I’m watching a lot of film this summer. It never fails that the teams that reverse the ball are the teams that get the best shots. A saying we have is, “there is a direct correlation between the number of ball reversals and defensive breakdowns.” Reversing the ball, swing the ball, touching both sides — [...]
Basketball Specific
Over Under Game
Every team hits periods of play when they feel like the ball isn’t moving, or players are hunting their shots, or there’s too much dribbling, or when players simply aren’t playing up to their capabilities. Whether it’s a few minutes, a half, an entire game, or a series of games, we all go through this [...]
Roles and Your Job
I was talking with a coach the other day and he asked me about our staff. Just like I am, he was curious as to the make up of our staff and what everyone’s role is. My reply about the roles of our assistant coaches is always the same: “our roles are different but our [...]
Late Game – Tight Game
I don’t know how many text messages and voicemails I’ve gotten about what a great series the Boston/Chicago one has been. Before I go further, I want to say how well-prepared the Bulls were; they were very well coached and mentally focused for the series. The games were chess matches each time out…a great series [...]
The Game Plan
We all spend hours and hours of preparation time watching film, studying tendencies, figuring out late game plays, and getting the personnel down. The intent is to provide our team with a game plan we feel can give us the best chance to win the game. We want our team to know that we spent [...]
Take Care of “Hard” First
As you look back on your season and evaluate your games, I’m sure you will find many mistakes — just like we do. But think back on those losses or games you didn’t play well and figure out what your solutions were. Many times we are quick to pull the trigger and try to change [...]
Get Over Yourself
I often read about and hear that players today are too self-absorbed. They think about themselves more than they do the team. Or they have a sphere of influence around them made up of people in it for their own interests or for the player’s selfish interests. If this is true, then we all know [...]
Assistant: Game Day Role
for more on assistant’s role during game, see Ask Coach E #3 Many coaches I have come across since I’ve been in the NBA have asked me about the role of the Assistant Coach at this level. I will cover this topic throughout the year; today’s post focuses on game day/game time roles. First and [...]
Battling the Dog Days
Many of us across the country are into the “dog days” of our seasons. Not only are our coaches logging unbelievable hours but our players are experiencing that “lull” that seems to occur no matter what we do to try to get them out of it. In looking at this “dog days” concept and relating [...]
Physical Talent and Mental Talent
When I heard people talk about our championship team this past summer I almost always heard “you guys were so talented.” And we did have talent. But if physical talent alone were the only ingredient to winning a championship then we could all name a number of teams that should have won one at all [...]
Kobe: Film Makes Him a Better Player
In the workout camp I ran with Nike and Kobe, he talked to the players about how much he watches games on TV and looks at film. It may be in his living room at home or at the practice facility. His point was that he learns from watching. It gives him an advantage over [...]
Players: Log the Action
A few summers ago I was working with Kobe Bryant, teaching a group of players about the game and about working out. Part of the session was “how to watch film on yourself and your opponent.” During the session Kobe brought up the process he goes through during a game with respect to how the [...]
Entitlement vs. Investment
As I travel around the country and work out with the best of the best from the High School, College, and NBA levels, I am continually reminded of what these players have in common that makes them great: they want to get better they want to know everything they can that will help them become [...]
Skill Development: Shooting
B0809 As I read more and more about how coaches teach shooting, I keep coming back to the same thought — keep my teaching as simple and understandable as possible. Shooting is such a difficult fundamental to master that many coaches are so technical in their teaching that it actually confuses the player. First and [...]
Establishing Roles
Establishing roles is a major part of every coach’s job description. A coach must (1) analyze a player’s strengths, 2) analyze a player’s weaknesses and 3) determine how each player will fit into the style of play. Once we know these things, we have to sell these roles to the players. That’s not always easy, [...]
