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12 qualities of great basketball teams
Last season was very gratifying for me, as I was able to return to basketball as a scout. While my focus was to gather the necessary information for my scouting reports, I enjoyed watching what successful programs do in various situations. I once rea...

Preparation strategies for the game’s final minutes
As a young coach, I had the pleasure of hearing Hall of Fame coach Hubie Brown speak at a clinic. During his talk, he stressed the importance of the game’s closing minutes, identifying your closer, and recognizing the closer from the opposing team....

Decision training on your team pays huge dividends
"Come on, guys! Make better decisions!" How many times as fans, players, or even coaches have we heard or used this statement? Coaches demand that players make better decisions, but like anything else it takes practice. [caption id="attachment_1189...

10 creative methods for ‘selling’ defense to your players
It may sound like a cliché, but our program strongly believes that we win championships with defense. We also believe that the foundation of any quality program is based on defense. [caption id="attachment_11874" align="alignleft" width="319"] Pho...

Charting summer progress builds better players
To get your players primed for next season, you’ve got to make sure that they’re working hard in both the offseason and summer. During that time, they must know exactly what’s expected of them to improve as players. The following charts and off...

A season in the stands
Observations after taking a year off from coaching basketball After 21 years as a basketball coach, I was afforded the opportunity to take a season off. I remember a few years back one of my colleagues telling me that when you get out, “You will as...

Motivating Moments: Can you force players to be committed?
Commitment is the soul of teams everywhere. Without it, it's impossible to find success, regardless of talent. And with it, teams that might lack the physical strengths of other programs find ways to win. When thinking about commitment, we're remind...

Motivating Moments: Ray Allen’s top-level preparation
Benjamin Franklin once said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." You can bet that was never an issue with NBA Hall-of-Famer Ray Allen. Allen made his mark by being one of the game's all-time best 3-point shooters. But he didn't get t...

Don Meyer’s 7 ways coaches lose games
Don Meyer is among college basketball’s winningest coaches, but he also knew a thing or two about losing. In 2010, Winning Hoops spoke with Meyer and he shared his seven thoughts on how teams can lose a game. By recognizing the factors that contri...

8 strategies for developing as an assistant coach
To be a successful athlete, a player seeks the guidance of a good coach. Likewise, for a coach to find success, they need the support of an experienced and knowledgeable coach. Working as an assistant coach can be a powerful learning experience in de...