Applying AI - Investigative Methods for Coaches

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a bright future for coaches. The applications offer many possible insights. Here are a few:

• Player development
• Analytics (assessing possessions by team and individual)
• Anticipating player sentiment
• Offensive development
• Game planning
• Psychological profiling

Let's focus on two - offense development and player development. 

AI generates "hallucinations" which need checking. AI makes errors. Its recommendations may not work for you as they may not fit your philosophy or personnel. 

And yes, I understand the TLDR (too long, didn't read) sentiment. Coaching isn't easy. 

Learn to "prompt" AI to get better responses. For instance:

Prompt: I'm interested in basketball 'system' development. Efficient offenses benefit from spacing, avoid turnovers, and challenge defenses with "hard to defend actions." They create better scoring chances. Please describe three high points per possession sets.

Here are 3 high-PPP (points per possession) sets you can plug into a basketball system that values spacing, simple reads, and low turnover risk. Each creates leverage without complex timing or risky passes.

1) Double-Gap 5-Out “Chase & Replace”

Core idea: Create a driving lane by vacating it, then replace it instantly for a kick-out 3.

Alignment:

• 5-Out, corners wide, two players flanking the top (slots), one in the middle, one wing.

Flow:

1. Slot initiates a hard sprint (“chase”) to the opposite corner.

2. Corner player fills up to the vacated slot as the drive begins (replace).

3. Handler attacks the now-empty double gap to the rim.

4. Reads become binary:

   • Help at rim → kick to replace (slot 3)

   • No help → finish at rim

Why it scores per possession:

• Defense can’t load the nail and rim at once.

• All passes are forward-facing kick-outs.

• Spacing is dynamic and self-correcting.

Coaching cue:

“Clear it, fill it, then score it.”

2) Side Pick-and-Roll “45 Series” (Reject → Lift → Corner)

Core idea: Start with the highest-efficiency screen action in basketball (side PnR), but with built-in automatic spacing responses.

Alignment:

• Ball handler at 45° wing, screener outside the lane line, weak-side corner filled.

Flow:

1. Big sets wide side PnR (shoulder to sideline, not middle).

2. Handler’s reads:

   • PnR defender goes under → handler shoots the 3

   • Roll defender steps up → big rolls to rim

   • Tag from weak side → handler rejects baseline, big flips to short roll

3. After the read, handler lifts to top, weak-side slot drifts to corner for a 1-more pass.

Why it scores per possession:

• Side PnR produces the best paint or rhythm 3 outcomes.

• Reject + lift eliminates strips.

• Short-roll catches are stationary and forward.

• Corners remain anchored for efficient 3s.

Coaching cue:

“If you don’t score, lift to space. Someone else will.”

3) Pistol Flip with Back-Door Bailout

Core idea: Convert dribble into a handoff immediately, turning ball pressure into receiver pressure instead of handler chaos.

Alignment:

• Shooter receives at wing, handler follows into Pistol handoff.

• Big starts at dunker or 5-Out, depending on your roster.

Flow:

1. Wing catches → immediate Pistol handoff back to trailing handler.

2. Big sets screen-the-screener slip into a short roll.

3. Reads:

   • Wing defender top-locks handoff → wing back-cuts for bounce pass at rim

   • No top-lock → handler turns corner off the handoff

   • Big defender steps up → short roll finish or drop-off

   • Late rotation → 1-more to corner 3

Why it scores per possession:

• The ball never stops.

• No idle dribbling to invite strips.

• Bounce passes only to rim or back door.

• Every catch happens facing the rim.

• Physicality is legal and contained (clean screens, not moving chaos).

Coaching cue:

“Handoff or back-door. No third option.”

PPP principle shared by all 3 sets

Set	How it creates points	How it protects the ball	How it keeps spacing
Chase & Replace	Paint drive or slot 3	Kick-outs only	Auto corner fill
45 Series	Side PnR or rejection 3	Short roll, handler lift	1-more to corner
Pistol Flip + Back Door	Turn corner or rim cut	No idle dribbling	Corners anchored

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System note for your coaching philosophy

These are classroom sets:

• They teach players to read one defender at a time

• They avoid in-air or behind-vision passes

• They anchor corners unless scoring is immediate

• They scale cleanly to high school and college because they rely on geometry and cognition, not improvisational fury

Player Development

Prompt: "Every day is player development day." Suggest your best individual shooting drill, best one-on-one attack drill, and best two-on-two practice action.

1) Individual Shooting Drill — “3-Level Rise & Settle”

Goal: Train a high, clean, repeatable release, game-speed footwork, and automatic balance recovery.

How it runs

1. Start at corner 3 → shoot 5 makes.

2. Sprint to elbow (mid-range) → shoot 5 makes (square your shoulders, same release point).

3. Pop to top of key 3 → 5 makes.

4. After each shot, land and settle into a defensive stance for 1 second before the next rep.

Why it’s your best

• Keeps mechanics consistent across 3 distances/angles.

• Adds post-shot stability so missed shots don’t bleed into rushed follow-ups.

• Hard sprints between spots raise heart rate while preserving forward vision and clean foot alignment.

Coaching cue

“Same shot, 3 floors. Rise, release, reset.”

2) 1-on-1 Attack Drill — “Angle, Shoulder, Finish”

Goal: Create advantage using legal force, clear geometry, and one read (your Iverson/Munger overlap).

How it runs

1. Offense starts on the wing at 45°, defender on ball.

2. Offense gets 3 dribbles max.

3. Choose one angle:

   • Middle drive (attack top foot)

   • Baseline drive (if middle is cut off)

4. Defender must absorb a legal shoulder bump at the lane line before the finish.

5. Play continues until shot or turnover.

Why it’s your best

• Trains ball security by eliminating wasted dribbles.

• Forces players to win with angle and shoulder control, not wiggle dribble indecision.

• Encourages rim finishes with a physical element that is legal and contained.

Coaching cue

“Bend the line, bump the line, finish the line.”

3) 2-on-2 Action — “Short Roll → 1-More”

Goal: Fast cognitive reps, clean catch geometry, and automatic spacing answers.

How it runs

1. 2-on-2 begins at wing.

2. Big sets a wide screen outside lane line → instant short roll catch.

3. Guard reads the tag:

   • No tag → bounce to short roll

   • Tag commits → 1-more swing to corner

4. Corner player catches on the move or back door and finishes.

5. Switch roles every 3 reps.

Why it’s your best

• Every pass is bounce, forward, or 1-more (lowest strip/TO risk).

• Short roll simplifies the read to one defender at a time.

• Corner spacing keeps help defenders late and reactive.

Coaching cue

“Roll to score, swing to punish.”

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Daily Development Principle (one line)

Shooting = repeatable rise. 1-on-1 = angle + shoulder. 2-on-2 = roll + 1-more.

Learn to use AI and benefit from its access to the universe. 

Lagniappe. Kelvin Sampson discusses improvement. He'd get the Bob Rotella ("Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect") approval. Rotella says there is "training" practice and "trusting" practice. Training improves skill and trusting wins championships. 

Kelvin Sampson is not a fan of the “trainer culture” / “Cone Culture”

“In order to get better at basketball, you have to play basketball” pic.twitter.com/Yzjforafvg

— PGC Basketball (@PGCbasketball) December 31, 2025