Tuesday, June 5, 2018
THE WARRIORS CULTURE AND HOW ITS DRIVEN BY STEPH CURRY
As a young assistant on the men's staff at LSU, I journeyed to Nashville in the fall of ESPN.com Baxter Holmes wrote of the culture of the Golden State Warriors and the "Curry effect."
Practice ended hours ago at the Warriors' Oakland facility, and Klay Thompson is heading toward the door, the last Warrior to leave. It's May 11, a few days before the Warriors open their much-anticipated conference finals series against the Rockets, but Thompson pauses before exiting. He looks across the empty court, at a far basket -- the one Curry shoots on every day. "He works as if he's still a rookie, [as if] he's still trying to make his way in this league," Thompson says of his Splash Brother, a teammate for seven seasons. "We all see that, and it makes us go to our hoops and put [in] work. No one wants to be off the floor before him, because this man is the one."
Indeed, before practices, Curry and Fraser choose from a menu of more than two dozen items, depending on which aspects of Curry's game need sharpening. Maybe shooting off-the-dribble jumpers or shooting after high-ball screens or ballhandling drills. Repetitions vary, but Curry always ends his sweat-soaked workout with 100 3-point attempts, often making in the mid- to high-80s -- and frequently into the 90s. After all his makes, Curry will sit beneath the basket, his back against the stanchion, his chest heaving up and down, a bottle of water between his legs. By this point in the day, he's often one of the few Warriors on the court, if not the last. It has been this way for years.
Coach Steve Kerr and Curry’s teammates also talk about the “energy” he brings to the team and how it is contagious.
Ask Curry's teammates to describe his impact, and more than pace or space, they'll cite an on-court energy when he's among them -- one that spreads throughout the crowd. "There's a different feel in the arena," Kerr says. "Similar to Michael [Jordan], there is just this awe factor from opposing crowds, and every crowd is sprinkled with Steph jerseys no matter where we are, and there's a palpable excitement when he gets going. In Oracle, it's the tidal wave. And on the road it's like, 'Oh, my god, I can't believe what I'm watching.'"
Another word that teammates and coaches use to describe Curry is humility.
"There's a humility about [Curry] that you can't really be taught at this point," Thompson says. "And he's just easy to joke with. He'll joke with our video interns, he'll joke with our owners, he'll joke with our equipment guys. When you see your best player being loose and disciplined -- like, it's a fine line, but when you can walk both lines, it just makes for such a nice work atmosphere."
Assistant coach Ron Adams, who just turned 70, is the Warriors' sage, imparting wisdom from nearly three decades in the NBA. "I think every day he realizes how lucky he is," Adams says. "He also realizes the joy that he can bring to people's lives -- not only his teammates, but I just think in general.
"He pulls that off better than any pro athlete I think I've been around."
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
COACH POPOVICH ON CHARACTER AND WHAT HE LOOKS FOR IN PLAYERS
Last week, I came across an article on Gregg Popovich that ran on HoopsHype.com. It was an interview piece with Coach Popovich and Jon Finkel. Finkel did a great job with the article keying off of some of Pop's statements to lead other questions -- especially in regard to character and what he looks for in players. Here are a few of my take aways but you can read the entire article here.
Coach Popovich on character:
Sometimes when I hear people talk about character I think it’s a little too general of a term. We’ve all seen a million books on it and everybody’s got a different definition of what makes up character. People always say our teams have character and they know how to win, know how to lose, all sorts of those things. I try to be a little more specific in my definition, especially when it comes to the character of players we bring in.
This response from Coach Popovich gives light to why they have an unselfish culture:
Being able to enjoy someone else’s success is a huge thing. If I’m interviewing a young guy and he’s saying things like, “I should have been picked All-American but they picked Johnny instead of me,” or they say stuff like, “My coach should have played me more; he didn’t really help me,” I’m not taking that kid because he will be a problem one way or another. I know he will be a problem. At some point he’ll start to think he’s not playing enough minutes, or his parents are going to wonder why he’s not playing, or his agent’s going to call too much. I don’t need that stuff. I’ve got more important things to do. I’ll find somebody else, even if they have less ability, as long as they don’t have that character trait.
Great stuff on what Coach Popovich looks for in players (good to share with your team):
Work ethic is obvious to all of us. We do that through our scouting. For potential draft picks, we go to high school practices and to college practices to see how a player reacts to coaches and teammates. The phrase that we use is seeing whether people have “gotten over themselves.”
When there’s a guy who talks about himself all day long, you start to get the sense that he doesn’t listen real well. If you’re interviewing him and before you ever get anything out of your mouth he’s speaking, you know he hasn’t really evaluated what you’ve said. For those people, we think, Has this person gotten over himself? If he has then he’s going to accept parameters. He’s going to accept the role; he’s going to accept one night when he doesn’t play much. I think it tells me a lot.You starts have to carry the load and that means showing they can take coaching:
The other thing I’ll do in practice on a regular basis when we run drills, is I’ll purposely get on the big boys the most. Duncan, Parker, and Manu Ginobili will catch more hell from me than anybody else out there. You know the obvious effect of that. If you do that and they respond in the right way, everyone else follows suit. The worst thing you can do is let it go when someone has been egregious in some sort of way. The young kids see that and you lose respect and the fiber of your team gets frayed a bit. I think it has to be that way. They have to be willing to set that example and take that hit so everybody else will fall in line. It’s a big thing for us and that’s how we do it.
Last week, I came across an article on Gregg Popovich that ran on HoopsHype.com. It was an interview piece with Coach Popovich and Jon Finkel. Finkel did a great job with the article keying off of some of Pop's statements to lead other questions -- especially in regard to character and what he looks for in players. Here are a few of my take aways but you can read the entire article here.
Coach Popovich on character:
Sometimes when I hear people talk about character I think it’s a little too general of a term. We’ve all seen a million books on it and everybody’s got a different definition of what makes up character. People always say our teams have character and they know how to win, know how to lose, all sorts of those things. I try to be a little more specific in my definition, especially when it comes to the character of players we bring in.
This response from Coach Popovich gives light to why they have an unselfish culture:
Being able to enjoy someone else’s success is a huge thing. If I’m interviewing a young guy and he’s saying things like, “I should have been picked All-American but they picked Johnny instead of me,” or they say stuff like, “My coach should have played me more; he didn’t really help me,” I’m not taking that kid because he will be a problem one way or another. I know he will be a problem. At some point he’ll start to think he’s not playing enough minutes, or his parents are going to wonder why he’s not playing, or his agent’s going to call too much. I don’t need that stuff. I’ve got more important things to do. I’ll find somebody else, even if they have less ability, as long as they don’t have that character trait.
Great stuff on what Coach Popovich looks for in players (good to share with your team):
Work ethic is obvious to all of us. We do that through our scouting. For potential draft picks, we go to high school practices and to college practices to see how a player reacts to coaches and teammates. The phrase that we use is seeing whether people have “gotten over themselves.”
When there’s a guy who talks about himself all day long, you start to get the sense that he doesn’t listen real well. If you’re interviewing him and before you ever get anything out of your mouth he’s speaking, you know he hasn’t really evaluated what you’ve said. For those people, we think, Has this person gotten over himself? If he has then he’s going to accept parameters. He’s going to accept the role; he’s going to accept one night when he doesn’t play much. I think it tells me a lot.You starts have to carry the load and that means showing they can take coaching:
The other thing I’ll do in practice on a regular basis when we run drills, is I’ll purposely get on the big boys the most. Duncan, Parker, and Manu Ginobili will catch more hell from me than anybody else out there. You know the obvious effect of that. If you do that and they respond in the right way, everyone else follows suit. The worst thing you can do is let it go when someone has been egregious in some sort of way. The young kids see that and you lose respect and the fiber of your team gets frayed a bit. I think it has to be that way. They have to be willing to set that example and take that hit so everybody else will fall in line. It’s a big thing for us and that’s how we do it.
The Importance of Unrequired Work...
Below is a story told by Kevin Eastman (NBA Coach and once an assistant with the Boston Celtics), and posted by Bob Starkey (Texas A&M Women's Coach). Both coaches value and recognize greatness and hard work. When it pertains to how the "best become the best," Eastman witnessed on a daily basis in practice why Kevin Garnett was one of the best in the NBA, and as for Starkey, he just wants what is best for his team, and provides tools for his team to become more successful. Unrequired work is what is needed if our team, the Salmon Arm Golds, want to be successful at an elite/provincial level. Through Eastman and Starkey, Garnett teaches us ... he leads us... through the mindset of greatness and that undeniable desire to be the best... or just better than one is. In making himself better, Garnett made his team better. Garnett set the tone in practice and for his team through his daily preparation. He "Did Work!!!" "Our reputation is determined by our repetitions." If we want to improve our "rep" and become a team that is feared and respected as legitimate contender at the provincial level, then as individuals, our players/teammates/coaches need to step up our "reps"!!! Not only do we need to take advantage of the open gym times available to us, we need to do extra work outside of those scheduled times in order to improve our skill, strength, and fitness. Remember, our goal in the off-season is to improve our confidence and mental toughness. Confidence will come from improved skill, strength, and fitness... mental toughness will come from a variety of things we don't like to do on a daily basis, but do because they need to be done. When we "do work" ... increase our "reps" ... do the required work ... and more importantly - do the "unrequired work" that creates that mindset like Garnett, then we are developing our mental toughness. The required work along with unrequired work will undoubtedly provide our team with the opportunity to rise to the next level in high school hoops. What does the story below teach you? A few of us are doing the required work ... those who are, can you do the unrequired work that is desperately needed for our team to raise our level of compete? For the others... well, if you aren't doing the required work ... then how are you going to be able to do the unrequired work; so, this concept can't be accomplished/achieved at this moment. "Our rep is determined by our reps!" Get to work and rise above level that is expected. Go above and beyond! Read the story below posted by Bob Starkey and told by Kevin Eastman:
Doc usually liked to take Kevin (Garnett) out of a drill after five or
six repetitions because he wanted to save Kevin’s legs for games. Kevin had
logged a lot of miles and wear and tear during his career, and he always
practiced at game speed every minute we had him on the floor.
After
five possessions Doc told one of our rookies, Leon Powe, to replace Kevin to
give him a break. Kevin was not going to have any of that. As Leon said, “Kev,
I got you,” Kevin said he wasn’t stopping, only in far-more colorful “KG”
language. Leon turned to Doc and Doc told him again, “Take him out.” Leon
received another emphatic “NO” from Kevin. Finally, Doc had to nearly walk
Kevin off the floor so we could get Leon in.
Once convinced to leave the drill, Kevin moved to the adjacent court,
and as the eight players in the drill were talking and sliding and yelling out
the defensive terminology each situation called for, we all heard another
voice. The voice came from the other court, where Kevin was the only player. No
other players, no ball, not a single other coach or person—just Kevin. There he
was, sliding and talking and pretending to go through every action he would
have had he still been in the actual drill. When the teams involved in the
drill switched from defense to offense, so did Kevin. He yelled out all the
offensive terms we employ: use me – use me; flash – flash – flash; rip – rip –
rip.
What we learned that day watching and listening to Kevin was the true
definition of unrequired work! Kevin knows that repetitions are what makes him
one of the best at what he does. And like all successful people, he understands
that his repetitions are what created his reputation. Or as I like to say “your
reps create your rep!” Kevin’s way of saying something similar was: “If you
want to kick me out of a drill, you have to kick me out of the gym.”
That day Kevin gave an incredible success lesson to
all of us that it’s the unrequired work that will separate the great players
and the great teams from all the rest. He didn’t have to do that work. It
wasn’t work required of him. But he is Kevin Garnett because he does
the unrequired work.
Monday, June 11, 2018
THE WORK ETHIC AND HUMILITY OF KLAY THOMPSON
An outstanding article on Klay Thompson written by Ramona Shelburne for ESPN gives great insight into his work ethic and humility that has made him such an important part of the Golden State championship run. You can read the entire article here but below are some of my take aways including his drive to constantly get in the gym and improve his shot:
Day after day, sometimes deep into the night, Gardner would hone Thompson's shooting form into the fundamentally perfect quick release you see today. There was a drill in which Gardner would drop a hula hoop over Thompson's head at a 45-degree angle as he shot so he would stay straight up and down. Another drill in which Thompson would shoot with a hat on to keep his head steady and trust where the ball was, without looking at it. And, of course, the drill in which Gardner would hold a towel and rubber bands below Thompson's arms, to keep his top half high without bringing the ball down -- ever.
"I had Klay from such a young age, it really helped," Gardner says. "And he still comes by to work. He'll just show up out of the blue at my house, like, 'I wanted to get some shots up.'"
Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco has worked with Thompson personally since his rookie season. By now, DeMarco is used to the texts asking him to come back to the facility at night so Thompson can get up extra shots.
"More than anything, he just loves the game. He loves playing basketball, and he loves shooting," DeMarco says. "He's like a kid in the backyard, just playing for hours."
There's a simplicity of focus in all the characterizations of Thompson that's hard to reconcile with the flaky, laid-back guy who keeps losing his driver's license.
How can a person be so laser-focused on one thing and so unfocused on everything else?
Simple. Basketball matters deeply to him. The other stuff doesn't.
"I usually wake up, go to the facility, get breakfast, get my shots up. About 100," Thompson says casually. "I'll get stretched, ice tub, maybe get Subway. Play with [my dog] Rocco in the backyard. Take a nap. Go to the arena. Have fun. Hopefully we win. It's that simple. I do that 100 times a year."
Coach Steve Kerr speaks to his coachability:
"I wish I was Klay Thompson," Kerr says. "I envy him. He doesn't really care what anybody thinks. But the way it manifests itself is so natural and normal. He just loves to play, he loves his days off, he loves getting outside, loves the beach.
"He's not low-maintenance. He's no-maintenance."
On his ego:
"If he had a huge ego, this doesn't work," Warriors forward Draymond Green says flatly. "It just doesn't."
Those who know Thompson best say there is an ego in there. It just manifests itself differently than almost any other All-Star. He's ultracompetitive, yes, but without the chip on his shoulder.
"I have never heard Klay say, 'This is B.S. ... This guy is shooting too much, that guy won't pass, or I'm not getting enough looks,'" his agent, Greg Lawrence, says.
On the importance of being on a successful team as opposed to individual honors:
"I used to actually get upset. Man, I should get more love," Thompson says. "Then I was just like ... none of that stuff really matters. As long as you go out there and ... you've got the best job in the world. You don't need to get gratification from the internet, or social media.
"Because you'll never find it, first of all. And you'll always find a lot of bad stuff. To me, as long as you play hard and have your dream job, shoot, I'll take that. That's all that matters to me."
"Everyone's like, 'Don't you want your own team? Don't you want to go be a star?'" Thompson says. "Man, winning trumps all. This is the only franchise I've ever known. It's not only about the individual accolades. Nowadays, because there's so much star power in the NBA, the team aspect kind of gets lost. But I'd rather be on a team that can make an imprint on history. We've already made an imprint, but it can be even greater. That's what drives me."
An outstanding article on Klay Thompson written by Ramona Shelburne for ESPN gives great insight into his work ethic and humility that has made him such an important part of the Golden State championship run. You can read the entire article here but below are some of my take aways including his drive to constantly get in the gym and improve his shot:
Day after day, sometimes deep into the night, Gardner would hone Thompson's shooting form into the fundamentally perfect quick release you see today. There was a drill in which Gardner would drop a hula hoop over Thompson's head at a 45-degree angle as he shot so he would stay straight up and down. Another drill in which Thompson would shoot with a hat on to keep his head steady and trust where the ball was, without looking at it. And, of course, the drill in which Gardner would hold a towel and rubber bands below Thompson's arms, to keep his top half high without bringing the ball down -- ever.
"I had Klay from such a young age, it really helped," Gardner says. "And he still comes by to work. He'll just show up out of the blue at my house, like, 'I wanted to get some shots up.'"
Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco has worked with Thompson personally since his rookie season. By now, DeMarco is used to the texts asking him to come back to the facility at night so Thompson can get up extra shots.
"More than anything, he just loves the game. He loves playing basketball, and he loves shooting," DeMarco says. "He's like a kid in the backyard, just playing for hours."
There's a simplicity of focus in all the characterizations of Thompson that's hard to reconcile with the flaky, laid-back guy who keeps losing his driver's license.
How can a person be so laser-focused on one thing and so unfocused on everything else?
Simple. Basketball matters deeply to him. The other stuff doesn't.
"I usually wake up, go to the facility, get breakfast, get my shots up. About 100," Thompson says casually. "I'll get stretched, ice tub, maybe get Subway. Play with [my dog] Rocco in the backyard. Take a nap. Go to the arena. Have fun. Hopefully we win. It's that simple. I do that 100 times a year."
Coach Steve Kerr speaks to his coachability:
"I wish I was Klay Thompson," Kerr says. "I envy him. He doesn't really care what anybody thinks. But the way it manifests itself is so natural and normal. He just loves to play, he loves his days off, he loves getting outside, loves the beach.
"He's not low-maintenance. He's no-maintenance."
On his ego:
"If he had a huge ego, this doesn't work," Warriors forward Draymond Green says flatly. "It just doesn't."
Those who know Thompson best say there is an ego in there. It just manifests itself differently than almost any other All-Star. He's ultracompetitive, yes, but without the chip on his shoulder.
"I have never heard Klay say, 'This is B.S. ... This guy is shooting too much, that guy won't pass, or I'm not getting enough looks,'" his agent, Greg Lawrence, says.
On the importance of being on a successful team as opposed to individual honors:
"I used to actually get upset. Man, I should get more love," Thompson says. "Then I was just like ... none of that stuff really matters. As long as you go out there and ... you've got the best job in the world. You don't need to get gratification from the internet, or social media.
"Because you'll never find it, first of all. And you'll always find a lot of bad stuff. To me, as long as you play hard and have your dream job, shoot, I'll take that. That's all that matters to me."
"Everyone's like, 'Don't you want your own team? Don't you want to go be a star?'" Thompson says. "Man, winning trumps all. This is the only franchise I've ever known. It's not only about the individual accolades. Nowadays, because there's so much star power in the NBA, the team aspect kind of gets lost. But I'd rather be on a team that can make an imprint on history. We've already made an imprint, but it can be even greater. That's what drives me."
An outstanding article on Klay Thompson written by Ramona Shelburne for ESPN gives great insight into his work ethic and humility that has made him such an important part of the Golden State championship run. You can read the entire article here but below are some of my take aways including his drive to constantly get in the gym and improve his shot:
Day after day, sometimes deep into the night, Gardner would hone Thompson's shooting form into the fundamentally perfect quick release you see today. There was a drill in which Gardner would drop a hula hoop over Thompson's head at a 45-degree angle as he shot so he would stay straight up and down. Another drill in which Thompson would shoot with a hat on to keep his head steady and trust where the ball was, without looking at it. And, of course, the drill in which Gardner would hold a towel and rubber bands below Thompson's arms, to keep his top half high without bringing the ball down -- ever.
"I had Klay from such a young age, it really helped," Gardner says. "And he still comes by to work. He'll just show up out of the blue at my house, like, 'I wanted to get some shots up.'"
Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco has worked with Thompson personally since his rookie season. By now, DeMarco is used to the texts asking him to come back to the facility at night so Thompson can get up extra shots.
"More than anything, he just loves the game. He loves playing basketball, and he loves shooting," DeMarco says. "He's like a kid in the backyard, just playing for hours."
There's a simplicity of focus in all the characterizations of Thompson that's hard to reconcile with the flaky, laid-back guy who keeps losing his driver's license.
How can a person be so laser-focused on one thing and so unfocused on everything else?
Simple. Basketball matters deeply to him. The other stuff doesn't.
"I usually wake up, go to the facility, get breakfast, get my shots up. About 100," Thompson says casually. "I'll get stretched, ice tub, maybe get Subway. Play with [my dog] Rocco in the backyard. Take a nap. Go to the arena. Have fun. Hopefully we win. It's that simple. I do that 100 times a year."Coach Steve Kerr speaks to his coachability:
"I wish I was Klay Thompson," Kerr says. "I envy him. He doesn't really care what anybody thinks. But the way it manifests itself is so natural and normal. He just loves to play, he loves his days off, he loves getting outside, loves the beach.
"He's not low-maintenance. He's no-maintenance."On his ego:
"If he had a huge ego, this doesn't work," Warriors forward Draymond Green says flatly. "It just doesn't."
Those who know Thompson best say there is an ego in there. It just manifests itself differently than almost any other All-Star. He's ultracompetitive, yes, but without the chip on his shoulder.
"I have never heard Klay say, 'This is B.S. ... This guy is shooting too much, that guy won't pass, or I'm not getting enough looks,'" his agent, Greg Lawrence, says.On the importance of being on a successful team as opposed to individual honors:
"I used to actually get upset. Man, I should get more love," Thompson says. "Then I was just like ... none of that stuff really matters. As long as you go out there and ... you've got the best job in the world. You don't need to get gratification from the internet, or social media.
"Because you'll never find it, first of all. And you'll always find a lot of bad stuff. To me, as long as you play hard and have your dream job, shoot, I'll take that. That's all that matters to me."
"Everyone's like, 'Don't you want your own team? Don't you want to go be a star?'" Thompson says. "Man, winning trumps all. This is the only franchise I've ever known. It's not only about the individual accolades. Nowadays, because there's so much star power in the NBA, the team aspect kind of gets lost. But I'd rather be on a team that can make an imprint on history. We've already made an imprint, but it can be even greater. That's what drives me."
Thursday, February 8, 2018
THOUGHTS ON SHOOTING FROM TROY DANIELS
Here are a few of the Q & A's from Troy Daniels of the Phoenix Suns on the art of shooting. You can read the entire article by Scott Bordow here.
Q: How many hours does it take to perfect the shooting form?
Q: There are certain things good golfers have to do with their swings. Are their certain things good shooters have to do with their stroke?
Q: Do you study other shooters?
A: I don’t study shooting but I do study how shooters play. I’ve watched a lot of film on J.J. Reddick, how he moves without the ball. I watched a lot of film on Kyle Korver. Everybody watches Steph, but you can’t be like Steph because he’s different. I think as a shooter, 75 to 80 percent of it is confidence. It’s all mind, all mind.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
GREAT TEACHING CONCEPTS FROM KEVIN EASTMAN
You can’t be tired and you can’t be bored. It’s not easy getting better. It takes work and discipline. We have a choice of pain of discipline or pain of regret.
Workout discipline:
•Maximum intensity on every repetition.
Philosophy:
Theory of two:
•It takes two minutes to show any skill.
Shooting form:
•Be ready on the catch.
Free-throws:
Make time to practice shooting:
•You will be surprised how little your guys shoot during practice when you exclude shooting drills.
My goal right now is to get everything you can teach in the game down to three bullet points. It makes it easier for players to take in:
For shooting:
Coaches must maintain their intensity everyday:
Three things skill development can do for you:
•It can create a career.
•It can revitalize a career.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
J.J. REDICK'S OFF-SEASON SHOOTING PROGRAM
There's a great article J.J. Redick via CoachingClipboard.org. It’s well worth reading in its entirety here.
The piece talks about Redick’s off-season shooting program:
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up two-pointers
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up three-pointers
•Must make 20 shots at seven difference spots
◄42 pull-up jumpers off the dribble
•21 to the right...21 to the left
◄20 free throws
Coaching Clipboard points out that Redick can be a perfectionist.
“It’s more OCD. I’m pretty obsessive about things,” Redick said. He expects himself to shoot 80 to 90 percent in the Sunday drill, no excuses. “I don’t take a shot unless I expect to make it. I expect to make every shot I take.”
It was also pointed out that once Redick starts these workouts in July, he goes six days a week and does not travel -- that commitment.
Monday, June 13, 2016
STEPH CURRY'S APPROACH TO WORKING ON HIS SHOT
The great ones are intentional and deliberate in the approach to work and improvement. Listening to Mike Dunlap at a coaching clinic a month ago he talked about a big key in Steph Curry's success is hit ability to create space -- before and after the catch -- to get his shot off. This is not an accident.
There was an outstanding article on SI.com’s written by Rob Mahoney. It a lengthy, well-written article and should be printed and passed out to your players -- you can read it in its entirety here.
For now, here are a few take aways starting with the price paid on the college level under the tutelage of his college coach:
Stephen Curry saw the white flag wave. It danced before him in a taunt as he went bullied and beaten, made to second-guess himself as he never had before. The wispy guard was put through the wringer in one-on-one workouts against bigger, stronger, more experienced players lined up one after another by Davidson coach Bob McKillop. This was Curry’s first day and McKillop intended to test the freshman’s mettle.
“I was tired and kind of frustrated and he came out and waved this white towel in my face,” Curry said. “He kept saying, over and over again: 'You wanna surrender, don't you? You wanna surrender? Go ahead, surrender.’”
Curry played on but never triumphed. Instead, he endured just as McKillop hoped he might—standing up, again and again, to be humbled.
Mahoney also writes of Curry’s growth from the standpoint of understanding shot selection:
“The biggest thing for me was the coaching aspect of understanding the balance between taking chances or making the simple play,” Curry said. “When to force the issue and when not to and understanding that dynamic of what happens on the court. I can go out and not be afraid to make mistakes, to turn the ball over every once in awhile if you're trying to make a pass through a tight window or something like that. But over the course of the game, you've got to make smart decisions and then use whatever footwork, whatever coordination to get the ball from point A to point B.”
The key? Curry’s relentless work ethic. We talk about game shots at game spots at game speed — Curry takes it to another level. Writes Mahoney:
"We do a warm-up drill every day that we practice where we literally work on just pivoting, stepping through, and pick-and-roll footwork. Just break it down, step by step. Those things happen so many times in a game that you might take it for granted—just the coordination it takes to be explosive in certain situations on the floor.
So we work on that in practice. Outside of that, I just kind of work on footwork in moves that I normally will make in a game, whether it's dribble moves into shots or the footwork coming off a screen, things like that. You drill that while you're getting shots up so that you'll obviously be efficient and make your workouts tough. But staying on top of that simple fundamental makes you a little bit faster, a little bit more creative, a little bit more efficient on the floor."
“With the stuff he does, he challenges himself to get less rhythm and use harder cuts and more speed,” said Warriors assistant Bruce Fraser. “He's always constantly pushing himself to make shots challenging so that when he gets in the game he's done that a lot.”
Mahoney also points out that not only Curry coachable, but he wants to be coached and coached hard:
“I respond best when a coach is able to get on me where he's raising his voice, yelling and whatever, because he expects greatness from me—especially when I'm not performing the way I'm supposed to,” Curry said. “I like to have, obviously, a mutual respect, and a guy who can be as consistent as possible with his message. But if I need to be yelled at and refocused, I'm open to that and I usually respond well.”
Friday, June 3, 2016
RICK TORBETT: BUILDING A GREAT SHOOTING PROGRAM
Reviewing some old notes from a PGC/Glazier Clinic I attend. Here are some gems from Rick Torbett, founder of www.BetterBasketball.com:
8 Secrets to Training:
Preparation
Repetition
Attitude
Concentration
Technique
Intensity
Conditioning
Expectations
Can't create time...have to give things up.
If you want to be exceptional, you can't be normal.
Don't shoot to get in shape -- get in shape to shoot.
Ready -- get hands right
Set -- knee bend
Fire -- breaking of wrists w/feet leaving the ground
Post -- follow through...both arms
"Catch the rim between your wrists."
Eliminate excessive motion to increase accuracy.
"Pivot square up the most important thing in shooting." -Steve Alford
Train your vision.
Mel Gibson in "Patriots" -- "Aim small, miss small"
Aim at center loop
Concentrate so hard you get a headache.
Concentrate on straight -- don't worry about long & short
Train to ignore closeouts and fly byes
Here are a few of the Q & A's from Troy Daniels of the Phoenix Suns on the art of shooting. You can read the entire article by Scott Bordow here.
Q: How many hours does it take to perfect the shooting form?
Q: There are certain things good golfers have to do with their swings. Are their certain things good shooters have to do with their stroke?
Q: Do you study other shooters?
A: I don’t study shooting but I do study how shooters play. I’ve watched a lot of film on J.J. Reddick, how he moves without the ball. I watched a lot of film on Kyle Korver. Everybody watches Steph, but you can’t be like Steph because he’s different. I think as a shooter, 75 to 80 percent of it is confidence. It’s all mind, all mind.
Here are a few of the Q & A's from Troy Daniels of the Phoenix Suns on the art of shooting. You can read the entire article by Scott Bordow here.
Q: How many hours does it take to perfect the shooting form?
A: Wow. It’s tough to say. As a kid, you have a ton of energy. I was always trying to be around basketball. I have no clue, but if I had to say, at least five to six hours a day, just playing around, shooting.
Q: There are certain things good golfers have to do with their swings. Are their certain things good shooters have to do with their stroke?
A: I’m a firm believer that I don’t really think it matters what shot you shoot. If you shoot your shot, if you work on it every single day, literally get up 1,000 to 1,500 shots a day, you’ll master that shot. I really think that, honestly. I don’t think there’s a certain way to make a lot of shots. (Stephen) Curry shoots a different shot, Klay (Thompson) shoots a different shot, J.J. Reddick, they all shoot different shots and come from different places. Their stance and their balance, everything is different. So I think if you just master what you do, I think the sky is the limit.
Q: Do you study other shooters?
A: I don’t study shooting but I do study how shooters play. I’ve watched a lot of film on J.J. Reddick, how he moves without the ball. I watched a lot of film on Kyle Korver. Everybody watches Steph, but you can’t be like Steph because he’s different. I think as a shooter, 75 to 80 percent of it is confidence. It’s all mind, all mind.
GREAT TEACHING CONCEPTS FROM KEVIN EASTMAN
You can’t be tired and you can’t be bored. It’s not easy getting better. It takes work and discipline. We have a choice of pain of discipline or pain of regret.
Workout discipline:
•Maximum intensity on every repetition.
Philosophy:
Theory of two:
•It takes two minutes to show any skill.
Shooting form:
•Be ready on the catch.
Free-throws:
Make time to practice shooting:
•You will be surprised how little your guys shoot during practice when you exclude shooting drills.
My goal right now is to get everything you can teach in the game down to three bullet points. It makes it easier for players to take in:
For shooting:
Coaches must maintain their intensity everyday:
Three things skill development can do for you:
•It can create a career.
•It can revitalize a career.
You can’t be tired and you can’t be bored. It’s not easy getting better. It takes work and discipline. We have a choice of pain of discipline or pain of regret.
Workout discipline:
•Maximum intensity on every repetition.
•Maximum intensity on every repetition.
•Machine like mechanics
•Focus on every repetition - we’re going to take one shot 500 times.
Philosophy:
•Becoming a good shooter is lots of reps.
•Becoming a great shooter is lots of reps at game speed from game spots at a game angle.
Theory of two:
•It takes two minutes to show any skill.
•It takes two minutes to show any skill.
•It takes two weeks doing it every single day to get comfortable with the skill.
•It takes two months working on a skill everyday to get good enough to execute in a game.
Shooting form:
•Be ready on the catch.
•Be ready on the catch.
•Ten toes to the rim (if you have ten toes to the rim you will be square to the basket).
•Only change his form if the shot doesn’t go in. Make him the best worst form shooter.
•Two second rule: As soon as it’s 1 cm into our players fingers I’m counting one two. Players don’t have a great understanding of game speed when working out.
•The better the shooter you are, the better your shot fake needs to be. Definition of a shot fake is a real shot that you don’t shoot.
Free-throws:
•Shoot free-throws until you miss, and count how many in a row.
•Players tend to fall forward rather than backward.
Give your players statistical feedback:
•When you chart your players’ shots give them percentages for free-throws, lay-ups, jump shots and three-point shots.
•Break it down so they know what to work on.
•Players can be receptive to stats.
Make time to practice shooting:
•You will be surprised how little your guys shoot during practice when you exclude shooting drills.
•You will be surprised how little your guys shoot during practice when you exclude shooting drills.
•We recorded how many shots our players took in a 2.5 hour practice:
•Paul Pierce – 16.
•Ricky Davis – 13.
•Al Jefferson – 7.
•During an hour pickup we shoot on average 12.8 shots per player.
•Average number of shots taken in a game is 16 per player.
My goal right now is to get everything you can teach in the game down to three bullet points. It makes it easier for players to take in:
For shooting:
•Perfect feet.
•Ready for catch.
•Perfect follow through.
Coaches must maintain their intensity everyday:
•A coach can never get bored.
•The intensity that a coach brings to the floor helps the player have a more intense workout.
•Coaches have body language too. Be careful of your body language, and how it could be interpreted by your players.
Three things skill development can do for you:
•It can create a career.
•It can create a career.
•It can improve a career.
•It can revitalize a career.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
J.J. REDICK'S OFF-SEASON SHOOTING PROGRAM
There's a great article J.J. Redick via CoachingClipboard.org. It’s well worth reading in its entirety here.
The piece talks about Redick’s off-season shooting program:
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up two-pointers
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up three-pointers
•Must make 20 shots at seven difference spots
◄42 pull-up jumpers off the dribble
•21 to the right...21 to the left
◄20 free throws
Coaching Clipboard points out that Redick can be a perfectionist.
“It’s more OCD. I’m pretty obsessive about things,” Redick said. He expects himself to shoot 80 to 90 percent in the Sunday drill, no excuses. “I don’t take a shot unless I expect to make it. I expect to make every shot I take.”
It was also pointed out that once Redick starts these workouts in July, he goes six days a week and does not travel -- that commitment.
Monday, June 13, 2016
STEPH CURRY'S APPROACH TO WORKING ON HIS SHOT
The great ones are intentional and deliberate in the approach to work and improvement. Listening to Mike Dunlap at a coaching clinic a month ago he talked about a big key in Steph Curry's success is hit ability to create space -- before and after the catch -- to get his shot off. This is not an accident.
There was an outstanding article on SI.com’s written by Rob Mahoney. It a lengthy, well-written article and should be printed and passed out to your players -- you can read it in its entirety here.
For now, here are a few take aways starting with the price paid on the college level under the tutelage of his college coach:
Stephen Curry saw the white flag wave. It danced before him in a taunt as he went bullied and beaten, made to second-guess himself as he never had before. The wispy guard was put through the wringer in one-on-one workouts against bigger, stronger, more experienced players lined up one after another by Davidson coach Bob McKillop. This was Curry’s first day and McKillop intended to test the freshman’s mettle.
“I was tired and kind of frustrated and he came out and waved this white towel in my face,” Curry said. “He kept saying, over and over again: 'You wanna surrender, don't you? You wanna surrender? Go ahead, surrender.’”
Curry played on but never triumphed. Instead, he endured just as McKillop hoped he might—standing up, again and again, to be humbled.
Mahoney also writes of Curry’s growth from the standpoint of understanding shot selection:
“The biggest thing for me was the coaching aspect of understanding the balance between taking chances or making the simple play,” Curry said. “When to force the issue and when not to and understanding that dynamic of what happens on the court. I can go out and not be afraid to make mistakes, to turn the ball over every once in awhile if you're trying to make a pass through a tight window or something like that. But over the course of the game, you've got to make smart decisions and then use whatever footwork, whatever coordination to get the ball from point A to point B.”
The key? Curry’s relentless work ethic. We talk about game shots at game spots at game speed — Curry takes it to another level. Writes Mahoney:
"We do a warm-up drill every day that we practice where we literally work on just pivoting, stepping through, and pick-and-roll footwork. Just break it down, step by step. Those things happen so many times in a game that you might take it for granted—just the coordination it takes to be explosive in certain situations on the floor.
So we work on that in practice. Outside of that, I just kind of work on footwork in moves that I normally will make in a game, whether it's dribble moves into shots or the footwork coming off a screen, things like that. You drill that while you're getting shots up so that you'll obviously be efficient and make your workouts tough. But staying on top of that simple fundamental makes you a little bit faster, a little bit more creative, a little bit more efficient on the floor."
“With the stuff he does, he challenges himself to get less rhythm and use harder cuts and more speed,” said Warriors assistant Bruce Fraser. “He's always constantly pushing himself to make shots challenging so that when he gets in the game he's done that a lot.”
Mahoney also points out that not only Curry coachable, but he wants to be coached and coached hard:
“I respond best when a coach is able to get on me where he's raising his voice, yelling and whatever, because he expects greatness from me—especially when I'm not performing the way I'm supposed to,” Curry said. “I like to have, obviously, a mutual respect, and a guy who can be as consistent as possible with his message. But if I need to be yelled at and refocused, I'm open to that and I usually respond well.”
Friday, June 3, 2016
RICK TORBETT: BUILDING A GREAT SHOOTING PROGRAM
Reviewing some old notes from a PGC/Glazier Clinic I attend. Here are some gems from Rick Torbett, founder of www.BetterBasketball.com:
8 Secrets to Training:
Preparation
Repetition
Attitude
Concentration
Technique
Intensity
Conditioning
Expectations
Can't create time...have to give things up.
If you want to be exceptional, you can't be normal.
Don't shoot to get in shape -- get in shape to shoot.
Ready -- get hands right
Set -- knee bend
Fire -- breaking of wrists w/feet leaving the ground
Post -- follow through...both arms
"Catch the rim between your wrists."
Eliminate excessive motion to increase accuracy.
"Pivot square up the most important thing in shooting." -Steve Alford
Train your vision.
Mel Gibson in "Patriots" -- "Aim small, miss small"
Aim at center loop
Concentrate so hard you get a headache.
Concentrate on straight -- don't worry about long & short
Train to ignore closeouts and fly byes
There's a great article J.J. Redick via CoachingClipboard.org. It’s well worth reading in its entirety here.
The piece talks about Redick’s off-season shooting program:
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up two-pointers
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up three-pointers
•Must make 20 shots at seven difference spots
◄42 pull-up jumpers off the dribble
•21 to the right...21 to the left
◄20 free throws
Coaching Clipboard points out that Redick can be a perfectionist.
“It’s more OCD. I’m pretty obsessive about things,” Redick said. He expects himself to shoot 80 to 90 percent in the Sunday drill, no excuses. “I don’t take a shot unless I expect to make it. I expect to make every shot I take.”
It was also pointed out that once Redick starts these workouts in July, he goes six days a week and does not travel -- that commitment.
There's a great article J.J. Redick via CoachingClipboard.org. It’s well worth reading in its entirety here.
The piece talks about Redick’s off-season shooting program:
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up two-pointers
◄Full speed perimeter shuttles into 140 spot up three-pointers
•Must make 20 shots at seven difference spots
◄42 pull-up jumpers off the dribble
•21 to the right...21 to the left
◄20 free throws
Coaching Clipboard points out that Redick can be a perfectionist.
“It’s more OCD. I’m pretty obsessive about things,” Redick said. He expects himself to shoot 80 to 90 percent in the Sunday drill, no excuses. “I don’t take a shot unless I expect to make it. I expect to make every shot I take.”
It was also pointed out that once Redick starts these workouts in July, he goes six days a week and does not travel -- that commitment.
Monday, June 13, 2016
STEPH CURRY'S APPROACH TO WORKING ON HIS SHOT
The great ones are intentional and deliberate in the approach to work and improvement. Listening to Mike Dunlap at a coaching clinic a month ago he talked about a big key in Steph Curry's success is hit ability to create space -- before and after the catch -- to get his shot off. This is not an accident.
There was an outstanding article on SI.com’s written by Rob Mahoney. It a lengthy, well-written article and should be printed and passed out to your players -- you can read it in its entirety here.
For now, here are a few take aways starting with the price paid on the college level under the tutelage of his college coach:
Stephen Curry saw the white flag wave. It danced before him in a taunt as he went bullied and beaten, made to second-guess himself as he never had before. The wispy guard was put through the wringer in one-on-one workouts against bigger, stronger, more experienced players lined up one after another by Davidson coach Bob McKillop. This was Curry’s first day and McKillop intended to test the freshman’s mettle.
“I was tired and kind of frustrated and he came out and waved this white towel in my face,” Curry said. “He kept saying, over and over again: 'You wanna surrender, don't you? You wanna surrender? Go ahead, surrender.’”
Curry played on but never triumphed. Instead, he endured just as McKillop hoped he might—standing up, again and again, to be humbled.
Mahoney also writes of Curry’s growth from the standpoint of understanding shot selection:
“The biggest thing for me was the coaching aspect of understanding the balance between taking chances or making the simple play,” Curry said. “When to force the issue and when not to and understanding that dynamic of what happens on the court. I can go out and not be afraid to make mistakes, to turn the ball over every once in awhile if you're trying to make a pass through a tight window or something like that. But over the course of the game, you've got to make smart decisions and then use whatever footwork, whatever coordination to get the ball from point A to point B.”
The key? Curry’s relentless work ethic. We talk about game shots at game spots at game speed — Curry takes it to another level. Writes Mahoney:
"We do a warm-up drill every day that we practice where we literally work on just pivoting, stepping through, and pick-and-roll footwork. Just break it down, step by step. Those things happen so many times in a game that you might take it for granted—just the coordination it takes to be explosive in certain situations on the floor.
So we work on that in practice. Outside of that, I just kind of work on footwork in moves that I normally will make in a game, whether it's dribble moves into shots or the footwork coming off a screen, things like that. You drill that while you're getting shots up so that you'll obviously be efficient and make your workouts tough. But staying on top of that simple fundamental makes you a little bit faster, a little bit more creative, a little bit more efficient on the floor."
“With the stuff he does, he challenges himself to get less rhythm and use harder cuts and more speed,” said Warriors assistant Bruce Fraser. “He's always constantly pushing himself to make shots challenging so that when he gets in the game he's done that a lot.”
Mahoney also points out that not only Curry coachable, but he wants to be coached and coached hard:
“I respond best when a coach is able to get on me where he's raising his voice, yelling and whatever, because he expects greatness from me—especially when I'm not performing the way I'm supposed to,” Curry said. “I like to have, obviously, a mutual respect, and a guy who can be as consistent as possible with his message. But if I need to be yelled at and refocused, I'm open to that and I usually respond well.”
The great ones are intentional and deliberate in the approach to work and improvement. Listening to Mike Dunlap at a coaching clinic a month ago he talked about a big key in Steph Curry's success is hit ability to create space -- before and after the catch -- to get his shot off. This is not an accident.
There was an outstanding article on SI.com’s written by Rob Mahoney. It a lengthy, well-written article and should be printed and passed out to your players -- you can read it in its entirety here.
For now, here are a few take aways starting with the price paid on the college level under the tutelage of his college coach:
Stephen Curry saw the white flag wave. It danced before him in a taunt as he went bullied and beaten, made to second-guess himself as he never had before. The wispy guard was put through the wringer in one-on-one workouts against bigger, stronger, more experienced players lined up one after another by Davidson coach Bob McKillop. This was Curry’s first day and McKillop intended to test the freshman’s mettle.
“I was tired and kind of frustrated and he came out and waved this white towel in my face,” Curry said. “He kept saying, over and over again: 'You wanna surrender, don't you? You wanna surrender? Go ahead, surrender.’”
Curry played on but never triumphed. Instead, he endured just as McKillop hoped he might—standing up, again and again, to be humbled.
Mahoney also writes of Curry’s growth from the standpoint of understanding shot selection:
“The biggest thing for me was the coaching aspect of understanding the balance between taking chances or making the simple play,” Curry said. “When to force the issue and when not to and understanding that dynamic of what happens on the court. I can go out and not be afraid to make mistakes, to turn the ball over every once in awhile if you're trying to make a pass through a tight window or something like that. But over the course of the game, you've got to make smart decisions and then use whatever footwork, whatever coordination to get the ball from point A to point B.”
The key? Curry’s relentless work ethic. We talk about game shots at game spots at game speed — Curry takes it to another level. Writes Mahoney:
"We do a warm-up drill every day that we practice where we literally work on just pivoting, stepping through, and pick-and-roll footwork. Just break it down, step by step. Those things happen so many times in a game that you might take it for granted—just the coordination it takes to be explosive in certain situations on the floor.
So we work on that in practice. Outside of that, I just kind of work on footwork in moves that I normally will make in a game, whether it's dribble moves into shots or the footwork coming off a screen, things like that. You drill that while you're getting shots up so that you'll obviously be efficient and make your workouts tough. But staying on top of that simple fundamental makes you a little bit faster, a little bit more creative, a little bit more efficient on the floor."
“With the stuff he does, he challenges himself to get less rhythm and use harder cuts and more speed,” said Warriors assistant Bruce Fraser. “He's always constantly pushing himself to make shots challenging so that when he gets in the game he's done that a lot.”
Mahoney also points out that not only Curry coachable, but he wants to be coached and coached hard:
“I respond best when a coach is able to get on me where he's raising his voice, yelling and whatever, because he expects greatness from me—especially when I'm not performing the way I'm supposed to,” Curry said. “I like to have, obviously, a mutual respect, and a guy who can be as consistent as possible with his message. But if I need to be yelled at and refocused, I'm open to that and I usually respond well.”
Friday, June 3, 2016
RICK TORBETT: BUILDING A GREAT SHOOTING PROGRAM
Reviewing some old notes from a PGC/Glazier Clinic I attend. Here are some gems from Rick Torbett, founder of www.BetterBasketball.com:
8 Secrets to Training:
Preparation
Repetition
Attitude
Concentration
Technique
Intensity
Conditioning
Expectations
Can't create time...have to give things up.
If you want to be exceptional, you can't be normal.
Don't shoot to get in shape -- get in shape to shoot.
Ready -- get hands right
Set -- knee bend
Fire -- breaking of wrists w/feet leaving the ground
Post -- follow through...both arms
"Catch the rim between your wrists."
Eliminate excessive motion to increase accuracy.
"Pivot square up the most important thing in shooting." -Steve Alford
Train your vision.
Mel Gibson in "Patriots" -- "Aim small, miss small"
Aim at center loop
Concentrate so hard you get a headache.
Concentrate on straight -- don't worry about long & short
Train to ignore closeouts and fly byes
RICK TORBETT: BUILDING A GREAT SHOOTING PROGRAM
Reviewing some old notes from a PGC/Glazier Clinic I attend. Here are some gems from Rick Torbett, founder of www.BetterBasketball.com:
8 Secrets to Training:
Preparation
Repetition
Attitude
Concentration
Technique
Intensity
Conditioning
Expectations
Can't create time...have to give things up.
If you want to be exceptional, you can't be normal.
Don't shoot to get in shape -- get in shape to shoot.
Ready -- get hands right
Set -- knee bend
Fire -- breaking of wrists w/feet leaving the ground
Post -- follow through...both arms
"Catch the rim between your wrists."
Eliminate excessive motion to increase accuracy.
"Pivot square up the most important thing in shooting." -Steve Alford
Train your vision.
Mel Gibson in "Patriots" -- "Aim small, miss small"
Aim at center loop
Concentrate so hard you get a headache.
Concentrate on straight -- don't worry about long & short
Train to ignore closeouts and fly byes
8 Secrets to Training:
Preparation
Repetition
Attitude
Concentration
Technique
Intensity
Conditioning
Expectations
Can't create time...have to give things up.
If you want to be exceptional, you can't be normal.
Don't shoot to get in shape -- get in shape to shoot.
Ready -- get hands right
Set -- knee bend
Fire -- breaking of wrists w/feet leaving the ground
Post -- follow through...both arms
"Catch the rim between your wrists."
Eliminate excessive motion to increase accuracy.
"Pivot square up the most important thing in shooting." -Steve Alford
Train your vision.
Mel Gibson in "Patriots" -- "Aim small, miss small"
Aim at center loop
Concentrate so hard you get a headache.
Concentrate on straight -- don't worry about long & short
Train to ignore closeouts and fly byes
Friday, June 30, 2017
ANOTHER KOBE WORK EHTIC STORY
Kobe's professional trainer was fast asleep. Could you blame him? It was 3:30 am in the morning. All a sudden his phone starts ringing. It's Kobe. He must be in trouble, or in some kind of emergency. His trainer is freaking out, and nervously picks up the phone.
Kobe says that he's doing some conditioning work and could use his trainer's help. The trainer then proceeds to get ready and head over to the gym. He arrives around 4:30 am.
What did he see? He saw Kobe by himself practicing. Drenched in sweat, it looked like he just jumped in a pool. It wasn't even 5am in the morning yet.
Monday, June 12, 2017
UNTIL
One of the most important elements to your practice, especially when you are working without your coaches, is that it is both deliberate and intentional. In other words, don't just pick up a basketball and start shooting. What shot are you working on? What move are you trying to develop?
Make sure you are concentrating on the elements of execution and going at a pace and speed that will translate to success on the court. We had Kevin Eastman speak to our team last season and he told some stories on Kobe Bryant and the "intentionality of his workouts."
Eastman had been told that Kobe might go to the gym and spend two or three hours working on one move -- ONE MOVE!
When Eastman ran into Kobe they talked about that and he asked Kobe, "How long do you work on a particular move?"
To which Kobe replied, "Until."
That's the mentality of a professional and a great player. They don't get bored with the repetition of developing their skill.
They work "until."
This reminded me of past post on the same subject.
One of my original mentors in the game of basketball is Marianne Stanley. During my early years of coaching I worked her summer basketball camps at Old Dominion. In fact, I was good for two weeks for about nine years in Norfolk. Marianne ran a great camp -- it was a teaching camp -- because she is first and foremost a teacher. She is one of the greats of our profession that have fought to get our game where it is now. That's why Sunday was such a special day as she came by to observe our practice. Marianne is currently an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics and is doing her homework for the upcoming draft.
She took the time to talk to our team about elements that go into taking your game to the next level and the word that came to the forefront is passion. You have to be passionate about your profession to excel in it.
She also took a few minutes to pass on a conversation she had had with Coach John Wooden. Many years ago she was asking Coach Wooden about what made Bill Walton such a great player.
"He didn't get bored with the repetition that you need to be great," replied Coach Wooden.
How many players are good but don't work at something long enough and hard enough to excel at it? The word Marianne used was "mastery." She said the great ones didn't mind the constant repetition because their goal was to master the parts of their game.
She took the time to talk to our team about elements that go into taking your game to the next level and the word that came to the forefront is passion. You have to be passionate about your profession to excel in it.
She also took a few minutes to pass on a conversation she had had with Coach John Wooden. Many years ago she was asking Coach Wooden about what made Bill Walton such a great player.
"He didn't get bored with the repetition that you need to be great," replied Coach Wooden.
How many players are good but don't work at something long enough and hard enough to excel at it? The word Marianne used was "mastery." She said the great ones didn't mind the constant repetition because their goal was to master the parts of their game.
REGARDLESS OF SKILL AND TALENT - ALL PLAYERS CAN DO THESE THINGS:
Bob Starkey posted the following thoughts:
Some players can be found doing too much. At times players can play with the thought of trying to impress a coach and end up over doing it as opposed to doing what their team needs to do to play better. Ironically, helping your team play at a higher level is more impressive to college coaches than individual performance.
During the summer, I found myself jotting down a few things that EVERY player could do to be better that had nothing to do with talent. Things that regardless of their skill level, they could enhance their contribution by focusing on these areas:
1. Shot Fake and Pass Fake
Truly a lost art. When's the last time you said to yourself, "that player is excellent as shot and pass fakes." Of course part of the responsibility belongs to us as a coaches -- are we teaching and emphasizing it? Few things can help an offensive player more than the proper use of a pass fake and a shot fake.
2. Know and Execute the Plays
Sounds a little silly saying "know the plays" but it's amazing to see a player or two who doesn't know where they are supposed to be or what they are supposed to being doing. Whether is an inbounds plays, a half-court set, a motion entry or anything else structured, take the time to know where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to be doing. Next is execution -- doing it when you are supposed to and as well as you can. This does not take talent but commitment to knowing and understanding your team's playbook.
3. Play Hard
Again, seems like it shouldn't have to be said but it does. And here is the key to playing hard -- you have to do it all the time...not just when your team's ahead or the play is called for you. Playing hard means that you are making all your cuts in your offense hard. It means that you are sprinting to screen. It means that getting back on defense is a full speed proposition.
4. Have a Team First Attitude
Be the player constantly encouraging their teammates...picking them up both physically and emotionally when the time comes. Don't be the player with the horrific body language when a teammate turns the ball over as if you were saying "I wouldn't have made that mistake." If a played does make a mistake, correct it is a positive manner.
5. Understand Shot Selection
Forcing shots does not help your team nor does it impress a college coach. Know what a good shot is for you -- and yes, your shot selection will vary from those of your teammates. Don't hunt shots, let the shots find you.
6. Concentrate
As I heard Nick Saban once say, "Wherever your shoes are, be there." Don't wonder mentally. Stay focused to the job at hand. Be a process oriented player. Don't worry about the past play -- it's over. Don't worry about a play in the future they may or may not happen. All you can control is the current possession you are involved with -- give the possession complete concentration.
7. Be a Great Listener
This actually can do a long way to helping with concentration. In timeouts are you locked in with your eyes and ears. Does you coach have your complete attention. There's a free throw situation and your coach or captain is barking out instructions. Are you actually listening and processing or just hearing -- and there is a difference between listening and hearing.
8. Be in Great Shape
Without doing anything in regard to skill work...without saying anything about your talent level...you can make an impact on your team by being in great physical shape. When the game is in the fourth quarter or late int he second half and everyone else is starting to drag, this is where you can make a difference. Not only will you be a step faster because of your conditioning level, but you will be mentally sharper as well. How many times have we seen a team put on a late run and in large part because of players that are in just better shape that run the floor and past their opponent.
9. Control Your Intangibles
Again, these have nothing to do with skill or talent but they are game changers. The three areas that players can control (but often choose not to) are: attitude, energy, enthusiasm. Now I'm not saying it is easy but if you want to make a difference in your team its well work working on. By controlling your intangibles, I mean you don't let officiating, teammates, opponents, coaches, gym conditions or anything else effect you having a team-first attitude, with high energy and positive enthusiasm.
10. Be an Example
What do your teammates see when they see or think of you? He or she is always early to the gym. They stay late. They are on time for meetings. They listen to the coach. They keep their composure. Off the court they conducting themselves the right way. They maintain a proper diet to put fuel in the tank. They are positive talkers -- not criticizing a coach or gossiping about a teammate.
11. Rebound
Some of the best rebounders are lacking in talent and athleticism -- they board well because of effort and tenacity. Rebounding is one of the only areas in basketball where it's alright to selfish. I've coached for over 35 years and have never heard of a coach taking a player out for rebounding too much!
11. Rebound
Some of the best rebounders are lacking in talent and athleticism -- they board well because of effort and tenacity. Rebounding is one of the only areas in basketball where it's alright to selfish. I've coached for over 35 years and have never heard of a coach taking a player out for rebounding too much!
I would imagine some of my coaching friends can add to this list but the key for players to understand is that every player can adopt these principles and it will make them a better player and their team a better team. There's nothing on here that requires you to jump higher, run faster or have an amazing handle. Be committed to areas that you can control and work towards being the best you can in those areas.
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