skilled at shooting from long range, the NBA might introduce a four-point line to reward exceptionally deep shots and further stretch defenses.

2. **Adjustments to the Three-Point Line**: The league could move the three-point line back to reduce the emphasis on three-point shooting and encourage more mid-range and inside play.

3. **Shot Clock Reset Rules**: The NBA might tweak the shot clock reset rules after offensive rebounds to speed up the game. For example, instead of resetting to 14 seconds, it could reset to a shorter time.

4. **Flopping Penalties**: To discourage flopping, the league could enforce stricter penalties, such as technical fouls or fines, for players who exaggerate contact to deceive referees.

5. **Challenge System Expansion**: Coaches might be given additional challenges or the ability to challenge more types of calls, such as fouls or out-of-bounds decisions, to improve game accuracy.

6. **In-Game Penalties for Fouling Out**: Instead of ejecting players after six fouls, the NBA could introduce in-game penalties, such as limiting the player’s minutes or forcing them to sit for a specific period.

7. **Shortened Games**: To reduce player fatigue and injury risk, the NBA might consider shortening games from 48 minutes to 40 or 44 minutes, though this would be controversial.

8. **Play-In Tournament Adjustments**: The play-in tournament could be expanded or modified to include more teams or different formats, further increasing late-season excitement.

9. **Draft Lottery Reform**: To discourage tanking, the NBA might adjust the draft lottery odds or introduce new rules to reward competitive teams that narrowly miss the playoffs.

10. **Player Rest Rules**: To address load management, the league could implement stricter rules about resting healthy players, especially for nationally televised games.

11. **Goaltending Rules**: The NBA might revisit goaltending rules, particularly on defense, to allow players more freedom to block shots without being penalized.

12. **Technology Integration**: The league could expand the use of technology, such as AI-assisted officiating or real-time tracking, to improve decision-making and reduce human error.

13. **Elimination of the "Take Foul"**: The NBA might penalize transition take fouls more severely to encourage fast breaks and more exciting play.

14. **Roster Size Changes**: The league could increase roster sizes or allow for more active players on game days to account for the physical demands of the season.

15. **International Rule Adaptations**: The NBA might adopt some international rules, such as a wider lane or different foul limits, to align more closely with global basketball standards.

These potential changes would aim to balance entertainment, fairness, and player health while keeping the game dynamic and engaging for fans.

What's the hitch? 

1) DeepSeek, the new free AI tool wrote the above piece in response to prompts I set. 

2) Be open to new technology and new ideas. 

3) Don't trust everything we see or hear as being original. 

Lagniappe. Learn across domains. 

Lagniappe 2. Playing harder for longer means playing the game possession by possession. Young players struggle with that. 

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) January 27, 2025 

Lagniappe 3. Are we fully emotionally engaged and under control? 



 

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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Basketball.- Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley and others like Pete Maravich violated my Celtics fan code growing up. I couldn't root against them.

John McPhee profiled Bradley in A Sense of Where You Are. Princeton had a magical run to the Final Four in 1965, led by Bradley, a banker's son. Most superstars don't come from that side of the tracks.

What comes to mind when I think of Bradley? 

  • College and NBA star, NBA Champion with the New York Knicks
  • Rhodes Scholar
  • Senator from New Jersey
  • Disciplined work ethic from age 12 pursuing his basketball dream
  • Integrity
  • Final Four single game scoring record (58 points) in the long-departed consolation game
  • Hall of Famer
Bill Bradley shooting drill (a.k.a. Beat the Pro)
  • Compete against the 'imaginary' pro
  • Easy - Game to 11, shooter hoops count 1, misses add 3 for "Bill" - to win you have to make at least 11/14
  • Hard - Game to 15, shooter hoops count 1 misses add 1 for "Bill"


Some quotes from "A Sense of Where You Are" by John McPhee, via ChatGPT

Bill Bradley’s journey and discipline are captured so vividly in A Sense of Where You Are by John McPhee. Here are some memorable quotes from the book that highlight his focus, work ethic, and character:

  1. On Bradley’s unparalleled dedication:

    “You could lock him in a gym for twenty-four hours, and he would come out the next day better than he was when he went in.”

  2. On his ability to elevate his play under pressure:

    “Bradley doesn’t merely get by when the pressure is on. The greater the pressure, the better he plays.”

  3. On his intellectual and physical synchronization:

    “He was as quick mentally as he was physically, and he played basketball with both a natural grace and the rigor of a scholar.”

  4. On Bradley’s precise practice routines:

    “Bradley divided the court into precise segments and practiced from each, over and over, until his shots seemed as inevitable as gravity.”

  5. On his sense of humility:

    “There was a modesty about him that had nothing to do with self-effacement and everything to do with self-respect.”

  6. On the ethos that defined his game:

    “Bradley seemed to see the court not just as it was but as it would be a few seconds later. It was as if the game unfolded in slow motion for him while everyone else was moving at full speed.”

Lagniappe (something extra): Here's a drill (Bradleys) we used with our team including Cecilia Kay who is a candidate for Patriot League Rookie of the Year. 


Lagniappe 2 . Life imitates art. Don't allow one person to destroy a team.  Hi – I'm reading "Fire Ice (NUMA Files Book 3)" by Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos and wanted to share this quote with you.

"But even a tightly knit force can be compromised by a single person." 

Lagniappe 3. Make it about our team. 

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Basketball: Resources "Lead a Horse"

Access and practice improves players and coaches. Of course, you can "lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

Find resources to improve our knowledge and coaching. 

1. Mentoring - "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." If you don't ask, you will never find a mentor. Mentors could be local or online. Researching great coaches and leaders broadens our frontiers across time and space. "Make friends with the dead." 

2. Newsletters and blogs- There are many. Some are direct click-through; others require signups. 

Feedspot top 25 basketball blogs 

Michigan coaches

Coach Dave Love


3. Podcasts  Many exist. We could do nothing but listen. 

The Basketball Podcast from Chris Oliver

HoopHeads

Feedspot shares their top 40. 

TeachHoops shares their top 10.

4. All-in-one websites  The Coach Don Meyer website is a vast repository of information. 

5. YouTube Videos (examples)






6. Coaching Clinics


FIBA Fundamentals (same listed above in YouTube videos)

No 'best way' or one way dominates coaching or basketball education. Be curious and committed to learn. Ask a lot of questions. Here are a few that work:
  • "What does my team need now?" - Brad Stevens
  • "How can I improve today?" - Kevin Durant
  • "What went well?" - from The Leadership Moment (Michael Useem)
  • "What went poorly?"
  • "What can we do better next time?"
  • "What are the enduring lessons?" 
  • "Where can I find help?" 
Lagniappe. Better passes yield better shots.  Lagniappe 2. Make defenders commit, then react. 
 Lagniappe 3. "Be quick but don't hurry." - John Wooden  
  
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Monday, January 27, 2025

Basketball - "Don't Miss Twice"

"We make our habits and our habits make us."

Want to be an impact player? Improve your habits. It starts when your feet hit the floor in the morning. 

  1. Ask "how am going to get better today?"
  2. Eat that frog. Do what you don't want to do - the hard conversation, school assignment, or five minutes of mindfulness. 
  3. "Win the morning." Have a consistent routine. 
  4. Eat better. Protein, fiber, and less processed food. 
  5. Be focused. School matters. Put every fiber of your being into it. If you can learn the skills and the playbook, you can learn geometry. 
  6. "Don't Miss Twice." In James Clear's best-seller Atomic Habits he reminds us that habits only work when we stick to them. I say, "pick, stick, and check." Pick better habits, stick to them, and check them. 
  7. Dot B. Stop and take a breath. 
  8. Be on "Dean Smith Time." Be early. UNC star Phil Ford said that he set his watch ten minutes fast. Respect other's time. 
  9. "Don't cheat the drill." The best players go full-tilt, full-time. 
  10. Be a great teammate. The best players make everyone around them better. 
  11. Impact winning. Put the scoreboard over the scorebook. Winning 50-50 balls, deflections, blocking out, setting great screens, taking a charge, getting a hockey assist, talking on defense, or forcing a turnover may not show up "in the book." But they win.
  12. Share. "Basketball is sharing." 
  13. Say "thank you." People remember.
  14. Recover. Develop a recovery program after training. That may be a protein drink, thermal contrast (heat/cold), a nap. 
  15. Be a tracker. Measure your progress. Seek personal bests. 
  16. Share and deflect credit. Humility doesn't mean thinking less of yourself but about yourself less. 
  17. Keep a gratitude journal. Find something for which to be grateful.
  18. Sleep on it. Work to get eight hours. LeBron gets twelve! Shakespeare wrote, "sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care." Sleep allows physical and mental healing. Sleep consolidates memories. Sleep washes toxins out of the brain. 
That's a big list. Focus on a few that you can control. Then don't miss twice. 

Lagniappe. Steal great ideas. 

Lagniappe 2. Another horns gem. 

Lagniappe 3. Choose humility. 

 


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Sunday, January 26, 2025

Basketball - "We Hold These Truths"

Winning is hard. It extracts a variety of prices from those who want it. 

"Trust but verify." Ask players for their ideas. 

1. Finishing kick. Close out games with situational awareness, good decisions, and consistent execution. Teams need sufficient basketball IQ and experience to win close games. 

2. Get stops. Do the math. Trading baskets doesn't close deficits. Stops fuel comebacks. Know what gets stops - ball pressure, denying penetration, contesting shots without fouling, defensive rebounding. Good team defense starts with excellent individual defense. 

3. Winning progression. Teams evolve with their ability to beat bad teams at home, bad teams on the road, good teams at home, and good teams on the road. Teams that don't beat good teams cannot claim to inhabit their neighborhood. 

4. Traffic in specifics. Understand what playing hard, smart, and together mean. Give and get feedback. 

5. No excuses. Give people excuses not to and they will seize them. Don't blame fatigue, injuries, officiating. As Joe Mazzulla would say, "Nobody cares." Why make excuses? They are "our mind’s way of protecting our ego, shielding us from the harsh reality of our own shortcomings." 

6. Philosophy major. Some quotes play. Phil Jackson's resonates, "basketball is sharing." Another is Pete Newell's, "get more and better shots than opponents." If we do neither, expect to lose. 

7. Shot creation. When a team "has to have it," where do the physical, strategic, and emotional resources arise? 

8. No complacency. Joe Mazzulla said, "when we win, how can we improve ten to fifteen possessions" that weren't good? Do we know the spacing, reads, matchups to exploit? 

Lagniappe. Be the best at what requires no talent. 

Lagniappe 2. Deal with stuff before it's a problem.  

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Saturday, January 25, 2025

Basketball - "Prove People Wrong"


There will always be people who say, "you're not good enough." Need a bad idea? Be relentless in proving them wrong.

You've heard her songs but maybe never her name. She wrote some of the biggest hits for almost anybody who is anybody. 

"It's the story of my life, proving people wrong." - Diane Warren She had her first hit at 29 after writing songs since a teen. She had three qualities, talent, confidence, and she was relentless. Here's the ChatGPT list of 20 top hits she wrote:

  • "Because You Loved Me" – Celine Dion
  • "Un-Break My Heart" – Toni Braxton
  • "How Do I Live" – LeAnn Rimes
  • "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" – Aerosmith
  • "Love Will Lead You Back" – Taylor Dayne
  • "If I Could Turn Back Time" – Cher
  • "Can't Fight the Moonlight" – LeAnn Rimes
  • "There You'll Be" – Faith Hill
  • "Don't Turn Around" – Ace of Base
  • "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" – Starship
  • "For You I Will" – Monica
  • "Blame It on the Rain" – Milli Vanilli
  • "When I See You Smile" – Bad English
  • "I Turn to You" – Christina Aguilera
  • "The One I Gave My Heart To" – Aaliyah
  • "Because You Loved Me" – Johnny Mathis
  • "Rhythm of the Night" – DeBarge
  • "I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)" – Exposé
  • "Saving Forever for You" – Shanice
  • Set the Night to Music" – Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest



    • "You just need that one believer...and that one believer has to start out being you." She doesn't like to be asked about process. "I just go to work."

    If we want to be exceptional, then be relentless.

    Who's the relentless word association in basketball? Kobe Bryant comes to mind first. A thousand jump shots a day in the hundred day offseason. 100,000 jump shots.   

    Greg Popovich says, "you can't skip steps. You gotta pound the rock. If it takes a hundred hits..." 

    Larry Bird made 500 free throws, before breakfast. 

    Tim S. Grover wrote Relentless. Here are a few quotes:

    • "Being relentless means demanding more of yourself than anyone else could ever demand of you, knowing every time you stop, you can still do more."
    • "Do. The. Work. Every day, you have to do something you don’t want to do. Every day. Challenge yourself to be uncomfortable, push past the apathy and laziness and fear."
    • "The drive to close the gap between near-perfect and perfect is the difference between great and unstoppable."

    Isiah Thomas worked eight hours a day on the playgrounds of Chicago, honing his craft. 

    Bill Bradley, from age twelve, invested three hours a day and all day Saturday working on skills. In the 1965 runner-up game in the NCAAs, Princeton's Bradley scored 58 points against Wichita State. 


    Of course, others are or were relentless. Jordan, LeBron, Tom Brady, Dan Gable in wrestling, Sara Blakely in business. 

    Anybody who became exceptional did the work. That doesn't guarantee that doing the work will make exceptional work. Basketball has to have irrational meaning for you, has to speak for you. 

    If we want to prove people wrong, then we have to do the work. Only you can decide whether it's worth it. 

    Lagniappe. 

    Lagniappe 2. Be a tracker.  

    Lagniappe 3. I love offense. But you're not going to be an excellent team until you defend at a high level.  


     

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    Friday, January 24, 2025

    Basketball - More Attention to Detail

    Thrive. Put on a show with good basketball as worthy opponents.

    How do teams do that? 

    1) Attend to detail. Sean McDermott preached to the Bills, "That’s our vision on a day-to-day basis, and that standard is to be a playoff-caliber football team, and that means every day. That’s what it gets back to in terms of earning the right to win. How we meet, how we talk, how we work out, how we practice when we do practice, how we play – that’s the standard we’re trying to get to every day.” 

    I'm not at anyone's practice so I can't see standard setting, the process, the sausage making. 

    2) Communicate. Talk on defense. "I've got ball" or "help left" and "pick coming right." It's unnatural. Winning is unnatural. 

    3) Execute the pick and roll. Sprint to screen. Get there and make contact. Use it or reject it but don't go four feet off the screen. 

    4) Raise your basketball IQ. "It's not your shot, it's our shot." - Jay Bilas  Airball three equals "shot turnover." Shot turnovers equal zero percent possessions. 

    5) Pressure the ball. No more "dead man's defense," six feet under the ball. 

    6) Value the ball. "The ball is gold." If you get 65 possessions and turn the ball over 20 plus times, you have a maximum of 45 shots. If you shoot nothing but threes and make 20 percent that's NINE x THREE = 27. You can only beat bad teams using that math. 

    7) Sprint. "Basketball is a sprinting game not a running game." Trotting in transition doesn't work on offense or defense. Protect the basket, beat your player to half court, stop the ball. 

    8) "Play harder for longer." That's what worthy competitors do. Be worthy possession by possession. "Win this possession." 

    9) What's your edge? Good teams have an edge that they leverage relentlessly. It might be spacing with player and ball movement to get easy shots. It might be "honey badger" toughness on defense. Maybe it's a combination. 

    10) Sport rewards athletic explosion, strength, and conditioning. That allows teams to contain the ball, block out, win the 50-50 balls, set hard screens, take charges and generally be a pain in the backside. 

    Be worthy. Be relentless. Compete. 

    Lagniappe. Build the program. 

    Lagniappe 2. There's no accounting for taste.  

    Lagniappe 3. BOB magic.  

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    Thursday, January 23, 2025

    Basketball - New and Old "Horns" Actions

    "Horns" offers a multitude of possibilities. There is great spacing, no "natural" help side, and it empties the paint. "Horns" can create lots of hard-to-defend actions. 

    1. Backscreen into DHO 

    2. Horns "Elbow get"

    If you have "bigs" who can put the ball on the floor, then you may have a mismatch against a big less accustomed to defending dribble drive. 


    3. Duke "Elbow series" 

    Another horns action with options for handoff or dribble drive for the big. Of course, you could also interchange the 4 and the 1 and get a mismatch if the defense elects to switch. 


    4. Horns DHO creates a 'staggered' PnR situation. Optimizing the spacing can be challenging. It also creates a great opportunity for slipping the 5 instead of setting the screen. 


    5. Celtics "Around" horns. I haven't seen this lately, possibly as it doesn't prioritize three-point shooting, so is "analytically challenged." 


    It's all 'well and good' to have a variety of sets and actions but nothing works without urgent cutting, proper screening, balancing "waiting" for the screen (better late than early), and players coming off screens that actually create separation. 

    Watching high school games, I see a few themes emerge:
    1) Not enough pick-and-roll (sometimes none)
    2) Improper screening with no sprint to screen, no deception, no contact ("headhunting" not dirty play)
    3) Improper use of the screens (leaving too much of a gap)
    4) Seldom if ever rejecting or slipping ball screens 

    Yes, the "get off my lawn" phenomenon rears its ugly head. 

    Lagniappe. Celtics "showcasing" Jaden Springer? Could he become Aaron Nesmith lite? 
    Lagniappe 2. Overcoaching is real. 
     Lagniappe 3. Brian McCormick on press breaking. 












     





     

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    Basketball - Teaching Clips

    Every game at every level shares 'teachable moments'. Here are a few from last night's Celtics - Clippers contest. Many of these plays inform 'classic' teaching, not just individual excellence, although there's some of that, too. Young players don't know what they don't know. 

    The clips open in a separate window on a loop. 

    One of the most common principles, "Draw 2" and pass. Tatum gets paint penetration and dishes for a three to Brown. 

    Draw and dish 

    Option on an action. The Celtics run "snap" which is their term for Spain pick-and-roll (backscreen the roller). Here there's a high ball screen and instead of Kornet rolling into a Hauser screen, Hauser pops for three. 

    Spain variation 

    Defensive breakdowns occur at every level. Tatum pops after setting the screen and the Clips are out of position. Many teams switch these actions. 

    Pick and pop

    Choose your poison. The Clips elect to try to contain Brown on the high ball screen and Queta gets an easy lay-in on the roll. 

    Simple PnR 

    Queta gets caught, stunting and retreating but helping up frees the dunker. 

    The perils of helping "up". 

    Help allows "2 into 3." Brown helps on the drive and the Clippers defeat the Celtics rotation with a three. Like it or not, this is the NBA in 2025. 

    Help off the '3' 

    In a game of mismatches, the Celtics find Brown with size and strength mismatch. 

    Take advantage of edges. 

    "An easy game to learn and a difficult one to master." Classic downhill drive off the high ball screen. 

    Skill and power win in space

    A core teaching for young players is "attack the front foot." Brown's closeout gets exposed. 

    "Attack the front foot." 

    Technique beats tactics. Porter Jr. attacks the shot blocker by "getting into the body" to create space to finish. 

    "Get into the body." 

    At every level, playing in traffic creates risk. White gets caught in the trees. 

    "Don't play in the traffic." 

    Short roll passing is a critical skill for players to develop. Kornet hits White off the short roll for a three. 

    Short roll pass

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    Wednesday, January 22, 2025

    Basketball - Harsh Realities for Young Players

    In "A Most Beautiful Thing," a teacher asks the aspiring oarsmen, "what made you think it was going to be easy?" One of Nick Saban's favorite expressions is, "Life is hard." 

    Winning is hard. Excellence is hard. Training is hard, especially after absence, injury, or illness.  

    Nobody owes us anything. The coach doesn't owe us minutes, an expansive role, or praise. Earn everything and control what we can control. 

    The past has passed. Yesterday doesn't carry over. Hard work has to be every day. Teamwork is daily. Communication means today. When your feet hit the floor, ask, "how can I get better today?" 

    Sport rewards athleticism. A few people have physical gifts above and beyond. Most athletes have to find sweat equity in the weight room. 

    Make the most of your opportunities. Take advantage of coaching, teamwork, and practice time. As Jim Rohn reminded us, “we either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret." 

    Most athletic careers are short. Leave an impression with hard work, sportsmanship, teamwork, and unselfishness. 

    Lagniappe. Serve to lead. 

    Lagniappe 2. Shared vision, shared sacrifice, shared effort. Is it about winning or your numbers? 

    Lagniappe 3. What you do. How you do it. Do it every day. 


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    Tuesday, January 21, 2025

    Basketball - The Essence


    Learn from everywhere, across domains, from everyone.

    What is the essence of sport? 
    • Know your responsibilities. 
    • Pay attention to the details.
    • Work to be great at fundamental skills...as you play "higher" the game speeds up. You must, too. 
    • Simplify. "Get great shots" and "limit opponents to one bad shot." 
    • Strategy works to maximize those two concepts. 
    • CARE - concentrate--> anticipate--> react--> execute.
    • Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. 
    • Athleticism plays. No great players are mediocre athletes. 
    • "You don't have to be great to train but you must train to be great."
    • Choose to be a great teammate. 
    • Excel at process.
    • "The quality of the pass determines the quality of the attack." 
    • "We are going for it." (What am I adding to the equation?)
    Talent plus doing all of the right things makes special possible. Talent minus the right things makes for a lot of unhappiness and underachievement.  

    What are your key responsibilities as a player?
    • Be a great teammate. Never be a distraction.
    • Make everyone around you better. 
    • Impact winning. 

    Nobody is perfect. Coach Kara Lawson says, "chase perfection." Great players add more value to the team. It's "chase perfection" not "chase numbers." 

    Lagniappe. Affirmations from Alan Stein... 

    Don't be intimidate by a big list. Cook it down. Here is the full list (pick your top five)

    1. I strive to play well, not to avoid mistakes. 2. I focus on the process (footwork & form), not the outcome (makes & misses). 3. I work on my game during The Unseen Hours. 4. I Play Present and focus on the play right in front me (the one that just happened). 5. I display confident body language, even when I don’t feel confident. 6. I quickly move to the Next Play after a turnover, missed shot, or a bad call. 7. I use encouraging self-talk to coach myself through challenging situations. 8. I focus on what I can control and let everything else go. 9. I trust my abilities, talents, and preparation. 10. I embrace adverse conditions. 11. I am not afraid to fail… it’s part of the process. 12. I acknowledge that how I think affects how I feel and how I perform. 13. I visualize myself playing well before every practice and game. 14. I listen to (and trust) my coaches. 15. I am the teammate I want to play with. 16. I welcome pressure situations because I know I am prepared. 17. I practice (and work out) with the intensity and focus of a game. 18. I am calm when things feel chaotic. 19. I don’t let physical fatigue cause mental fatigue. 20. I am comfortable being uncomfortable. 21. I think like a champion daily. A consistent mind creates consistent performance. 22. I visualize success: I see it, I feel it, and I believe it. 23. I have a consistent pre-practice and pre-game routine. 24. I embrace challenges and obstacles as opportunities. 25. I compete every play and I compete every day. 26. I learn from every mistake and every loss. 27. I work on my mental and physical skills every day. 28. I love hard work and I take pride in doing difficult things well.

    Lagniappe 2. Spacing determines choices.  

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    Monday, January 20, 2025

    Basketball - What Our Team Practiced Each Practice

    Middle school basketball was designed as a vehicle to teach and to prepare players for high school basketball and beyond. That meant "routine" for activities that we considered most efficient and important. Find something you can adopt or adapt. 

    Nothing came down to us on "stone tablets." We conditioned within drills, worked to practice at high tempo, and avoided "laps, lines, and lectures."

    These included fundamental and team play development. Here are some that occurred each practice: 

    1) Initial two laps for muscle warmup. 

    2) Warmup dribbling (around the arc) 

    • Out right handed, back left handed
    • Steady, hesitation, crossovers, combination (hesi-crossover)
    • Occasional substitution, dribble tag inside the arc (both ends) 
    3) Warm up shooting (Villanova get 50 with partner)

    4) Additional shooting 
    • 30 buckets (3 minutes, groups of 3 shooters, 3 rebounders) every make must realign to a new perimeter spot
    • 3 by 3 by 3 full court shooting 


    • UCONN 4 minute shooting (3 balls, 2 lines elbow jumpers, track makes at each end)
    • Spurs Shooting - 4 groups of 3 - passer, rebounder, shooter - shooter must make five then everyone rotates. Groups compete to finish first. 
    5) Managing pressure (advantage-disadvantage) - 5 versus 7 full court press break. Option is using constraints of NO DRIBBLING. Practice is hard so 5 versus 5 in games with dribbling becomes easier. 

    6) Small-sided games (3-on-3, both ends, inside the split) One coach at each end to supervise. Start from different 'sets' (e.g. spread, high ball screen, "triangle"). This worked on half-court execution for both offense and defense. 

    7) "Specials" - special situations, end of practice...three possession games, (O-D-O) offense-defense-offense. Each 'game' starts with either a BOB, SLOB, free throw, or ATO). This simulated "close and late" game situations, especially actions after timeouts late. 

    Some skill development activities, for example, pick-and-roll offense and defense, box drills with defense, wing series offense, and others didn't get used each practice. We only had two 90 minute sessions available a week. One coach told me they got eight hours of practice time a week. 

    Lagniappe. Good design close and late. 

    Lagniappe 2. Bad ball pressure almost always translates into problems.  

    Lagniappe 3. Balanced scoring is hard to defend.  

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    Sunday, January 19, 2025

    Basketball - Easy Good Advice That Players Find Hard to Take

    Coaches seek 'good basketball'. That involves extinguishing 'bad basketball'. Share better choices with young players. 

    1. "Don't play in the traffic." Dribbling or passing into traffic exposes the basketball to high risk. Great players "win in space." 

    Offense leverages spacing, player and ball movement, to create high value scoring chances. Traffic is the opposite. 

    2. "Think shot first," is Don Kelbick's advice. The opposite is immediately putting the ball on the deck. Too many players automatically "think dribble first." Minus the think part...shots are pounds, bounces are ounces. 

    3. "Value the ball." We heard "the ball is gold," over and over. Crushing the turnover bug presents an eternal challenge. It only matters if you like minutes and you love winning. "Turnovers kill dreams."

    4. "Next play." Failed focus allows situations to spin out of control and one bad play to bleed into multiple. Give and get feedback to know whether players are on the same page and that they know their job. The Socratic Method tests the depth of understanding. How do we defend the high ball screen? "We use the 'show, hedge, or fake trap - all the same thing." "What if the ballhandler is a terrible shooter? What could be a better choice?" "Against bad shooters, going under can be a good choice."

    5. "Always do your best." Always means always. Always means being our best at home, at school, in meetings, in practice, in games. It doesn't mean perfection, it means our best physical and mental effort in every situation. Our best won't always be the best, but it rejects regret. 

    Give players specifics not platitudes. Model excellence and players can model us. 

    Lagniappe. Make accountability a core standard. 

    Lagniappe 2. Sport rewards athletic explosion.  You can't be an imposter in the training room and authentic on the court. 

    Lagniappe 3. Every exceptional player is a minimum of an excellent athlete.  

     

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