Twitter Feeds for Basketball Junkies

Use social media to extend our basketball knowledge. Twitter has numerous productive posters that inform and educate us daily. Here are a few (in no particular order) that I regularly find productive and sample posts. Please add your recommendations in the comments. 

@BballCoachMac

@BBallImmersion

@bballbreakdown

@NBA_rundown

@CoachBobStarkey

@FIBA3x3

@PureIntensityBB

@PickAndPopNet

@gchiesaohmy

@usabasketball

@ZakBoisvert

@CoachKohlheim

@JonGordon11

@Coaching_U

@RyanPannone

@coachliamflynn

I'm @rsen01

Fast Five: Photography and Basketball Practice (Plus Lagniappe)

Goal: Reinforce big ideas...film, history, and transformation. 

Secondary: lead readers to a secondary destination

Entree: Photography terms relevance to basketball

Dessert: half-court sets into quality offense

John Filo won the Pulitzer Prize in 1970 for his photograph of grief-stricken Mary Ann Vecchio standing over victim Jeffrey Miller at Kent State. 

A professional photography podcast inspired relationships to basketball. How can we transform 'snapshots' (practice events) into mindset and play? The speaker illuminates the power of capturing events on film. Practice should inform that force and never be tedious.

Focus. What specific domains are we teaching? For example, coaches teach specificity. Some coaches teach the roller to 'turn' the screener (physically pull) into the play as the second cutter. That hasn't worked well for us because the girls seem not to want to touch their teammates. 

Filter. Modify game dimensions to affect play. Change the space, time, rules (numbers of dribbles or passes), and number of players (e.g. advantage-disadvantage). 

Creativity. Simplify and clarify actions into meaningful structure. Only imagination (and safety) restricts us. For instance, MSU Coach Tom Izzo teaches rebounding with football helmets and shoulder pads.

Organization. We have limited practice time. Organization, tempo, and shortcuts (e.g. drill names) helps efficiency. For example, within a two-hour practice, we spend about 15 minutes on "specials." We start an O-D-O (offense-defense-offense) activity with a BOB, SLOB, or free throw. If a free throw, rebounders know to 'pinch' the best offensive rebounder. The sets reinforce special situations but test conversion, transition, and decision-making and double as scrimmage. Players remark that it's their favorite segment. 

Change. Change is the only constant as players mature. Coaches and players should challenge ourselves to daily improvement. How do I get better today? Can I inspire players and readers to up their improvement game? For example, Malcolm Gladwell does his research at the library, examining books in the neighborhood of his initial research interest. He wants to expand the narrative, not encapsulate it. 

Lagniappe: Devious actions from 4-out into Spain PnR (screen the roller) 

Double bonus:

We can use deception to get key players into the desired action. I think this came from Coach Pintar. 

Basketball: Clinic Notes for Young Coaches

"There is nothing cheaper than free advice." 

We had a saying in the Navy, "if they want our opinion, they'll ask for it." Nobody asked. 

Blogging allows us to share our opinions (opinions are not facts), hoping that age produces more wisdom and not less wit. Seek and share practical, applicable information.  

If a young coach asked, "help me," what would you answer? "What is your philosophy?" We cannot change the world until we change ourselves. We do so through our attitude, choices, and effort. Become more positive and share that positive energy. Our choices define our organization - habits, preparation, and practices including player and team development. Our effort informs our self-investment and resource management. 

1. Learn how to listen, to your family, your peers, and your players. Leaders listen. 

2. Communicate better. Relationships make or break us. Honest communication creates trust; trust creates loyalty. 

3. Simplify. To get everyone on the same page, we need clarity. 

4. Read. Find superior content. Study and internalize the parts applicable for you. Reading gives us a 'software update' every day. 

5. Write it down. Have a commonplace book, notebook, or 'peripheral brain'. I regularly repeat Picasso, "good artists borrow; great artists steal." In medical school, we carried these "miniature" notebooks absorbing that firehose of information. 

6. Add value. Every player should leave every practice better and wanting more. They 'buy in' when we sell worthwhile goods. 

7. Model excellence. Make it clear that we chase our better version. Steady improvement beats unattainable perfection. 

8. Focus on solutions. Teams have to survive and apply pressure, literally and figuratively. Fill their toolboxes, because 'technique beats tactics'. 

9. Find mentors. "Be like Mike" wasn't just a slogan. John Calipari has a Personal Board of Directors with whom he convenes periodically for life advice. 

10.Be humble. Humility comes with great struggle. Ben Franklin wrote that if he achieved humility, then he would surely be proud of it. He understood that maybe 'the appearance of humility' would be as close as he could come.

If we succeed at a majority of these tasks, then we have a good chance of "doing well by doing good."  

Lagniappe:

Horns set into Stagger/Spain PnR

Basketball: Overcoming Pressure Points

Each of us has 'core beliefs' about effective process. "Good teams can apply and withstand defensive pressure." A team that wilts under pressure fails against quality teams. A handful of possessions defines destiny or disaster. 

Psychologist and trader Brett Steenbarger notes, "Here's a psychological principle you can count on:  As conditions become more challenging and dangerous, peak performers respond with increasing mental quiet and focus."




Tom Cruise gets advice to quiet his mind. This theme repeats in storytelling, "you are The Last Dragon", The Karate Kid, "focus power", and even in the comedy Caddyshack, "be the ball." Successful players quiet the mind. A sports psychologist advised Derek Jeter on how to deport himself to build confidence. His exaggerated erect walk to the plate informed quiet confidence. Yoda tells Luke Skywalker, "do or do not, there is no try." 

My two favorite pressure 'drills' are 'gauntlet' and five on seven 'disadvantage', the latter with additional defenders and no dribbling allowed. 

Two offensive players must navigate four sets of defenders in their areas. I usually allow one per touch. The drill demands cutting, passing, catching, and good decisions. The best players find a way to defeat the defense. 

Basketball Immersion recommends a variety of methods to mitigate pressure.

Avoiding "primary trap zones" (yellow) makes your life easier. 

In another post, BI counsels "Passing the ball inbound directly to the ball side corner creates a disadvantage for an offense." In the ball side corner, defenders use the "primary trap zone" (boundaries converge) to limit passer options. 

Good coaching eschews haphazard selection of inbounders. Allowing turnovers near our basket not only loses of possession and usual creates an easy score and potential momentum shifts. 

Lagniappe:

Cleveland has run this "high single double action" many times this year. Here is the play 2 different times with 2 different reads. It is a simple concept to get a cheap lay-up, or to play off a scorer cutting. pic.twitter.com/xSVlAu7rG8

— Chris Oliver (@BBallImmersion) April 13, 2018

Bad spacing or crafty offense? 

Where Is Your Basketball Offense Arising?

"The job of the writer is not to supply the ideas. It is to find the ideas." - Malcolm Gladwell

Basketball offense doesn't grow on trees. As Pasteur reminds us, "chance favors the prepared mind." 

NBA.com tracks frequency of these actions and results, measuring them by points and points per possession. Do well what you do a lot. Do more of what works and less of what doesn't.

It's not rocket science. The rocket scientist in my family is on the right.

UCONN under Geno Auriemma plans to score a third in transition, a third on threes, and a third on set plays. Do we have a plan for our offense. 

Our middle school girls lack the experience to score via freelance consistently. Sets give us a fighting chance. In the postseason a few years ago, we faced one of the tallest teams we'd ever played. 

We ran this action five consecutive plays and scored seven points (3 hoops and a free throw), 1.4 points per possession, far above our norm. The opposition took a time out and switched to zone defense. A heavy underdog, we won by three. 

We beat the top team in our league by a point this year; they couldn't handle our basic PnR out of a horns set...not rocket science. 

I'd call this play, "Swordfish" after the movie, where John Travolta emphasizes misdirection. The key is the sequential screens by 2, creating either a layup or usually a mismatch. GSW runs something similar out of a SLOB.

What elements belong in our offense? Have we examined their efficiency (e.g. points per possession)? I believe that in a developmental setting, we should teach offensive principles, starting (above) with "spread offense." Concepts, unpredictability, and execution should flow logically. 

Using full court man-to-man defense (later to teach run-and-jump), we seek to turn defense into offense with turnovers and transition. 

Half-court sets, a few quick hitters, and zone offense become secondary goals. Three point shooting will evolve as the girls become more physical and older. 

Base SLOB action. Zipper cut into ball screen. Second option, entry to 5 with one-on-one. Third option, entry to 3 with basket cut by inbounder. Fourth option, entry to 5 with back cut by 3. 

Specials (BOBs, SLOBs) get implementation with the goal of scoring at least three baskets per game and having "go to" actions either ATO or during 'crunch time'. But every action relies on players' ability to separate, finish, and make free throws. We have far to go before we can go far, but we have a plan. 

Fast Five: Absolutes "What Do We Do?"

Basketball maven Kevin Eastman teaches, "KNOW YOUR NOS." For starters, we can include no middle, no direct drives, no easy baskets, no putbacks, no uncontested shots, no bad fouls. Ben Franklin counsels, "well done is better than well said." 

But what ABSOLUTES front your program, the stuff of dreams and DNA? 

1. Family matters. Family comes first. Grandma's birthday deserves your attention. Family vacations take priority over a middle school holiday tournament. 

2. Take care of business. You owe me nothing. You owe yourself your best, Academic Excellence. Our players excel in the classroom. Smart players make smarter plays. Learn how to study, to read better, to compete at the highest level. 

3. Cross The Red Line. Urban Meyer talks about the 'red line' in Above the Line. When his Ohio State players cross that line onto the practice field, they give their best, every play. "A to B, 4 to 6." You go from point A to point B, during the play usually lasting 4 to 6 seconds. Dean Smith remarked, "I don't coach effort; I coach execution." Effort is a given, unspoken. 

4. Serve. Serve your family. Serve your school. Serve your community. Serve your teammates. Basketball is sharing and the best players make teammates better, on and off the court. 

Greenleaf's Principles of Servant Leadership extend throughout your lives. Selfishness is a tawdry cloak that we won't wear. 

5. Be a great teammate. The Navy SEALS have an aphorism, "two is one, and one is none." Imagine an imaginary rope tethering you to your teammates. Drag your teammates to a higher level, never down. Everyone can be a great teammate. 




6. Never give up. We won't always win. Adversity is our companion on life's journey. But our DNA doesn't include quitting. Keep scrapping, keep battling and good things happen. 

If someone asks, what we do, answer "we coach life." 

Lagniappe:

Celtics action, "UCLA Slip". 

Storytelling: Basketball Success Often Has Humble Origins

Mankind has told stories for thousands of years. Stories inform, inspire, and challenge us. They share lessons of failure and triumph, disfavor and redemption. 

Malcolm Gladwell has written five bestsellers using the art of story telling. In Outliers, he spotlighted '10,000 hours' to success, examining disciplines from music to medicine, chess, and sports. Isiah Thomas honed his craft on sweltering Chicago playgrounds, becoming a star at Indiana and consecutive NBA championships. He overcame controversy regarding criticism about Larry Bird, calling attention to his work ethic. Thomas rightly remarked, "Larry definitely had to work hard to get where he is at, but so many times it's been said about black athletes that their talent is 'God-given' or that it's 'natural ability.' I had to work just as hard to get where I am. It's not God-given or instinctive."

In Toughness, Jay Bilas recounted an incident as a teen where his father asked him to change out the contact paper in his sister's vanity. It was hard work, and Bilas acknowledged doing a cursory job. His father, who left for work early and returned home late, inspected the shoddy work, fixed it, and said nothing. Bilas felt humiliated. He described how his father was one of the toughest people he knew, and learned a valuable lesson. Do the job right.  

We control our thoughts, our beliefs, and our choices. Tim Grover wrote about coolers, closers, and cleaners in Relentless. One of his clients, Kobe Bryant, took 100,000 shots over the summer. Bryant closes the introduction, "This book is the blueprint for discovering what you're capable of achieving, getting results you never imagined, and reaching the highest level of success." Grover writes of cleaners, "You know exactly who you are...you have a dark side that refuses to be taught to be good...you're not intimidated by pressure, you thrive on it." Embrace the work. 

Spencer Haywood showed up for a workout at the University of Detroit seeking a basketball scholarship. The coach told him that if he made fifteen consecutive free throws, he'd get the scholarship. The rest is history (below). Make your free throws.

In his book, Runnin' Rebel, Jerry Tarkanian discusses recruiting Stacey Augmon. He reports that there were concerns that Augmon would be academically ineligible, but that Tarkanian's strong network in Pasadena, including his brother, would land the 6'7" forward at UNLV. Augmon became part of two NCAA Final Four teams, including the 1990 NCAA champions. And he graduated from UNLV with a degree in Social Work. Taking a chance on a young person can pay big dividends. 

Lagniappe: (Help)

Benjamin Franklin used a method to weigh serious decisions. He folded a sheet of paper in half, labeling one side Pro and the other Con. listed reasons to each column, canceling out arguments of equal strength, or perhaps one argument against two of similar gravity. He preached practicality in all matters, particularly in redressing wrongs, such as raising his nephew, in payback for abandoning his apprenticeship with his brother James. 

 

Coach Knight shares his thoughts on help and some sharp wit. 

Basketball Coaching Criticism: From Eastman to Einstein

When we put ourselves out there, criticism follows. 

Years ago, I had a patient who wanted to become an actor. He hated his job, had no marital ties, and had done some commercial work. "What's keeping you from following your dream?" He replied, "my friends say I'm not good enough." I suggested that he get new friends and follow his dream. He went to California. I never saw him again. Maybe he's doing dinner theater. Don't let critics extinguish your dreams. 

Coaching is NOT criticism. Good players want to be coached. But be demanding without being demeaning.

We want the voices in players' heads to speak positivity. Rod Olson, author of The Legacy Builder, argues that we should Speak Greatness. Constant criticism can't mint confidence. Olson writes, "People forget that there's life and death in the power of the tongue. It's absolutely not true that words don't hurt. They can hurt, and they can change a life. You know that the basic definition of a coach is 'someone who helps an individual or a team get to a level they couldn't get to by themselves." He adds, "for every correction that you wish to make, you must tell them three specific things they're doing right first." 

What's our plan to address criticism? Have a plan, based on honesty and authenticity. We hear a range of responses from anger, sarcasm, to respectful reflection. 
"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." 



Too much candor and authenticity may not go over well. 




Comedy won't win many friends...honesty can be too brutal. 

We can learn from criticism. Is it valid? Mean-spirited comments aren't necessarily wrong, just tactless or intentionally hurtful. Coaches have a range of options. We can change strategy, personnel, and motivation. Kevin Eastman advises, "do it harder, do it better, change personnel, $#%& it ain't working." Einstein shares similar sentiments. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." 

Coaches don't want players to tune us out. Some coaches use the "sandwich technique" when being critical, interposing the criticism amidst praise. "You hustled back in transition, now make sure you protect the basket. Keep bringing that effort." 

I believe that most players respond better to positivity. When harsher words are necessary, I want to deliver them with another adult present. When expectations aren't clear or met, we can deliver written messages personally to the player and family. That shows the importance and commitment to the player, family. and the message. 

What we say and how we say it ultimately defines us. We can't often change how others treat us, but we choose our response. 

Lagniappe: easy Horns pick-and-roll with clear.

From Justin Pintar. 

Basketball Lessons - Fast Five: Distinguish Yourself

Goal: raise reader consciousness. Differentiation. 



How do you separate yourself from your peer group? 

"Who puts Derrick Coleman up there on the pantheon...give me somebody who wants to go to practice in the morning." 



You don't need a paradigm shift, but you might. Amazon became a leading retailer by leveraging low price, access, and prompt delivery. Zappos' customer service changes the game. Dick Fosbury revolutionized the high jump through a new technique. 

How does the underdog respond?


Conventional thinking yields conventional results. What is our edge in approach, personnel, technique, or tactics? 

Key takeaway: "Disadvantage can become advantage." Cavalry = speed. Artillery = perimeter game. Infantry = inside game. 

Sometimes people feel insignificant, unseen, impoverished in status. At camp, when they ask for a volunteer, 'explode' off your seat. At practice, outwork everyone. In the classroom, study harder than your peers. Force people to notice you. 

Don't speak louder than the next person. Speak with authority because of your knowledge and perspective. Become our better version every day. 

Fast Five: Basketball Best Practices Versus Alternatives

Success parallels process. Critical to best practices are focus, intrinsic motivation, skill development, resource utilization, and patience. 

Revisit inversion. How do we undermine good process? Consider the opposite of best practices. 


Distraction. Don't allow 'shiny objects' to interfere with the work of improvement. Distractions could include television, Internet, unhealthy emotion, and other bad habits (e.g. alcohol, substances). Chatting during practice, watching other groups practice, or simply daydreaming detract from attention. 

Laziness. We seek advantages (numerical, matchups, separation) in basketball. Sloth never yields advantage. "The magic is in the work." 



Stagnation. Move. Pass and cut. Get out on the break; get back in transition D. Move your feet; move on the pass. We don't need to invoke Puritan theology to understand the primacy of progress. We move ahead or we're standing still. 

Wastefulness. Time is the most valuable resource of all. We have a finite existence, finite opportunities, never a second chance to make a first impression. Strength without engagement equals nothing. Speed without sprinting sacrifices potential. Teaching without listening squanders everyone's time. 

Haste. Coach Wooden reminded players, "be quick but don't hurry." Overanxious players go for steals carelessly, don't wait for screens, and force rushed shots. Opportunity may need both time and space (above). 

Basketball Lessons from Analytics and More: What You Don't Know Can Beat You

"You can observe a lot by just watching." - Yogi Berra

Goal: Discuss purpose of blogging to add value

Blogging shares ideas and opinions. Ideally, blogging builds a learning platform for both readers and the author. 

What enduring lessons emerge? 

Add value. The reader's time counts. Each reader should leave with questions or answers. 

Share memorable stories. The parish priest traveled to the Holy Land. Tragically, a parishioner's wife passed on during the trip. Returning her body to the US would cost $20,000, but a local explained that pilgrims who died could be buried on the Mount of Olives for only $200. The decedent's husband faced a daunting decision. Finally, he replied, "Please return her to America. Over 2000 years ago, a man rose from the dead in three days at this site. I'm not taking any chances." Humor helps. 

We can learn from anyone. Former NBA coach Lawrence Frank got his start as a student manager for Coach Bob Knight at Indiana. Steve Kerr adopted videographer Nick U'Ren's suggestion to go small and inserted Andre Iguodala into the NBA Finals starting lineup and the rest is history. Doug Collins told me that because he couldn't palm the ball, he learned to flex his wrist to trap the ball between hand and forearm. 

Leaders eat last. Leaders serve their followers. Simon Sinek shares, "Leadership is about empowering others to achieve things they did not think possible."

Score the ball. Hate the redundancy. Value the message. True shooting percentage (TS%) measures overall shooting percentage, including free throws. 

Correlation may not prove causation; you judge. 

Be efficient. 

The Rockets run selectively, but score a league-high 1.21 points per possession in transition.

To limit a team's scoring, benefit from understanding how they score.

The Warriors lead the league in scoring by cutting. They make over 300 passes per game. The 76ers are moving up in the cutting world. 

Salivating over that big man in the post? Post ups simply underachieve analytically. 

The post up game has diminished because the points per possession underachieves. 

Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. 

How you score depends on philosophy, personnel, and execution. What teams would you expect to score most efficiently in isolation? 

Only three clubs score more than a point per possession. The James Harden effect is obvious. 

The impact of personnel shows up for the Clippers. Over 20 percent of their possessions involve the pick-and-roll ballhandler and under 6 percent the pick-and-roll roll man. But they score 0.85 points per possession with the ballhandler and 1.27 points per possession with the roll man. There's a lesson for everyone. 

Lagniappe: 

Horns "down" set into wing ball screen and ball reversal.