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Monday, April 21, 2025

"Surround Yourself with Good People"

Listen to this one minute share from Coach Krzyzewski regularly. It overflows with coaching and life wisdom.

The highlight is "surround yourself with good people. Learn how to listen."

Information stands on merit, not solely source-dependent. Be selective, picking and choosing to build our palette. It's not about copying but designing an authentic philosophy and program that works for our players and us. 

Finding resources and mentors distinguishes many highly successful people. In his MasterClass, Usher discusses studying your mentor's mentor. My mentors metaphorical mentors were Wooden and Dean Smith. 


Don't expect one mentor to fulfill all your needs. Study across a spectrum of coaches and sports. Here are just a few examples, not all-inclusive.  

Historical. "Make friends with the dead." Don Meyer, Newell, Dean Smith, Wooden

Player development - Drew Hanlen, Chris Brickley, Don Kelbick, Pitino, Jay Wright

Team development - Jim Crutchfield, Dave Smart, Krzyzewski, Knight, Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma, Dawn Staley

Psychology - Every coach sells... Chuck Daly, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra

Find assistants with whom you collaborate well. Support assistants, listen, and respectfully consider their opinions. 
 
Draw on resources such as Yahoo, FIBA, AI (e.g. ChatGPT)

Jim Crutchfield, head coach at Nova Southeastern University, is one of the best examples of a lesser-known coach whose teams reflect a philosophy of unappreciated excellence. His program is a masterclass in pushing pace, emphasizing player freedom, and creating high-efficiency systems without relying on high-profile recruits. Let’s unpack a few of the core tenets that define his coaching approach:

1. Relentless Pace & Offensive Freedom

Crutchfield's teams are famous for their tempo—often among the fastest in the country, regardless of division. But this isn’t just about running fast. It’s a philosophy rooted in:

  • Trusting players: He empowers his athletes to make decisions in the open floor, encouraging early offense and attacking advantages before the defense is set.

  • Spacing and tempo over set plays: Instead of rigid play-calling, his offense thrives on spacing, movement, and quick reads—fostering autonomy and confidence.

  • Conditioning as a weapon: His players are trained to thrive in chaos, pushing opponents out of their comfort zones through sheer pace and persistent attack.

This creates a kind of organized mayhem where freedom and flow beat structure and scouting.

2. Pressure Defense with Purpose

Crutchfield’s defenses extend full-court and trap selectively—not to gamble recklessly, but to disrupt rhythm and steal possessions. Key ideas include:

  • Controlled chaos: His teams press to wear opponents down mentally and physically, not just to generate turnovers.

  • Turn defense into offense: His system thrives when defense becomes a launchpad for transition—further feeding the uptempo attack.

It’s not unlike what Shaka Smart did at VCU or what Loyola Marymount ran under Paul Westhead, but with more discipline and fewer gimmicks.

3. Skill Development over System Conformity

Crutchfield isn’t trying to fit players into a mold—he molds the system around players' talents.

  • Underdog empowerment: His track record includes turning overlooked or undersized athletes into all-conference stars. He prizes IQ, skill, and motor over measurables.

  • Simplify to amplify: The playbook is minimal by design, letting players master concepts and play fast without overthinking.

This approach builds confidence and keeps players engaged—an underappreciated but essential aspect of sustaining excellence at the Division II level.

4. Joy and Culture

There’s a joyfulness in how Crutchfield’s teams play. It’s visible. His players look like they’re having fun—which is a cultural marker, not an accident.

  • Freedom breeds joy: When players feel trusted and capable, they perform better.

  • Winning is fun: And Crutchfield’s win percentage is absurd (among the highest in NCAA history, across divisions).

His teams don’t just win—they enjoy the process, and that enjoyment feeds their energy and cohesion.

In Summary

Jim Crutchfield’s philosophy is built on pace, pressure, player trust, and joyful intensity. He shows that excellence doesn’t have to look like a blueblood program to be elite. His work at West Liberty and Nova Southeastern demonstrates that you don’t need top recruits to play beautiful, winning basketball—just a clear vision, empowered athletes, and the courage to defy convention.

Want a fun metaphor? His style is like if Brad Stevens and Mike D’Antoni started a band—with Gregg Popovich producing in the background.

Coaching is evolution, addition and subtraction. Subtracting is often harder. Fewer drills, fewer sets, fewer platitudes may work better. 

The most important relationship is with our significant other who has to share us with others who can never give as much as our partner. 

Lagniappe. WWSD... what would Steph do? 
Lagniappe 2. Sacrifice and more... 
Lagniappe 3. Belichick thread. Do your job. Work hard. Details. Team first. 


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