Coaching U Live is the brainchild of NBA assistant coaches Kevin Eastman and Brendan Suhr, two of the best teachers in basketball. The clinic was two days, and the quality content of teaching techniques, strategies and concepts was staggering. Speakers included Eastman and Suhr, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, former college head coach George Raveling, St. John’s assistant coach Mike Dunlap, Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra….

…sitting in the stands at Coaching U Live taking notes and sharing information were current and former NBA head coaches, NBA assistant coaches, college coaches, high school coaches, NBA front office personnel, NBA scouts and college and pro administrators. NBA head coaches were taking notes when college coaches spoke, and when NBA assistants spoke. The voice and opinion of a high school coach was valued as much as any coach in attendance. The clinic wasn’t about levels; it was about knowledge and substance.
Click here to read the entire blog.

I’ve read and heard a lot throughout the year about coaches at all levels who were having rough years. There are many consistent quotes and thoughts in these articles. The main theme is that we are just going to “work harder; and if that doesn’t work, then we will work even harder than that!”

While this sounds good, I have come to realize over the years that working harder isn’t a “cure–all” for changing things. I could even argue that that’s actually a great way to ensure that you will kill your season.

Understanding that each team is different, I still believe that “killing your players” covers your ass and kills their legs. Not only does it kill your players’ legs, but in many cases, it kills their spirits. The lack of encouragement and confidence that often accompanies these situations takes away the last possible advantage you may have.

So the question becomes, do I cover my ass and make it look good publicly, that is, like I’m doing my job? Or do I actually do my job and make sure I’m giving my team every possible chance to win the game — which means I don’t kill their legs with all the work and don’t kill the spirit with all the negativity.

As I’ve said before, make sure you, as the coach, are not the reason you are where you are. Harshly evaluate yourself before you kill the group that loves to play the game!

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t hold your team accountable for their part in the rough year. But there are ways to hold people accountable and not strip them of their spirit, their confidence, and their legs.

All of us know that competition is often a very emotional experience. We experienced a very positive one when our team was able to raise the championship banner in the 2008 NBA World Championship ceremony. Those are the emotions that we all dream about and work for. But we also know that we have to deal with the other end of the emotional spectrum with our players and ourselves — the negative emotions.

Every team will go through some tough times this year. What will separate those that get over it is the attitude the team brings to the court every day. I can tell you first hand that championship teams are often stocked with extremely motivated, passionate, and emotional players and coaches. Part of the DNA of a championship team and player is the passion and emotion they bring to the floor every practice and every game.

There will be times when your players get angry at themselves, their teammates, or even their coaches. It happens to all of us, but a championship team must make sure to this anger, this disappointment, this embarrassment can never, ever have an adverse effect on the team.

Championship players may be down but they understand they can’t bring their teammates or coaches down with them. Championship players will get angry for something but they understand that they have to deal with it and can’t bring others into it. Championship players simply understand that there has to be personal accountability.

We have all seen a player get taken out of a game and then leave the floor and cross in front of the bench with anger in his body language and words he shouldn’t be saying. Typically another player or coach then has to divert his focus and emotion by going over and calming that player down. To us this is a just like a turnover except that it can be more costly. It can rob a teammate out of some precious gas in his emotional tank.

This is a case of “emotional highjacking” and our team will tell you that this simply can’t be tolerated under any circumstance! Championship teams know they can’t rob themselves of their biggest resources. They can’t highjack the very strength they have because a teammate has put himself and his issue ahead of the team. They simply must hold themselves to a higher standard of accountability than what other teams may hold themselves to.