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Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Add Value Through Use of AI

Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the helpers." Coaches build teams, getting help wherever we can being open and flexible. Coaches who believe they know everything inhabit a slippery slope. 

Legendary Coach Pete Newell said that the coach's job is to help players "See the game." The ability to see the court, make quick and accurate decisions, and execute define a critical part of your ceiling. 

As coaches, add value, get buy-in, and help players become the best version of themselves.

Exceptional coaches and players ask better questions:

  • How do I improve as a coach?
  • How do I improve as a player?
  • How do I improve as a leader? 
  • How do I improve as a teammate? 
  • How can I help? 
  • What does my team need today?
  • How can I consolidate strengths and reduce weaknesses? 
Initially, people dominated chess. Then a computer, Deep Blue, beat a chess champion. People struck back, forming hybrid teams of man and machine - centaurs. Then Google developed AlphaZero, which taught itself to play in four hours. In a hundred matches against the computer champion, it went undefeated, 28-0-72. 

The point? Humans have structural limitations. Supplement our ability to plan, prepare, and teach with artificial intelligence. What separated Homo sapiens from other animals was mastery of using tools. AI is the current premium tool.

Application - hard to guard actions. Here's a prompt and the AI answer from DeepSeek. 

"Great offense is multiple actions." Developing a basketball offense includes using hard-to-guard actions. Please suggest half a dozen actions to include in our basketball offense.

Great basketball offenses are built around multiple, hard-to-guard actions that force defenses to react and create advantages. Here are six effective actions to incorporate into your offense:

1. Dribble Handoff (DHO) + Read

  • A quick exchange between a guard and a big, forcing the defender to navigate screens.

  • Options: The ball handler can keep it, shoot, or drive; the screener can roll or pop.

2. Spain Pick-and-Roll

  • A traditional PNR with a backscreen set on the help defender (usually by a shooter).

  • Creates confusion—defenders must choose between stopping the roller or covering the shooter.

3. UCLA Cut (Off a Post Entry)

  • A guard passes to the wing, then cuts off a high-post screen into the lane.

  • Forces the defense to decide between switching, going under, or getting back-cut.

4. Floppy Action (Staggered Screens for Shooters)

  • A shooter (usually a guard) comes off two staggered screens for a quick catch-and-shoot opportunity.

  • Forces defenders to fight through multiple screens or risk an open three.

5. Slot-to-Slot Relocation (After a Drive)

  • A guard drives, kicks to a teammate, then relocates to an open spot (e.g., corner to wing).

  • Keeps the defense in rotation and creates open threes.

6. Delay Action (4-Out with a Playmaking Big)

  • A skilled big (or guard) operates from the top of the key, reading the defense for dribble-drives, post-ups, or kick-outs.

  • Forces help defenders to commit, opening up cutters and shooters.

Key Principles for Hard-to-Guard Offenses:

  • Multiple Reads: Actions should branch into counters (e.g., DHO → reject → drive).

  • Spacing: Keep the floor balanced to prevent help defense.

  • Player Movement: Cutters and screeners keep defenders in constant motion.

AI will never be the complete answer because it's not playing. Yet, we can leverage its virtually unlimited power to improve ourselves and our players.

Lagniappe. Is NIL unfair to smaller schools? Not necessarily. 

Lagniappe 2. Get more from our PnR offense with slips and screen rejection.  

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