Great Thoughts for Basketball Coaching -

These are some of the ideas that were contained in a past version of the Iona newsletter. I really like these thoughts.

Notes from a clinic given by Kevin Eastman, Boston Celtics

1. No excuses (we worked with the players to come up with their standard 11 excuses that they would use. We don’t tolerate them.)

Your PT/paycheck is your responsibility.
You want to play (business: earn) more, bring more value.
Stop worrying about playing/making more and focus on becoming more because if you bring value, the PT/money will find you.
If you can do 1 thing and I can do that too along with 1 more thing, I play or I get the job.
Big eyes, big ears, small mouth.Doc Rivers wants to know what every coach in every sport does.
KG hounds Bill Russell with questions when he comes to town.
The best want to know what the best does. By talking to them, we get the benefit of their success.

2. Invest vs. Entitlement

Young players desperately need to hear this: “YOU’RE ENTITLED TO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THIS GAME.”
Turn entitlement to the power of investment
How does Ray Allen invest in his success? Come to the arena 3 hours before a game and see Ray Allen’s shooting workout.
How do players invest in their success? Practicing, talking to good players, watching film (their own), watching film (the best).

3. The Power of the dash

“When my father died everyone kept on talking about the 86 years he lived until. I realized that when people looked at his tombstone that read 1921-2007, they just simply didn’t get it. His life wasn’t about the 1921 nor was it about the 2007. It was about the dash.”
When your time is done at the spot you’re at: will you leave a job or a legacy? If you ask yourself what you can do to leave a legacy, you’ll automatically make yourself better.
Are you in your players’ top 3? If your players were to name their 3 most impactful people in their lives, how many lists would you be on?
Doc Rivers is maniacal about this.

Thoughts from other coaches from the Iona newsletter:

Roy Williams: Have your players write down 3 goals for the summer before they leave for break. Meet with them in the fall ask them, “Did you do them?”
Chuck Daly: Defenses don’t get beat on help, they get beat on recovery.
Larry Shyatt: Whether you’re playing man or zone, if your team has a habit of “We hit 1st”, you will have success rebounding.
Don Meyer: Guards must keep their rear end to the ball during help. Fake at the ball and retreat. If we come open like that, we better be getting the ball (charge or trap).
Mike Dunlap: Penetration is a virus to all defenses.
Don Meyer: Your players tend to become what they believe you think they are.
Larry Brown: In offensive or defensive transition, our big’s job is simple: get ahead of the ball.
Pete Gillen: How good is their backup point guard? Can we steal a couple of points by pressing when he enters?
Bear Bryant: “The first time you quit, it’s hard. The second time, it gets easier. The 3rd time, you don’t even have to think about it.”
Spencer Wood: “You will never outperform your self-belief system.”