Your Best Player

The past three years, I've had the opportunity to coach the best girl's basketball player in the Washington State Class 1B's in Lake Quinault's Kellie Sansom. She will be playing next fall for Cheryl Holden at Columbia Basin Community College.

This young lady has really improved her game so much the past three seasons. She is the most competitive player I have coached. She was our best player, but yet she was our hardest worker.

To be a successful team, your best player MUST be your hardest worker.

Every team has a best player. Some of these "best players" understand the responsibilities that goes with that and others don't. We have found that those who do have two things in common:

• they have earned this designation (not just been given it)
• they understand it's an everyday responsibility.

Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett made a comment when he was talking to a teammate about consistency. He said, "an All-Star has to be a pit-bill; he/she has to bring it every night."

Everyone wants to be a Michael Jordan or Time Duncan or LeBron James or Steve Nash, but they don't want the responsibility that goes with it. What Kevin Garnett was saying is being the best is not a one-time thing. It is an everyday commitment to excel as a player who gives maximum effort every time he/she hits the floor. That means every game, every half, every quarter, every minute, every second, and every possession!!!

And this will be the case for anyone in any field who is - or wants to become - the best! It is a personal commitment that takes incredible daily focus. I encourage you to use Kellie as an example with the player or players on your team who may be taking this for granted. You can tell them that Kellie not only talks the talk but walks the walk. She understands that being the best requires more!

Spacing

When I think of the term "Spacing", I think of how Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has structured his offense over the years. Yes, the Pick-n-Roll (Stockton-to-Malone) has been a trademark of Sloan's offenses over the years, but if you really look at their offensive sets, I am amazed by the spacing they have.

Spacing is a concept that many coaches and players talk about, but very few really spend time understanding. We utilize spacing so that we can put the maximum amount of pressure on our opponent's help defense. We feel we not only have to take advantage of defensive mismatches every game, we have to put as much pressure on the "help & recover" part of the opponent's defense as possible. We believe the key to accomplishing this is through our spacing.

Our goal with our Spacing are:

• Make it difficult for one man to guard two.
• Make them be in constant "close-out" game defensively.
• Give the ball room to make a play (do not crowd the ball).
• Distort their help, their recoveries, and their rotations.

Some guidelines of Spacing:

• Stay 18' - 20' apart.
• Stay on a string with the player next to you; be ready to fill an open spacing spot if he/she cuts or rolls.
• Be prepared to "drive the close out"; make a "decisive catch & read"
• Finish your spacing, e.g. after a cut to the basket and not receiving a pass - continue your cut outside of the tree point line to space the floor back up (good teaching term - "when in doubt...spread out")

Spacing is something that needs to be emphasized every day. Although it is a simple concept to explain, it is a difficult concept to master, even at the NBA level. With defenses today being so good, we feel we have to put them in situations where they have to make an important defensive decision:

• Do I help & risk not being able to recover or,
• Do I stay & risk us being driven on?

This is the state of hesitation we want the defense in. It allows us just enough time to make a higher percentage play, and put the defense at a distinct disadvantage.

Eight Keys to a Quality Shooting Workout

Whenever I put together a shooting workout for a player, I always make sure I have the following components...

Get these types of shots:

• catch-shoot shots: spot up

• cut-catch-shoot shots: cutting into the shot

• off-the-dribble shots

• quick penetration shots: when a player catches the ball and immediately explodes into his/her move, when the defender is running out and out of control.

• shot fake penetration shots: when a player shot fakes on the catch to get the defender leaning, then explodes into his/her move.

• shots from the players' operational area: As a coach, you must chart every possible shot and area that each position will get in your offense; then make sure to devise drills in these areas.

• Finish at the Rim shots: the ability to finish drives is critical to the efficiency of your offense. Have a coach defending at the rim and contesting the shot/fouling the player; players must be able to finish through contact and length.

Get Game Shots - From Game Spots - At Game Speed:

• Game Shots: being ready, from proper spot & distance
• Game Spots: from the operational areas mentioned above
• Game Speed: work with a 2-second rule; ball must be released withing 2 seconds after the catch.

Demand "PERFECT FORM" on all Shots:

• Perfect Feet: "10 toes to the rim" will properly square a player up
• Perfect Follow-Thru
• Constant emphasis on footwork & balance
• Remind them that the "quality of the feet will determine the quality of the shot."

Contest All Shots: A coach should contest all practice shots taken. Most shots in a game will have a defender near or running at the shooter.

Chart All Shots Taken: Keeping track of all makes and misses has added a higher level of concentration to our shooting workouts and allows a player to measure his improvement.

Never Miss 2 In A Row: We try to put a little pressure on the shooter by asking him to focus at such a high level that he/she will never miss two in a row. We have found that this keeps a player from "just shooting shots" and creates a higher level of concentration during his/her workout.

Ten Thoughts About Playing Defense

Was reading some Kevin Eastman stuff last night and came across some defensive stuff to stimulate your thinking about Defensive Basketball:

• It's a "shoulders game." Defender should always make sure to keep his/her shoulders lower than the shoulders of the player he/she is guarding.

• Do you teach how to foul late in the game? Make sure you wrap both your arms above both arms of the offensive player so that he/she can never get into his/her shooting position.

• Do you have rules in regard to late game fouling? Consider only fouling a person who has their back to the basket, making sure it will never be a shooting foul.

• Do you teach your players how to talk on defense? Consider teaching them that all talk should be (1) early (as play is developing or even before it develops); (2) loud (make sure your teammates hears your talk); (3) continuous (make sure if they don't hear it the first time that you always repeat it - good rule is 3 times, e.g., LEFT-LEFT-LEFT).

• Do you detail how to switch? Consider teaching 3 steps: (1) talk it (2) touch it and (3) switch it.

• Defender must make contact with his/her man before the screen makes contact with him/her or he/she will be screened and his/her man will be able to control the cut.

• Transition Defense: Do you teach your team that in transition they are guarding the open man on the other team not their man?

• Focus on contesting shots early in the game so that you can take some of the shooter's confidence away early in that night's game.

• Do you mandate that your players get to their help spots early, making sure that the offensive player sees no open seams as soon as he/she catches it?

• Have you gotten your best player to buy into the importance of your defense? When you get that you have a chance to be special defensively...
  

Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness

I was reading over the weekend, Don Yeager's website and wanted some insights of Don's. Don has compiled these sixteen characteristics that every winner that exhibits greatness has.

If you are interested in Don's work, books or web-site, go to:

www.donyeager.com

HOW THEY THINK:

1. It's Personal
They hate to lose more than they love to win.

2. Rubbing Elbows
They understand the value of association.

3. Believe
They have faith in a higher power.

4. Contagious Enthusiasm
They are positive thinkers...They are enthusiastic...and that enthusiasm rubs off.

HOW THEY PREPARE

5. Hope For The Best, But...
They prepare for all possibilities before they step on the floor.

6. What Off-Season?
They are always working towards the next game...The goal is what's ahead and there's always something ahead.

7. Visualize Victory
They see victory before the game begins.

8. Inner Fire
They use adversity as fuel.

HOW THEY WORK

9. Ice In Their Veins
They are risk-takers and don't fear mistakes.

10. When All Else Fails
They know how - and when - to adjust their game plan.

11. Ultimate Teammate
They will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.

12. Not Just About The Benjamins
They don't play just for the money.

HOW THEY LIVE

13. Do Unto Others
They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help themselves.

14. When No One Is Watching
They are comfortable in the mirror...they live their life with integrity.

15. When Everyone Is Watching
They embrace the idea of being a role model.

16. Records Are Made To Be Broken
They know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.

A Great Father's Day Tribute

Saw a very moving Father's Day tribute on Twitter this morning. Coach Eric Musselman's sister Nichole, wrote this tribute to their dad, Coach Bill Musselman.

http://bit.ly/omKHl

To all the dads out there, have a wonderful Father's Day!!!!

10 Keys to Playing Away from the Ball

Some great thoughts from Coach Randy Brown, Director of the Iowa Player Development Academy as you send your son/daughter to summer basketball camp.

Coach Brown asks the question: Will these 10 skills be taught at the camps you have signed them up for?

10 Keys to learning to play without the ball:

1. After passing, cut hard to a different area of the floor. Avoid standing after passing.

2. Keep your eyes "off the ball." This is a common fault of young players to "ball watch."

3. Get a teammate open with a screen or good spacing.

4. Teach hard, purposeful cuts to open areas of the floor.

5. Form a "window" with your hands, expecting to catch the ball on every cut to the ball.

6. Footwork is everything. Learn proper footwork for posting up, cutting, using screens and getting open.

7. Learn to change speeds and direction to set up your cuts.

8. Be hard to guard by being unpredictable in your movements and cuts.

9. Be in constant motion by setting and using screens.

10. Realize your greatest value to the team is your ability to play without the ball. Rebounding, screening, spacing, cutting and communication can all be done effectively without the ball in your hands.

Coach Brown runs the Iowa Player Development Academy. His goal is to teach players "HOW" to play the game of basketball. He also mentors coaches as well. Coach Brown has helped me develop my basketball academy and has advised me on several occasions on how to be a better coach and person.

Coach Brown also runs a web-site called CoachRB.com I suggest you take a look at his web-site as it has a ton of helpful resources. To contact Coach Brown, you can e-mail him at: rb@coachrb.com