Via Mike Reiss on Deatrich Wise, Jr:
On Bill Belichick: "One of the things Bill always said was 'practice execution becomes game reality.' That's one thing I've always taken to heart. Practice as hard as I can and exactly how I want the game to be. That's what makes great teams great."
Professionalism may sound abstract or overdone when coaching preadolescents and adolescents. “We’re not getting paid.”
Think about it another way, as training for life. Ask players what professionalism involves. They would probably have problems answering. The best young players I've coached (two women playing D1 basketball) have been not only committed but organized and focused on learning the game.
"Repetitions make reputations." The offseason is critical to fulfilling your potential.
Punctuality. Be on time, stretched out and mentally ready to go.
Preparedness. Know your job to do your job. The best players also understand their teammates' jobs. The point guard should know the reads for the screener. Knowing that the roller defender has overcommitted up, she should be looking for the roller to slip to the basket.
Preparedness also means knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. If you know historically that the opposition emphasizes transition, you should ask how many players are going to the offensive boards and have a plan for limiting the fast break.
Self-care. Professionals care for their body including adequate sleep, rest, hydration, nutrition, and post-workout management (e.g. contrast therapy, muscle rolling).
Strength and conditioning. Young players will need advice on athletic development. Ideally, your program has access to strength and conditioning coaching. If not, that will mean learning and distributing a program or players accessing outside training. Doing baseline measurements and followup are important.
Sport-specific strategy teaching. Basketball IQ comes from experience and training. The Internet has an abundance of training video, coaching clinics, and information on the wide range of basketball areas. Players with access to cellphones can take training videos.
Player skill development. Just as with athletic development, provide ideas and references for players to maximize their offseason improvement.
Resilience training. With virtually all professional teams and Olympic athletes accessing mindfulness training, why would you not? Mindfulness improves focus, reduces anxiety and depression, lowers blood pressure and stress hormones. Training the body without training the mind is incomplete.
Lagniappe. "Resilience is the strength and speed of our response to adversity—and we can build it. It isn’t about having a backbone. It’s about strengthening the muscles around our backbone." - "Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy" by Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Grant
Lagniappe 2.
Horns Backdoor is a simple set that just might steal you a layup pic.twitter.com/juqn1ftpak
— Hoops Companion 🏀 Resources for Coaches (@Hoops_Companion) June 10, 2025
