Moreira detailed his defensive strategies including peel switching and tagging-up concepts, while emphasizing the importance of practice over play in player development, drawing from his international coaching experience in Brazil. Arthur discussed his team's focus on transition offense, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and player movement. He discussed his offensive system emphasizing the importance of keeping offenses simple while adapting to personnel. Arthur also discussed how his program's strong community support in Moscow, Idaho helped retain players and create a family environment, particularly benefiting international players from Brazil.

Wise shared insights about roster retention, strategic adjustments including shifting to a tougher defensive lineup, and the importance of maintaining team culture during the tournament run. He emphasized the value of staff alignment and staying true to coaching principles, while noting that the current landscape of college basketball requires constant creation and adaptation due to high roster turnover.

Wise has extensive previous coaching experience, including serving as a Graduate Assistant for the University of Florida’s men’s basketball program, two stints as an Assistant Coach at the University of Wyoming (where he was part of the 2015 Mountain West Tournament title and NCAA berth), an Assistant Coach at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, and an Assistant Coach at East Tennessee State University. He also worked as Director of Video & Creative Content for the University of Alabama’s women’s basketball team during the 2021-22 season, before serving as Assistant and later Associate Head Coach for Samford University’s women’s basketball program from 2022 to 2025.

Irons also reflected on his father's coaching legacy and how he incorporates lessons learned from mentors like Dennis Gates and constraint-led approaches into his coaching methodology. The conversation covered practical aspects of player development, managing transient rosters, and dealing with agents and inner circles, with Irons emphasizing the need for transparency and honest communication with players at all levels.

O'Brien shared his experience implementing constraint-led training approaches in the WNBA, emphasizing the importance of creating environments where players can explore and problem-solve rather than following rigid drills. He explained his coaching philosophy centered on three key principles: pace, shot profile, and spacing, along with defensive principles of on-ball disruption and off-ball shrink.

O'Brien discussed how to implement these concepts at all levels of basketball, including specific examples of constraint-based training drills and scoring systems, while noting that while players may initially push back against this approach, they eventually develop a preference for the problem-solving methodology over traditional repetitive drilling.

The discussion covered topics including shot selection, position development, the balance between winning and player development, and the overuse of tournament play versus focused practice time. We explored how to implement constraint-based training and reduce reliance on traditional drills, while addressing the challenges of coaching younger players (10-12 years old) and managing parent expectations. The conversation concluded with recommendations for reducing tournament participation while increasing development-focused practice time, and the importance of monetizing coaching positions to support better player development.

Coach Hodges shared insights on balancing control and trust as a head coach, the challenges of transitioning from playing to coaching, and the value of mentorship in her career. She also highlighted the unique opportunities provided by the Unrivaled League for player growth and development. The conversation touched on her approach to defensive systems, player confidence-building, and the role of technology in modern coaching. Coach Hodges expressed gratitude for the mentors who have shaped her career and looked forward to applying her experiences in her role with the Connecticut Sun.

01:54 Unrivaled Season Recap

04:17 Player to Coach Shift

11:05 Drafting Culture and Identity

12:02 Defensive Foundations

15:11 Offense and Player Development

18:20 Staff Roles and Safe Space

21:16 Player Pet Peeves

24:41 Building On Court Chemistry

29:06 In Game Adjustments

29:54 Assistant Coach Feedback

31:37 Postgame Self Scout

33:59 Substitutions And Roles

36:27 Building Player Confidence

39:35 Tech And Analytics

Jamill Jones serves as a Director with Team Takeover, one of the premier programs on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he provides leadership across elite player development, program structure, and national representation. He articulates a development‑first philosophy rooted in defense, accountability, and family culture, emphasizing long‑term growth over short‑term results.

Team Takeover’s model prioritizes practice over games, beginning player development as early as third grade, maintaining coaching continuity across age groups, and creating consistent standards throughout the program. Jones stresses transparent communication as a cornerstone of success, highlighted by regular parent and coach Zoom calls to align expectations and reduce common conflicts.

The program’s practice‑first approach, intentionally demanding practices, and supportive game‑day environment reinforce learning without public criticism. Team Takeover also avoids traditional A/B/C team labels, instead offering multiple competitive pathways to account for non‑linear player development. In addition to his grassroots leadership, Jones brings extensive collegiate experience from assistant coaching roles at Florida Gulf Coast, VCU, UCF, and Wake Forest, as well as national instructional experience through the Nike Skills Summit and other elite basketball platforms.

Bret also highlighted the need for coaches to constantly re-engage their players with the vision and purpose of the team, as engagement is not linear but requires ongoing effort. The episode concluded with Bret offering advice for coaches who didn't have a great season, encouraging them to face reality, challenge themselves with innovative solutions, and focus on building strong relationships.

Bret Burchard is the co-founder of ChampionShift where he helps elite coaches build high-performing teams fast. With over 15 years of coaching experience at the professional and collegiate levels, Bret understands the pressure to win at the highest levels and the desire to make an impact through coaching. He has co-authored 8 books on leadership and mindset development, including his most recent “Make Culture Your Edge: A Simple Formula for Building Winning Teams.

03:13 Lead For Impact

06:12 Coach Mindset Under Pressure

09:44 Validation Drift Signs

13:16 Burnout And Meaning

17:37 Culture Tension Points

22:04 Building Culture From Vision

24:42 Why Culture Feels Overwhelming

25:32 Culture Meeting Overwhelm

26:17 Template Not Temperament

27:18 Diagnosing Culture Clearly

28:56 Survivorship Bias Traps

29:40 Preparation and Standards Ditches

32:46 Let Culture Evolve

34:03 Bike Wrecks vs Car Wrecks

36:20 Engagement Is Not Linear

39:58 Repeat the Vision Daily

41:49 Postseason Reset Process

44:43 Free Coaches From Hustle

Episode Breakdown:

02:32 Hockey Embraces CLA

05:41 What Fun Really Means

09:04 Practice Beats Games

11:27 Individual Solutions

13:36 Game Practice to Home

16:46 Learning Through Struggle

23:11 Feedback and Constraints

26:06 Direct Instruction Role

26:22 External Cues Coaching

28:12 Adaptable Technique Growth

29:59 Decision-Based Practice

34:05 Teaching Scanning Skills

40:37 Mindset Through Competition

45:40 Coach Advice And Parents

52:05 Invasion Sports Wrap Up

He also touched on the challenges and opportunities in women's basketball, including the impact of social media and financial pressures on young players. The conversation covered Neighbors' approach to defensive strategies, practice efficiency, and the evolving role of analytics in coaching. The episode concluded with Neighbors expressing his excitement about joining the Dallas Wings and continuing to contribute to the growth of women's basketball.

Episode Breakdown:

01:46 College to WNBA: Why the Transition Felt Like Being a Rookie Again

03:06 Assistant Coach Best Practices: The 5 Things You Want / 5 Things You Don’t

09:30 Sustaining a 30-Year Coaching Career (and What Happens When You Lose a Job)

12:17 Playing Fast the Right Way: Pace, Shot Quality, and Transition Defense

15:54 When to Tap the Brakes: Turnovers, Bad Shots, and Shot Distribution Rules

23:29 Short Roll Playmaking as a Superpower (and Why It’s Hard at Lower Levels)

25:52 Coaching Confident Scorers: Green Lights, Shot Selection, and Immediate Feedback

30:44 Conceptual Offense: Triads, Sequencing Actions & Creating Flow

34:30 Offensive Rebounding vs. Transition Defense (WNBA Lessons)

36:35 Efficient Practices: Combo Drills, No Lines & Maximizing Every Minute

39:21 Motivate vs. Inspire + The ‘Curse of the Clinic’ (Make It Fit Your Team)

42:21 Defense in the Pros: Versatility, Guarding the Ball & ‘Death Shots’

47:04 If I Went Back to College: Faster Feedback Loops, Standards & Protecting Players

Cottingham emphasized the role of player-led initiatives, regular recognition of individual achievements, and the involvement of parents in team activities to create a supportive environment. He also connected the program's success to its emphasis on developing players' decision-making skills and resilience, while maintaining a competitive yet respectful approach to the game.

Episode Breakdown:

02:17 Challenges and Rewards of Coaching at a Small College

05:14 Core Values and Team Culture

09:09 Preseason Fun Week

13:31 Iron Teams and Leadership Development

16:32 Culture Meetings and Heart and Head Sessions

24:13 Circle of Trust: Building Team Unity

28:44 The Power of Gratitude in Sports

29:55 Individual Player Meetings: A Deeper Connection

34:32 Service Projects: Giving Back to the Community

38:50 Recognizing Excellence: Weekly Awards

43:10 Post-Game Team Time with Parents

45:32 Connecting Culture to On-Court Success

Clayton Thompson serves as the Coordinator of Integrated Performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he sits at the cutting edge of professional sports science and player development. With a background as an R&D Engineer and a Master’s in Business Administration, Thompson is a vocal advocate for dismantling the traditional silos between "strength and conditioning" and "on-field skill." His philosophy is built on the belief that human movement should be treated as a unified system, rejecting the narrow label of "Strength Coach" in favor of a model that integrates biomechanical data, force-plate analytics, and technical skill acquisition.

Before joining the Dodgers, Thompson refined his data-driven approach at Driveline Baseball, the industry leader in data-informed performance training. His career also includes pivotal roles at TCU (Texas Christian University) and Sanford Health, where he bridged the gap between collegiate athletics and clinical sports science. By applying engineering principles to the kinetic chain, Thompson has become an expert in optimizing rotational power and deceleration—concepts that are as vital for a pitcher's delivery as they are for a basketball player’s jump shot or step-back.

Matt Van Pelt is currently the Head Coach of the Vietnam Men’s National Team, as well as the Hanoi Buffaloes, the reigning champions of the Vietnam Basketball Association. He now has basketball experience in 28 countries, having ran camps and clinics all over the world, and is also the owner of Van Pelt Sports Management and the co-owner of Pro Coaches Academy and The Performance Lab, in addition to being a FIBA Certified Head Coach in Vietnam.

Matt has been in Vietnam on and off since 2017, where he is the winningest coach in the nation’s history with a record of 81 wins and 16 losses between 2 leagues and with 2 organizations. Matt won 3 straight VBA championships & 3 straight Supporter’s Cup Championships with the Saigon Heat, the country’s oldest professional team. Matt also led the Saigon Heat to the 1-seed and a finals appearance in the Asean Basketball League, which formerly hosted 10 teams from 9 countries in Asia, for the first time in the organization’s history in 2023.

In addition to 5v5 ventures, Matt was also the Head Coach of the Vietnam 3x3 Men’s National Team from 2022-24, where he won a VBA 3x3 championship, a silver medal in the 2022 Southeast Asian games, and pushed Vietnam to its best ever finish in the 2025 FIBA Asia.

Matt is a former professional basketball player overseas, where he played as a point guard in 13 countries in 7 years. Before going overseas, Matt was a 4-year starter as a player at Spring Arbor University in Michigan, where he also won the nation’s Pete Maravich Award.

Coleman Ayers is the founder of By Any Means Basketball, a global training and media organization dedicated to player development. Launching the brand as a high schooler in Washington, D.C., Coleman turned his passion for skill acquisition and research-backed training into a worldwide movement. After finishing his playing career at St. John’s College High School, he chose to forgo college basketball opportunities and moved to Miami, studied exercise physiology, and began working with players of all levels while building a reputation for blending science, creativity, and culture into modern basketball development.

Coleman’s approach emphasizes holistic development—integrating psychology, movement science, and global basketball philosophies to create adaptable, high-IQ players. His DETAIL Miami facility serves as a hub for elite training, while his educational platforms, including the Attention to Detail podcast, share insights with coaches and players worldwide. Having worked with athletes in over 35 countries and collaborated with NBA talent, Coleman continues to push boundaries in player development. He is also the co-founder of ADAPT Academy.

Both of his books, Deep Skill and the Modern Basketball Blueprint, reached number one in Amazon’s basketball category.

Uwarow is currently the Director of Athletics at West Florida Baptist Academy. He became head coach at Bob Jones University in April of 2017 as the second head coach in program history. In his first year as head coach, he led the Bruins to an astounding 22-11 record to lead them to their second NCCAA DII national tournament and first NCCAA DII national championship game in program history.

In his eight seasons with the Bruins, Uwarow led the team to five winning seasons and four regional championship titles. Each regional title was paired with a South Region Coach of Year honor for Uwarow. Following the 2023-2024 season, he was named the NCCAA DII National Coach of the Year, the only Bruins basketball coach to ever receive that honor.

With Uwarow at the helm, the Bruins held a 114-90 overall record with an impressive 68-22 record against NCCAA opponents.

In his eight seasons at BJU, he saw 13 NCCAA Scholar-Athletes, 19 NCCAA DII South All-Region players, five NCCAA DII Region All-Freshman team players, one NCCAA DII South Region Freshman of the Year, five NCCAA DII South Region Players of the Year, and nine NCCAA DII All-American players.

Before coming to Bob Jones University, Uwarow coached the varsity basketball team at Creekside Christian Academy in McDonough, Georgia. In just seven seasons, he transformed the team from a first year program into state champions, winning three Division I-AA State Championships. He has also served in head coaching positions for public and private schools in South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

Dan Davis is the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Grace College, where he has established one of the most successful eras in program history. His coaching career spans over 200 total wins and includes both NCAA and NAIA coaching experience.

Davis's teams are known for a high-octane style of play, achieving national statistical ranks in scoring offense and turnover margin. His aggressive approach led to the Grace College women's basketball team setting a collegiate scoring record in a 172–91 victory over Ohio Christian, which stands as the most points ever recorded in a single game by any collegiate women's team across NAIA, NCAA Division I, II, or III.

During his tenure at Grace, Davis led the Lancers to the 2024 NCCAA National Championship, securing the program's first-ever national title, and was consequently named the 2024 NCCAA National Coach of the Year. The 2022–2023 season marked a significant breakthrough, as Davis guided the team to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time and set new program records for total wins (24), conference wins (13), and the longest winning streak (7). His commitment to player development is evidenced by coaching both the former and current all-time leading scorers in Grace College program history (Vironnica Drake and Maddie Ryman).

Prior to Grace, Davis coached for 10 years at Auburn University-Montgomery (AUM). At AUM, he compiled a record of 157–139, led the Warhawks to two appearances in the NAIA Division I National Tournament, and was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Scott Fitch is one of the most accomplished and trusted coaches in the USA Basketball pipeline, with more than two decades of sustained success at the national, grassroots, and high school levels. In January 2025, Fitch was named Head Coach of the 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U16 National Team, a role in which he led the program to a 6–0 record and the gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup. He was also selected as a court coach for the 2025 USA Men’s Junior National Team April minicamp in San Antonio, continuing his long-standing involvement with USA Basketball’s elite development pathway. These appointments represent the latest in 20-plus coaching assignments with USA Basketball,

Scott Fitch has also been the head boys basketball coach at Fairport High School in New York since 2001. Fitch has been honored five times as the Monroe County Coach of the Year, twice as the Section V Coach of the Year and twice All-Greater Rochester Coach of the Year. He led his team to back-to-back Section V Championships in 2006 and 2007 and to the state final four in 2007. In 2016-17, Fitch led Fairport to a 22-2 record, a section title and the state championship game.

Fitch has played a central role across multiple Junior National Team minicamps, including April and October 2024, and has contributed at nearly every level of the USA Basketball youth system. His previous national team experience includes serving as a court coach for the 2022 USA Men’s U17 National Team, an assistant coach for the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit Team, and head coach of the 2019 Nike Hoop Summit Team, which earned a victory under his leadership.

Earlier in his USA Basketball career, Fitch served as a court coach at the 2021 USA Men’s U16 National Team training camp, as well as an assistant coach for the 2018 USA Men’s U17 National Team and the 2017 USA Men’s U16 National Team, further establishing his continuity and impact within the program.

Zach Chu is in his first year as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Radford University. Currently the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, Zach Chu brings nine years of experience in the NBA and a deep analytical background. Chu capitalizes on a deep analytical background, uniquely positioning him to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of college basketball with an end-to-end application of analytics from portal management, roster composition, and individual player development to game strategy.

After accompanying Coach Rick Carlisle to Indiana to manage game strategy, following five years in the Dallas Mavericks’ organization, Chu helped the Pacers leverage a data-driven approach to engineer one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA and an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals by their third year.

Recognizing the potential impact of this differentiated strategy in the NIL era, Chu accepted the role as Chief Strategist at SMU last year, where he implemented the same conceptual approach proven at the NBA level, producing the 20th ranked offense in the country while being one of only two schools in the nation to have six players average double figures. The Mustangs posted a 24-11 record, including a 13-7 finish in their inaugural season in the ACC.

Frank Bennett has established himself as one of Missouri’s premier high school basketball coaches, leading Chaminade College Preparatory to sustained excellence in the state’s top class. Since taking over the program in 2013, Bennett has guided the Red Devils to a Missouri State Championship, two state runner‑up finishes, eight Final Four appearances, multiple Metro Catholic Conference titles, and several district championships.

His leadership has produced a remarkable career record of 248 wins against just 72 losses, cementing Chaminade’s reputation as one of the most consistent programs in the region

Bennett has coached and developed some of the most significant basketball talents to come out of Missouri, including:

• Jayson Tatum — NBA All‑Star and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics

• Bradley Beal — Three‑time NBA All‑Star and Olympic gold medalist

• Tyler Cook — Former NBA forward and standout at Iowa

• David Lee — NBA All‑Star and two‑time NBA champion

Bennett’s impact extends beyond Chaminade. He has served as a head coach for USA Basketball at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit, leading the USA Men’s team against the World Team of top international players. He has also been an assistant coach at previous Nike Hoop Summits (2023, 2024) and contributed to USA Basketball Junior National Team camps. His involvement underscores his reputation as one of the nation’s most respected high school coaches.

Adam Pike independently covers the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle basketball teams from a coaching and X's and O's perspective.

Gerard Hillier is a significant voice in sharing progressive coaching ideas around modern player development. He's currently the coach education manager at Knox Basketball Incorporated in Melbourne, Australia.

In addition to his role at Knox, he's also a Basketball Immersion content contributor and Director of Asia and Oceana region, and a consultant to the Fiji 3X3 national teams. Prior to Knox, Hillier has contributed significantly to Australian basketball at the regional and national levels, holding various coaching and development roles.

The Basketball Podcast, hosted by Chris Oliver, has reached an incredible milestone: 400 episodes since its launch on May 28, 2018. Listened to by coaches at every level — from NBA head coaches to youth coaches — and in more than 85 countries worldwide, the show has become a trusted source of evidence‑based insights, practical strategies, and thought‑provoking conversations that shape the way the game is taught and played.

In this special episode, Chris reflects on the journey by sharing memorable quotes and key takeaways from many of the guests who have helped define the podcast’s legacy. The very first guest, Dave Paulsen (now head coach at Holy Cross), set the tone with a line that continues to resonate: “The game has to look like our practice, and not their practice.” That philosophy — making practice representative of the game — has guided countless coaches and remains a cornerstone of the show’s mission.

Whether you’ve tuned in for one episode or all 400, this celebration is a thank‑you to the global coaching community for learning, growing, and sharing the game together.

A fixture in the college basketball coaching fraternity, Mike MacDonald is entering his 29th season as a collegiate head coach. He was named the ECC, NABC District and BCANY Division II Coach of the Year last season after leading Daemen to a 28-1 record. He was also the recipient of the Clarence "Big House" Gaines Award given to the top coach in all of Division II basketball by collegeinsiders.com. MacDonald has led Daemen to a 232-84 record over his first 11 seasons, including eight 20-win seasons and five NCAA tournament berths. He enters the regular season just 11 wins shy of 500 for his career.

Mike MacDonald has led Daemen University through one of the most successful stretches in program history. Under his leadership, Daemen has emerged as a power in the NCAA Division II. The Wildcats are coming off the most successful season in program history when they posted a 28-1 overall record, won the ECC regular season and tournament championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the fifth time. Daemen rattled off 28 straight victories to start the season, earning the distinction of being the last remaining unbeaten team across all three levels of NCAA basketball. Along the way, they ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II poll for the first time in program history.

With previous stops at Canisius University and Medaille University, MacDonald has worked across all three NCAA divisions. Before arriving at Daemen University, Mike MacDonald spent eight transformative years as head coach at Medaille College (2006–2014), where he turned a struggling NCAA Division III program into a regional powerhouse. Inheriting a team that had gone just 4–46 over the previous two seasons, MacDonald led the Mavericks to an average of 18 wins per year and six postseason appearances. His final five seasons were especially dominant—Medaille recorded 101 wins, the most of any Division III program in New York State during that span, and ranked 17th nationally in total victories. He was named Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year four times and left as the school’s all-time leader in wins (149) and winning percentage (.671).

Prior to Medaille, MacDonald spent 18 years at Canisius College, including nine seasons as head coach (1997–2006), where he guided the Golden Griffins to 108 wins and earned BCANY Division I Co-Coach of the Year honors in 2000–01. He also served as a longtime assistant at Canisius, helping the program reach the NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances under head coach John Beilein.

Stephen Brennan has served as the head coach of Babson College men's basketball for over three decades, building one of the most consistent and respected programs in Division III. With more than 560 career wins to his name, Brennan ranks among the top 25 active coaches in total victories across the D3 landscape. His tenure is defined by sustained excellence, highlighted by 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple NEWMAC championships, and a national title in 2017—the first in program history.

A nine-time conference coach of the year and the 2016–17 NABC National Coach of the Year, Brennan has guided Babson through eras of transformation while maintaining a culture rooted in discipline, development, and competitive integrity. His teams have reached the NCAA Tournament Sectional Semifinals multiple times, including a Final Four run in 2015 and a dramatic national championship win in 2017, where the Beavers overcame a 25-point deficit in the semifinals before edging Augustana (Ill.) in the title game.

Brennan’s legacy is not only measured in wins and banners but in the program’s identity: a relentless commitment to excellence, player growth, and team-first basketball. Under his leadership, Babson has become a perennial contender and a model of long-term success in Division III athletics.

Matt Fletcher enters his sixth season as head men's basketball coach at Concordia-St. Paul in 2025-26, where he has quickly become the program's most successful leader. Culminating in the 2024-25 season, he guided the Golden Bears to their first-ever NSIC regular season title, first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance, and first NCAA Tournament win—all in the same year—earning him the 2024-25 NSIC Coach of the Year honor.

Prior to Concordia, Fletcher spent four highly successful seasons as head coach at Bethany Lutheran College, where he compiled a 76–33 record, won the 2017-18 UMAC Coach of the Year award, and led the team to two NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. His overall career head coaching record stands at 120–118 across nine seasons.

Fletcher's extensive assistant coaching experience includes stints at Concordia-Moorhead (2008–09), Kentucky Wesleyan College (2011–12), and three years at Upper Iowa University (where he was promoted to associate head coach). He holds a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Southwest Minnesota State and a master’s degree in education from Upper Iowa.

Alicia Komaki is set to enter her fourteenth season as Head Coach of the Sierra Canyon Girls Basketball team in 2025–2026, where she has established one of the nation's most dominant high school programs. Her tenure is highlighted by leading her teams to five California State Championships and securing an ESPN National Championship in 2023, finishing the season ranked number one in the country. Coach Komaki boasts an overall career record of over 350 wins at Sierra Canyon, maintaining an exceptional win percentage above 85% over 13 years.

Beyond the banners, Coach Komaki is renowned for developing elite, collegiate-ready talent. Her program has served as a pipeline for top NCAA programs, featuring standout athletes like Juju Watkins (USC), Kennedy Burke (WNBA ), and Vanessa De Jesus (Duke). This proven ability to consistently prepare players for the highest level of competition underscores the effectiveness of her coaching system and development focus.

Her success has garnered national recognition and numerous accolades. In 2022, Komaki was named the WBCA Pat Summit National Coach of the Year, and she was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year in 2023. Other honors include the LA Times Coach of the Year and Cal-Hi Sports Coach of the Year in 2019. Her standing among elite coaches is further recognized by USA Basketball, where she made her bench coaching debut as an assistant at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit and previously served as a court coach for the USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team trials in 2017. With a personal resume reflecting 7 State Championship rings and 2 National Championships, Komaki is a proven winner and a powerhouse in high school basketball development.

Warren Caruso is a coaching fixture in New England basketball, having served as the head coach for the Husson men's basketball program since 1994. Throughout his remarkable 35-year tenure as both a head and assistant coach for the Eagles, Caruso has built one of the most consistently successful programs in the region, currently ranking second in New England in wins by an active coach and top 10 nationally in NCAA Division III wins.

Caruso's record is defined by dominance in conference play and postseason consistency. He has led the Eagles to an astounding 17 Conference Regular Season Championships and 16 Conference Tournament Championships, posting a formidable 16-4 record in championship games. Overall, his teams have secured 16 total NAIA/NCAA National Tournament appearances (10 NCAA, 6 NAIA). His sustained excellence is further highlighted by guiding his teams to 15 seasons with 20 or more wins, including a five-year streak from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

The winningest coach in North Atlantic Conference history, Caruso's success has earned him numerous personal accolades, including seven Conference Coach of the Year honors (most recently in 2025) and three Maine State Coach of the Year titles. He was inducted into the Husson Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. As a former four-year letter-winner and team captain for the Eagles, Caruso has maintained a strong pipeline of talent, having recruited 23 of the 55 1,000-point scorers in program history since taking over.

Ritchie McKay is the head coach of Liberty University’s men’s basketball program, where he has led the Flames to unprecedented success since returning in 2015. In his second stint at Liberty, McKay has guided the team to seven 20-plus win seasons, including a school-record 30 victories in 2019–20. Under his leadership, Liberty captured three ASUN Tournament titles, four regular season championships, and earned its first NCAA Tournament win in program history in 2019. Over the past six seasons, Liberty has won 149 games—eighth most in the nation during that span.

Before returning to Liberty, McKay spent six seasons as associate head coach at the University of Virginia under Tony Bennett. During his tenure, the Cavaliers posted a 136–64 record, won the ACC Championship in 2014, and made three NCAA Tournament appearances. 

McKay’s head coaching career spans over two decades, with previous stops at New Mexico, Oregon State, Colorado State, and Portland State. At New Mexico, he led the Lobos to an 82–69 record over five seasons, including a Mountain West Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2005. At Colorado State, McKay posted a 37–23 record and guided the Rams to the NIT quarterfinals in 1999. His tenure at Portland State marked the revival of a dormant program, earning national recognition and a Clair Bee Award finalist nod for innovation in coaching.

In total, McKay has amassed over 400 career wins and holds the highest winning percentage in Liberty program history. His coaching accolades include multiple Coach of the Year honors, national recognition for leadership, and a reputation for building programs that compete with integrity and purpose.

Mike Jones is the head coach at UNC Greensboro, where he has continued his winning tradition with three consecutive 20-win seasons. Prior to joining UNCG in 2021, Jones spent a decade as the head coach at Radford University, leading the Highlanders to 174 wins, two Big South regular season championships in 2019 and 2020, and a Big South tournament title in 2018. That same season, he guided Radford to its third-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and was named both Big South Coach of the Year and NABC District 3 Coach of the Year. He earned a second Big South Coach of the Year honor in 2020 and was a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year award in 2019.

Under Jones, Radford made postseason appearances in the College Basketball Invitational in 2014 and 2015, and recorded five seasons with at least 20 wins. His teams earned notable victories over programs such as Northwestern, Richmond, Notre Dame, and Texas. Before his head coaching tenure, Jones served as an assistant at VCU under Shaka Smart, helping the Rams reach the Final Four and compiling 55 wins over two seasons—the most in any two-year span in program history.

Earlier in his career, Jones was an assistant coach at Georgia under Dennis Felton, where he contributed to the Bulldogs’ 2008 SEC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. His coaching journey also includes assistant roles at West Virginia, Richmond, Furman, and Howard, as well as a head coaching stint at Sidwell Friends School. With an overall record of 252–199, Jones has built a reputation for competitive success, player development, and leadership rooted in integrity. His mentors include George Felton and Shaka Smart, both of whom helped shape his approach to coaching at the highest level.

Matt Wise enters the 2025–26 season as the head women’s basketball coach at Samford University, continuing to build on a coaching career defined by player development, tactical innovation, and program elevation. After being officially introduced as head coach in April 2025, Wise took the reins following two seasons as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs, where he was deeply involved in all aspects of the program.

Prior to his time at Samford, Wise served as the director of video and creative content for Alabama’s women’s basketball team during the 2021–22 season. His coaching journey also includes extensive experience on the men’s side, with assistant coaching roles at East Tennessee State, Little Rock, and two separate stints at the University of Wyoming. At Wyoming, he helped guide the Cowboys to a Mountain West Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2015, contributing to the development of NBA forward Larry Nance Jr.

Wise began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida, where he supported the Gators during back-to-back Elite Eight appearances.

A former four-year letter winner at Transylvania University, he led the Pioneers to a 2009 NCAA Division III Tournament appearance and earned his master’s degree in sport management from Florida in 2013.

Tammi Reiss has led the University of Rhode Island women's basketball program to unprecedented success since becoming head coach. In the 2022–23 season, she guided the Rams to a program-record 26 wins and their first-ever Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship. The year prior, Rhode Island posted 22 wins, marking the first time in program history the team achieved back-to-back 20-win seasons. Under her leadership, the Rams advanced to the WNIT Super 16 in 2023, earning two postseason victories for the first time.

Reiss was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in both 2020–21 and 2022–23. She was also recognized nationally as ESPNW Coach of the Week on February 14, 2022, and again on February 6, 2023.

Before arriving at Rhode Island, Reiss served as an assistant coach at Syracuse, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State and Virginia, contributing to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and conference titles. Her professional coaching experience includes roles with the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars and Utah Starzz, as well as her alma mater, the University of Virginia.

In addition to her collegiate achievements, Reiss was an assistant coach for Team USA’s 3x3 squads, helping lead them to a Bronze Medal at the Olympics and a Gold Medal at the World Championships.

She was a four-year starter for the Cavaliers, earning All-American honors in1992. She led UVA to three ACC regular-season titles, two league tournament championships, and three Final Four appearances. Reiss earned All-Conference honors three times in her career and was named to the All-ACC TournamentTeam twice. She ended her collegiate career ranked first in school history in 3-point field goals made (139) and 3-point field goal percentage (.416) and was second in points (1,842) and free throws made (437).

Reiss was the fifth overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft by the Starzz. She played two seasons for Utah, serving as team captain.

Chris Holguin is entering his 10th season with the LA Clippers, where he currently serves as an Assistant Coach. A native of El Paso, Texas, Holguin’s path began as a student manager at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He went on to coach high school basketball at the Maret School in Washington D.C., served as Operations Assistant at his alma mater UTSA, and worked with the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League before joining the Clippers in 2016. Since then, he has advanced through roles including Video Coordinator, Player Development Coach, and Two-Way Coach, steadily building his reputation within the organization.

Over the past decade, Holguin has worked extensively with rookies, two-way players, and NBA veterans while also traveling globally to train Clippers All-Stars. Known for his defensive focus and passion for player development, Holguin has become a trusted voice who thrives on growth, connection, and teaching, making him a valued part of the organization for nearly a decade.

Jim Christian brings nearly two decades of NCAA Division I head coaching experience to Canisius, with a proven track record of success across multiple programs. He owns over 300 career wins and is recognized as one of the most accomplished coaches in Mid-American Conference (MAC) history, holding the league’s highest winning percentage (.700) and earning MAC Coach of the Year honors twice.

Christian led Kent State to five postseason appearances from 2002–08, including two NCAA Tournament berths and three NIT bids. He later guided Ohio University to a 49–22 record in two seasons, winning a regular-season MAC title and earning NABC District Coach of the Year honors. At Boston College, he oversaw the program’s most successful season in nearly a decade, highlighted by a win over No. 1 Duke and a postseason return in 2017–18.

He also served as head coach at TCU and held assistant roles at Kent State, Pittsburgh, Miami (Ohio), Western Kentucky, and St. Francis (Pa.). Most recently, Christian was part of Kent State’s staff during back-to-back MAC Championship game appearances and a 2023 NCAA Tournament berth.

Mark Upton is a globally respected coaching and skill acquisition expert with over two decades of experience shaping youth sport and learning design. His career began in Australia, sparked by a childhood passion for basketball and a deep curiosity about how people learn. That early interest evolved into a professional journey spanning sport science, coaching, performance analysis, and applied research.

Throughout the 2000s, Mark worked with professional teams, national sporting organizations, and institutes of sport, helping coaches build game-like learning environments and understand athlete development through performance systems and skill acquisition science. His early writing and speaking engagements positioned him as a thoughtful contributor to the emerging online dialogue around coaching and learning.

In the 2010s, Mark’s influence grew through thought leadership and blogging, where he challenged traditional coaching methods and advocated for nonlinear pedagogy, deliberate play, and practices that foster decision-making and adaptability. His work encouraged coaches to move beyond isolated drills and embrace complexity in training design.

By the late 2010s, Mark embraced a neo-generalist philosophy, expanding his focus beyond sport to include systems thinking, organizational development, and human learning. His writing at markupton.life reflects this broader perspective, offering insights that bridge disciplines and help people navigate complexity in learning environments.

In the 2020s, Mark founded ShootXP, a basketball development platform that integrates skill acquisition science, technology, and analytics to support youth players, coaches, and families. ShootXP emphasizes long-term growth over short-term success, helping users understand that real development comes through challenge, struggle, and meaningful engagement—not trophies or shortcuts.

Today, Mark continues to influence the global coaching community through ShootXP, his writing, and consulting. His work consistently promotes optimal challenge, exposure to higher levels of play, and the value of creativity and adaptability in sport. He remains a leading voice in rethinking how athletes learn and how coaches can design environments that truly foster development.

Mike Williams joined the Utah Jazz as an assistant coach in 2023, serving under head coach Will Hardy. His rise to the NBA coaching ranks followed a standout tenure as head coach of the Capital City Go-Go, the G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards. During the 2022–23 season, Williams led the Go-Go to a franchise-best 25–7 record, establishing the team as one of the top-performing units in the league. His leadership helped the Go-Go finish with one of the most efficient offenses in the G League, despite operating with a roster that lacked consistent perimeter shooting. Williams emphasized pace, spacing, and decision-making, and his teams were known for their ability to execute in late-game situations and adapt to personnel strengths.

Williams began his coaching career with the Washington Wizards organization in 2018 as a player development assistant, where he worked closely with NBA players returning from injury and helped guide on-court rehab and skill development. He later served as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Go-Go before being promoted to head coach in 2021. 

DJ Bakker is the Head Coach of the Greensboro Swarm and an Assistant Coach with the Charlotte Hornets, bringing over a decade of NBA coaching experience and a proven track record in player development and team success. In the 2024–25 season, Bakker led the Swarm to their first playoff appearance in franchise history, finishing with a 31–19 record—best in team history and fourth overall in the G League. Under his leadership, the Swarm ranked third in Defensive Rating, top five in Net Rating, and first in both Clutch Net Rating and Offensive Rating. His dual role with the Hornets included overseeing the development of young NBA talent, including 2024 sixth overall draft pick Tidjane Salaun.

Before joining the Hornets organization, Bakker served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023–24 season. He played a key role in shaping the team’s offensive identity to maximize the strengths of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, while also working individually with Khris Middleton and Malik Beasley. That season, the Bucks finished fifth in Offensive Rating and Bakker was part of the coaching staff for both the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and the playoffs. His G League success began with the Motor City Cruise, where he led the team to a 31–15 record in its inaugural season and a playoff berth, while developing five future NBA players.

Bakker’s coaching journey includes player development roles with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks, where he worked with emerging stars like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby. He also served as an advance scout for the Orlando Magic and began his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls. His foundation in skill development was shaped at ATTACK Athletics under Tim Grover, where he trained over 35 NBA players. Known for his adaptability, communication, and tactical clarity, Bakker continues to build competitive, development-focused environments at both the NBA and G League levels.

In his first year at Green Bay, Wicks was named the 2023-24 Horizon League Coach of the Year. He was also named the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year, which is presented annually to the top rookie, first-year head coach in NCAA Division I college basketball. Last season, Wicks posted an 18-14 record after the program finished at 3-29 prior to his arrival in 2022-23. That 15-game turnaround tied for the ninth-best turnaround in NCAA DI history.

Wicks spent three seasons at Wyoming under former head coach Jeff Linder. The Cowboys reached the NCAA Tournament in 2022 finishing the season with a 25-9 overall record. The Pokes received their first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2002 and marked the first trip to the Big Dance since 2015. The Pokes recorded 24 wins in the regular season for the most since the 1951-52 campaign.

Prior to his time in Laramie, Wicks was the head coach at Missouri Western for two seasons. Wicks led the Griffons to 18 wins in 2019-20, as it was the most by the program in 10 years. He spent eleven years as an assistant at four different colleges, including Northern State, Colorado, Northern Illinois, and San Francisco.

Wicks also built the Arizona Power Basketball Academy, serving as a skill instructor and director from 2011-15. Prior to launching the APBA, he spent five months training NBA pre-draft prospects at the Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas. Wicks’ draft class trainees included Kawhi Leonard, Alec Burks and Isaiah Thomas.He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern State under the legendary Don Meyer.

Chris Oliver is the founder of Basketball Immersion, a leading resource for basketball coaches and players worldwide. Since 2014, Chris has been dedicated to sharing his passion for the game through innovative coaching methods, immersive videos, and insightful podcasts.

With a decade of experience in educating coaches, Chris Oliver has established himself as a trusted authority in youth basketball development. As a consultant for the NBA's youth basketball development programs, Chris Oliver works to shape the future of the game. He is also involved with the renowned Sierra Canyon basketball program, further solidifying his commitment to nurturing young talent.

Through Basketball Immersion, Chris Oliver provides coaches with the tools and knowledge to enhance their teams' performance. His engaging content, including the popular Basketball Immersion podcast and in-depth video analysis, has resonated with coaches from grassroots to elite levels.

Chris's mission is to empower coaches, players, and basketball communities globally, fostering a deeper understanding and love for the game. Join the Basketball Immersion community to tap into Chris's expertise and transform your coaching and playing experience.

Kyle Milling is a seasoned professional basketball coach with extensive international experience, currently serving as the head coach of the Gunma Crane Thunders in Japan’s B.League. He took over the role in July 2024 after a successful three-year tenure as head coach of the Hiroshima Dragonflies, where he helped elevate the team’s competitive standing.

From 2013 to 2015, he served as Assistant Coach at ee-air tool-lawn Hyères-Toulon Var Basket in France’s Pro B division, helping guide the team to the playoffs with the 17th-ranked budget out of 18.

Milling was promoted to Head Coach of Hyères-Toulon from 2015 to 2017. Under his leadership, the team won Pro B in 2016 with the lowest budget in the league, earning promotion to Pro A. In their first year at the top level, he managed to keep the team in France’s first division despite again operating with the league’s lowest budget.

From 2017 to 2019, Milling led Limoges CSP, one of France’s most prestigious clubs. In his first season, Limoges reached the Pro A semi-finals and placed 4th overall. Concurrently, his teams advanced to the Top 16 of the EuroCup in both 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 campaigns.

In 2020, Milling took his coaching expertise to Japan as Head Coach of Yokohama B-Corsairs. There, he guided the club to the most wins in its B.League history. From 2021 to 2024, he led the Hiroshima Dragonflies through a remarkable transformation. Taking over a team that had gone 9–48 in the 2020–21 season, he drove a turnaround that culminated in a B.League Championship in 2023–2024. Under his leadership, Hiroshima posted records of 29–27, 42–22, and 42–26 across three seasons. He was honored as the 2023–2024 B.League Coach of the Year.

Henry enters his third season as the Bice-Peace Head Men's Basketball Coach at Georgia Southern.

The Eagles improved by eight wins during the 2024-25 season, winning their first-round game in the Sun Belt tournament as the nine seed. The squad once again broke the team record with 313 threes and 912 attempts and finished top five in the following statistics in program history: field goal attempts (3rd, 2063), rebounds (4th, 1234) and held opponents to the sixth-lowest three-point percentage against in team history.

During his first season at the helm, Henry guided the Eagles to an 8-10 record in Sun Belt play and a quarterfinal appearance in the Sun Belt Tournament for the third consecutive season. Under his tutelage, the Eagles set program records in three-pointers (309) and free-throw percentage (.732), finishing the season 27th in the NCAA in three-pointers per game. Also under his watch, guard Tyren Moore made the All-Sun Belt Second Team and led the Sun Belt in points per game during conference play.

Before Georgia Southern, Henry spent four seasons at the University of Alabama and has over 10 years of coaching experience on three major levels of basketball – NBA, G League and Division I power-five schools – including stops at the Chicago Bulls, Windy City Bulls and Iowa State, among others.

Chris Holm is a professional basketball coach with a diverse coaching background spanning collegiate and international levels. He is currently the head coach of the Ibaraki Robots in Japan’s B.League, a position he assumed in June 2024 after serving as the team’s assistant coach for two seasons. His leadership reflects years of tactical growth and adaptability, building on prior success across both coaching and player development roles.

Before joining Ibaraki, Holm spent nearly four seasons with the Kyoto Hannaryz from 2020 to 2024 as an assistant coach, helping guide the team through competitive B.League campaigns. He previously served as an assistant coach at The George Washington University from 2015 to 2019, contributing to the team’s development in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Between coaching stints, Holm also worked in the private sector as a Territory Account Executive with Toast, Inc., further broadening his leadership experience.

Since taking over as head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs in 2022, Earl has transformed the team into a force in the Southern Conference. His tenure has been marked by sustained progress, culminating in a standout 2024-25 season in which Chattanooga secured a 29-9 overall record and a 15-3 conference record to claim the Southern Conference regular-season championship. 

His guidance propelled the Mocs to an impressive run in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), where they emerged as champions after an overtime victory against UC Irvine. His coaching excellence was recognized as he earned his second Southern Conference Coach of the Year award in 2025.

Earl began his head coaching journey at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 2015, where he led the program for seven seasons. Though faced with challenges, he guided VMI to notable success, including a 12-11 record in the 2020-21 season that earned him Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors. His leadership culminated in a postseason berth when VMI reached the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in 2022.

Before becoming a head coach, Earl gained valuable experience as an assistant coach at Penn State from 2006 to 2011, followed by a stint as associate head coach at Navy from 2011 to 2015. His years in assistant roles helped shape his coaching philosophy, emphasizing player development, tactical execution, and resilience.

With two Southern Conference Coach of the Year awards to his name and a proven track record of success, Dan Earl continues to solidify his reputation as a top-tier leader in college basketball.

Nicki Collen has built an impressive coaching career across both the WNBA and NCAA, establishing herself as a dynamic leader in women's basketball. Currently serving as the head coach at Baylor University, Collen has guided the program with a strong tactical approach, compiling a 102–36 (.739) record in her tenure. Under her leadership, Baylor secured a Big 12 regular season championship in 2022, continuing the program’s tradition of excellence.

Before transitioning to the college ranks, Collen made her mark in the WNBA, serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. In her first season, she led the Dream to a 23–11 record, earning WNBA Coach of the Year honors in 2018. Her ability to develop talent and implement a competitive system was evident throughout her time in the league, where she compiled a 38–52 (.422) overall record.

Collen’s coaching journey began as an assistant coach at Colorado State (2001–2003), Ball State (2003), Louisville (2003–2005), Arkansas (2011–2014), and Florida Gulf Coast (2014–2015). She then transitioned to the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun (2015–2017) as an assistant coach, helping the team improve from a 14–20 record in 2016 to 21–13 in 2017.

Crarey comes to Grambling State after spending one season as the head coach at Florida A&M. Crarey reignited the FAMU men's basketball program, exceeding expectations and guiding the Rattlers to the SWAC Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2022. He led the Rattlers to a 13-16 overall record and a 10-8 mark in conference play. He also  coached Sterling Young, who was named the SWAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year.

Prior to coaching at FAMU, he served as head coach at St. Thomas University for three years, posting a 61-27 record with two consecutive NAIA Tournament appearances and three straight winning seasons.

Crarey led the Bobcats to a 22-9, 10-4 record in 2023-24 and were the Sun Conference Regular Season Champions. The Bobcats made it to the NAIA Tournament 2nd Round and finished the season ranked 21st in the nation. The Bobcats regular season success led to Crarey being named the Sun Conference Coach of the Year.

His coaching journey has taken him from assistant roles at La Sierra University to head coaching stints at Washington Adventist University, St. Thomas University, and Florida A&M. Crarey’s track record of success includes multiple championships and accolades, including the 2014 USCAA Men's Division I National Championship, conference titles, and six NAIA National Tournament appearances. He has guided six teams to 20-plus win seasons, earning Coach of the Year honors in both the ICAA and Sun Conference.

Fulks has guided the Wildcats to 123 wins and two postseason appearances, including the 2025 WBIT. In addition to ranking second on Davidson’s all-time wins list, Fulks has coached 15 all-conference performers, while leading her club to a number of record-setting performances along the way.  

Along with 18 conference games for the first time in A-10 play, the 2024-25 campaign yet again featured one of the nation’s toughest non-conference slates. The Wildcats rose to the challenge posting 19 victories, their most under Fulks, and a program-best 13 league wins en route to a third-place finish, their highest since joining the league in 2014.

Davidson’s 13 wins in Atlantic 10 play weren’t the only standard set last season. The Wildcats proved to be one of the most efficient and productive teams from the outside making a school-record 241 highlighted by eight games with at least 10 made 3-pointers. They also ranked among national leaders in 3-pointer differential (5th), 3-point defense (1st) and assists per game against (1st). In conference play, no team was better in blocks, points allowed, field-goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense.

Before arriving at Davidson, Fulks gained valuable experience as an assistant coach at Wake Forest University, where she worked under Jen Hoover for five seasons, helping to shape the program and refine her coaching philosophy. Prior to her tenure at Wake Forest, she spent a season at UNC Greensboro, contributing to player development and game planning. Her coaching journey began at Longwood University, where she was on staff from 2007 to 2011.

Fulks’ basketball roots extend beyond the collegiate level. She started her career with the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2007, serving as the Assistant Video Coordinator.

A key starter on the 2006 George Mason Final Four team and one of the best all-around guards in program history, Skinn returned to his alma mater after nearly a decade of work as a collegiate assistant coach.

The 2025 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Skinn has put together arguably the best start to a coaching career in school history. He set new program bests for overall wins (47), league wins (24), overall winning percentage (.691) and league winning percentage (.667) for a Patriot coach over his first two campaigns. What's more, Skinn's 66.7 A-10 winning percentage is first amongst active league coaches over their first two seasons in the conference.

This season, Skinn guided the Patriots to the best season in the program's A-10 history. The Patriots earned a share of their first-ever A-10 regular season title, tallied the program's first NIT victory since 2004 and notched a school record-tying 27 overall victories. The Green & Gold set a new school record for Atlantic 10 league victories (15) and started league play 12-1 for the first time in the program's 59-year history. The Patriots locked up a double bye in the A-10 Tournament for the first time and reached a conference title game for the first time since 2009.

George Mason tallied a school-record 18 home victories in 2024-25. The Patriots also swept their A-10 home schedule (9-0) for the first time ever and won five-straight A-10 road games for the first time in program annals. The team's 11-game win streak from Jan. 8-Feb. 18 was the second longest in the nation at the time and was just the fourth 10+ game winning streak in school history.

Prior to becoming the head coach of his alma mater, Skinn guided three different programs to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Maryland, Ohio State, and Seton Hall.

Simpkins has made a significant impact as the head coach of American, leading the program to new heights in the Patriot League. Over his tenure, he has compiled an impressive 38–29. In just his second year, Simpkins led the Eagles to a historic season, winning the 2024-25 Patriot League Championship and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. American finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season.

Simpkins joined American after eight seasons on the coaching staff at George Mason, where he helped guide the Patriots to multiple program bests within the Atlantic 10, including an 11-win A-10 campaign and a 20-13 overall finish in 2022-23.

His coaching career also includes stints at UNC Greensboro, Towson, and on the high school level at St. Albans, Sidwell Friends, and Bishop O’Connell. In 2020, he was named one of the country’s Top 50 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistants by Silverwaves Media and has been invited to numerous national leadership and coaching development programs.

A DMV basketball legend, Simpkins earned McDonald’s High School All-America honors at DeMatha Catholic under Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten. He was a three-time All-ACC Honorable Mention selection at the University of Maryland and helped lead the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16 runs.

Fernandez has carved out a 25-year head coaching career at South Florida with multiple accolades. He is the program’s all-time winningest coach, has claimed American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors twice in 2018 and 2021, and has led the Bulls to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and secured four Conference Championships, including two Conference Tournament Championships (2020-21 & 2024-25) and two Regular Season Titles (2020-21 & 2022-23). Fernandez's influence extends beyond his program, as he is set to become the WBCA President from 2025-27. His coaching has produced nine WNBA Draft Picks and Signees, and twenty-four of his former players are competing professionally worldwide.

Fernandez has also demonstrated success against top-tier competition, with twenty wins against top 25-ranked teams. He has also achieved considerable consistency, with fourteen straight nineteen-win seasons and twelve twenty-win seasons. During the 2024-25 season, he recorded his 485th career victory. Under his leadership, South Florida won the 2008-09 WNIT Championship, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks.

Throughout his career, Fernandez has recruited and coached over forty all-conference players, two Associated Press Honorable Mention All-Americans, three members of the USF Athletics Hall of Fame, two AAC Players of the Year, two AAC Newcomers of the Year, four AAC Freshmen of the Year, one AAC Defensive Player of the Year, one AAC Most Improved Player, and seven WNBA draft picks. His contributions to the sport were further recognized with his induction into the Sports Club of Tampa Bay's Hall of Fame on June 8, 2022.

This year Fernandez will return to USA Basketball for his second assistant coaching stint with USA Basketball as an assistant for the 2025 Women's U19 National Team. He previously served in the role for the 2024 Women's U18 National Team and was also a court coach at the 2018 USA Women’s U18 National Team Trials.

Rosenthal brings a wealth of experience to his coaching career, encompassing six years of professional experience, nine years at the collegiate level, and one year in high school. 

In his inaugural year as head coach at CIA Bella Vista College Prep, Rosenthal revitalized the basketball program, transforming it into a championship contender, and was named the 2024-25 EYBL Scholastic Coach of the Year. Bella Vista College Prep competes in the EYBL Scholastic Conference, widely recognized as one of the most competitive leagues in high school basketball. 

Prior to Rosenthal's arrival, the program had struggled, holding a one-and-eleven conference record. Under his leadership, the team achieved a remarkable turnaround, finishing with a nine-and-two record in conference play. This success earned them the title of regular season co-champions and an invitation to Chipotle Nationals in his debut season, spanning from 2024 to 2025.

During the 2024-25 season, CIA Bella Vista College Prep achieved a twenty-and-four overall regular season record. The team reached rankings as high as number two by MaxPreps, number four by Slam, and number five by ESPN. Notably, the team secured the most top ten wins and the most top twenty-five wins of any team in the nation, and played what was considered the toughest schedule in the country. The program received an invitation to the 2025 Chipotle Nationals. Additionally, the team became the first from Arizona in forty-two years to win the Beach Ball Classic. Rosenthal also oversees an academy of seventy boys and girls, which has produced two All-Americans.

Brandon Rosenthal's extensive assistant coaching experience includes roles at various levels. He served as an Assistant Coach for the Santa Cruz Warriors (2023-2024), where he contributed to the team's G-League Franchise of the Year title, Winter Showcase Semi-Finals appearance, and G-League Playoffs Quarter-Finals appearance, while also seeing five players called up to the NBA. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Coach, Director of Scouting & Player Development at Arizona State University (2019-2023), supporting the team in various capacities and contributing to a 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance. His experience also includes positions as Video/Player Development Coordinator for the Phoenix Suns (2017-2019), Assistant Coach for the Northern Arizona Suns (2016-2017), Video Assistant for the Houston Rockets (2015-2016), and Interim Assistant Coach/Director of Basketball Operations at Santa Clara University (2012-2015), where he was part of the 2013 CBI National Championship team.

Donny Lind just completed his first season as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Mount St. Mary's University. In his debut season (2024-2025), Lind orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for the Mountaineers. Picked 11th out of 13 teams in the MAAC preseason poll, Lind guided the team to a 23-13 overall record and a 12-8 mark in conference play, finishing tied for fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The season was highlighted by a run through the MAAC Tournament, where the Mountaineers secured victories over Marist, Merrimack, and ultimately Iona in the championship game. This MAAC Tournament title marked the university's first championship in any sport since becoming a full MAAC member and earned them an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

In the NCAA Tournament, the #16-seeded Mountaineers achieved the program's third-ever NCAA Tournament win with an 83-72 First Four victory over #16 seed American. Their inspiring tournament journey concluded in the First Round against #1 seed Duke.

Donny Lind's impressive first year at the helm has garnered him recognition as a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award, which honors the top first-time head coach in Division I college basketball. The team's 23 wins represent the highest win total for the program as a Division I institution and the most wins in a season for Mount St. Mary's since the 1986-87 season. Notably, his First Four victory also gave him the most wins for a first-year head coach in the Mount's history, surpassing the legendary Jim Phelan's first-year record.

Before taking the head coaching position at Mount St. Mary's, Lind built a strong foundation as an assistant coach at several programs:

VCU (Video Coordinator, 2010-2013): Lind began his post-graduate career at VCU, contributing through film analysis, analytics, and assisting with player development under Shaka Smart.

Mount St. Mary's (Assistant Coach, 2013-2016): In his first stint at Mount St. Mary's, Lind served as the recruiting coordinator and helped assemble what is considered the winningest class in school history. The team won the NEC Tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament during his time. The Mountaineers consistently led the NEC in key offensive categories during his tenure.

Radford University (Assistant Coach, 2016-2021): Working under Mike Jones, Lind was part of a staff that led Radford to back-to-back Big South regular-season titles (2018-19, 2019-20) and the 2017-18 Big South Tournament title, resulting in the program's first NCAA Tournament win in the First Four. He was recognized as a Top 50 Impactful Low Major Coach in Division I.

UNC Greensboro (Assistant Coach, 2021-2024): Lind continued his successful assistant coaching career at UNC Greensboro, again under Mike Jones. The Spartans earned a #2 seed in the SoCon during his tenure.

Donny Lind's return to Mount St. Mary's has already proven to be a significant success, marked by a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament victory in his very first season as a head coach. His ability to connect with players and implement an effective coaching strategy has clearly resonated with the team, setting a promising trajectory for the program's future.

Steve Smiley has established himself as a formidable head coach at Northern Colorado, leading the Bears with a strong overall record of 89–71 (.556) in NCAA competition. His leadership was instrumental in securing the Big Sky regular season championship in 2025, a testament to his ability to develop winning teams and foster a competitive culture.

Smiley's success hasn’t gone unnoticed—his efforts were recognized in 2024 when he was named Big Sky Co-Coach of the Year. He also owns the second highest winning percentage in Northern Colorado’s Division I era, equaling Jeff Linder for the most postseason wins with six, who he succeeded in March 2020.

Smiley's experience in the Big Sky goes beyond his four years at UNC as he was an assistant coach at Weber State from 2014-16. Before Weber State, Smiley spent six years as the head coach and Athletic Director at Sheridan College.

In the six years with Sheridan College, Smiley posted a 153-43 overall record and led Sheridan to four North Sub-Region 9 titles and two runner-up finishes. Smiley was twice named the North Region Coach of the Year. During his time at Sheridan, Smiley had 21 players sign to play NCAA Division I basketball and 38 players moved on to play at four-year colleges.

Prior to his stint at Sheridan, Smiley spent two seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota where he collaborated with the winningest coach in NCAA history, Don Meyer. During his time at NSU, the Wolves posted a 50-12 record. Smiley was also the assistant head coach at Black Hills State University during the 2005-06 season. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M International during the 2004-05 campaign.

Since his hiring in 2022, Pedon has steadily improved the program, culminating in a significant 22-14 record and a CBI Championship title in the 2024-25 season, marking a notable step forward for Illinois State basketball.. 

In his first season as head coach of the Redbirds, ISU finished the season 11-21 while setting a new program record for free throw percentage with .793 (was .775 from the 2001-02 season). 

His second season saw a four-win improvement, and the team had its highest assist-to-turnover ratio for the season since the 2016-17 season, and freshman Johnny Kinziger earned a spot on the All-Freshman and All-Bench teams during the year.

Before taking the helm at Illinois State, Pedon built a strong foundation as an assistant coach at several institutions, including Miami (OH) from 2005 to 2010, Butler University from 2010 to 2013, Providence College from 2013 to 2017, and most recently at Ohio State University from 2017 to 2022. 

His extensive coaching background—spanning multiple conferences and styles of play—has shaped his approach to modern player development and competitive team strategy.

Jones is Yale's all-time winning coach and the longest tenured coach in the Ivy League. He has led Yale to seven Ivy League titles, three Ivy League Tournament championships and five NCAA tournament appearances.

Jones has an impressive career record of 418-319 (.567). His championship pedigree includes seven Ivy League regular season titles (2002, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2025) and four Ivy League tournament championships (2019, 2022, 2024, 2025). He has been at the helm for the two NCAA Tournament victories in school history - upsets of Baylor in 2016 and Auburn in 2024. He has guided Yale to multiple postseason appearances, compiling a 2-5 record in NCAA Division I Tournament play, a 1-2 mark in the NIT, and a 4-2 record in the CIT.

His coaching excellence has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Hugh Durham Award in 2016 and the Ben Jobe Award in 2019. Jones has also been named Ivy League Coach of the Year four times (2015, 2016, 2020, 2023), cementing his status as one of the conference's most accomplished coaches. Five assistant coaches who worked under Jones went on to become head coaches - Rob Senderoff (Kent State), Isaiah Cavaco (Oberlin), Mark Sembrowich (Academy of Arts University), Mark Gilbride (Clarkson) and Ted Hotaling (New Haven).

Jones has enjoyed remarkable success against major conference opponents. In 2008-09, Yale knocked off Oregon State, the school’s first win ever over a Pac-12 opponent. The Bulldogs also beat Cal in the Pac-12 China Game in Shanghai in 2018. In addition, Jones has enjoyed victories over schools from the ACC (Miami, Clemson twice, Boston College), Big 12 (Baylor) Big East (Rutgers), Big Ten (Penn State) Atlantic 10 (Rhode Island), WCC (Santa Clara) during his tenure.

Jones has gained experience with USA Basketball in his time at Yale as well. He served as an assistant coach for the United States team that captured the gold medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup for men in Riga, Latvia. He also was as an assistant coach to Villanova’s Jay Wright for the 2007 USA Basketball Men’s Pan American Games Team, helping tutor Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert, Michigan State’s Drew Neitzel and Indiana’s D.J. White. In 2006, Jones was selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, as a court coach for the 2006 USA Men’s U18 National Team Trials.

Andrew Wade is currently the Director of Player Development for the New York Liberty, the reigning WNBA champions. In 2024, Wade took on the role of head coach for the Laces in Unrivaled, the professional 3-on-3 women's basketball league.The team finished the regular season standings in third place.

In 2019, Wade joined the Washington Wizards' G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, as a video coordinator. His role expanded to include player development responsibilities with the Washington Mystics, where he served as a player development assistant coach. During his tenure, he was instrumental in implementing "vitamins," a practice routine focusing on intentional skill development.

Wade's journey in basketball began at the Catholic University of America, where he played collegiate basketball. His passion for the game led him to establish Prism Basketball, a consulting firm aimed at simplifying basketball analytics for teams and players. He also contributed as a sports blogger, analyzing NBA strategies and trades.

If you have not had the opportunity yet be sure to check Coach Wade’s excellent masterclass excerpt presentation available on our Basketball Immersion YouTube channel called “Using Video for Basketball Teaching Success with Andrew Wade.” The full video is available on demand to all members of our community inside the membership portal.

Stephanie Gaitley is one of the most accomplished figures in NCAA Division I history. With an impressive career record of 684-393 (.635), Coach Gaitley ranks as the 12th winningest active head coach in Division I basketball. Her legacy includes 20 postseason bids, 11 WNIT appearances, and nine NCAA tournament appearances, showcasing her ability to lead teams to success at the highest levels.

Under Coach Gaitley's leadership, Fairleigh Dickinson Knights have experienced an incredible transformation during her first two years with the team. In her inaugural season (2023–24), the Knights finished 14–17 overall, with a strong 11–5 Northeast Conference record, landing them in 3rd place. The following season (2024–25) marked a historic leap, as the team finished with an outstanding 29–4 record, an undefeated 16–0 conference run, and a berth in the NCAA First Round—a testament to her ability to elevate programs to new heights.

Prior to joining FDU, Coach Gaitley also led programs at Fordham (2011-2022), Richmond (1985–1991), Saint Joseph’s (1991–2001), Long Island (2002–2008), and Monmouth (2008–2011), further solidifying her reputation as one of the most successful and versatile head coaches in women's basketball.

Doty arrived at Houston Christian University as a three-time national champion head coach and three-time national coach of the year, with 12 years of head college coaching experience and a 259-126 career record which includes a 31-10 mark in postseason play.

Doty spent six seasons as head men’s basketball coach at Emporia State University in Kansas. Known as a program-builder, Doty improved the Emporia State program from an inherited 9-19 record (4-15 MIAA) to a 23-9 record (15-7 MIAA) in 2022-23. In each of his final three seasons at ESU, Doty’s teams appeared in the NABC Division II national polls while being ranked in the top 25 for six weeks in 2022-23 and as high as #15 in 2023-24.

Prior to his arrival in Emporia, Doty led Graceland University to national prominence. In just two seasons at Graceland, Doty’s program had a 49-22 record and won the 2018 NAIA Division I National Championship in the school's first trip to the national tournament. Along the way Doty earned NAIA National Coach of the Year and the 2018 Don Meyer Award. Upon winning the 2018 national championship, Doty had led his teams to the National Championship game four out of the previous five seasons.

Doty began his head coaching career as the head men's basketball coach at Rock Valley College. In his four years he built a national powerhouse. When Doty took over the program in 2012, Rock Valley was ranked last in Region IV preseason poll. Over the next four years, Doty would lead the Golden Eagles to four consecutive national tournaments including three straight national title games. Rock Valley was crowned National Champions in 2014 and in 2016, the first and second national championships in the 50-year program history.

Sandy Brondello is a two-time WNBA Champion head coach, and holds an overall regular season record of 244-164 (.598) over her 12 combined seasons at the helm of the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and San Antonio Silver Stars - making her the sixth-winningest coach in WNBA history.

In 2014, Brondello  was named the WNBA Coach of the Year after she led Phoenix to a WNBA regular season-record 29 wins and capped the season with a WNBA Championship. In 2023, Brondello led the Liberty to the Commissioner’s Cup Championship and first WNBA Finals appearance since 2002. Brondello made history in 2024 after leading the New York Liberty to its first WNBA Championship in franchise history and the city's first professional basketball championship since 1973.

A 20-year veteran of the WNBA coaching ranks, Brondello has been affiliated with the league for 25 of its 28 seasons, including her time as a player. A proven winner internationally and in the WNBA, her 20 total years as an assistant coach and head coach have featured 17 playoff appearances, highlighted by a perfect 12-for-12 in postseason berths as a head coach.

Brondello also became the coach of the Australian Women's national team, the Opals in 2017.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Australian team won the bronze medal, the team's first Olympic medal since a bronze in 2012.

Lindsey Wilson is a mindset and mental performance coach best known as The Sports Hypnotist™. With a professional basketball career spanning close to a decade, Lindsey took her knowledge of the mental game to work with collegiate athletes, professional athletes from Olympians and players in the NFL and WNBA, all the way to youth athletes. 

She is the founder of Positive Performance™ and The Mindset Coach Academy™ where she helps aspiring mental performance coaches start their dream business and impact lives. She’s also the author of the upcoming book Think Like an Athlete which teaches the critical and undertrained skill of belief and how to build it to be successful on the playing field and off. 

Lindsey’s exposure to mental performance came at age 16 and completely changed her perspective on how to navigate physical training with her mental barriers. She also learned the power of belief and importance of consistently training it to achieve the highest goals. Despite a successful career, she did fall short of her ultimate athletic goals but is using that experience and message to create and surpass her professional goals! Her mission is to teach mental performance tools so that coaches can have a massive impact on athletes’ performance, enjoyment of competing and life.

With over two decades of experience spanning professional and collegiate basketball, as well as film and TV, Hernando Planells is a dynamic coach, film and tv sports coordinator, and leadership consultant. As the Technical Director of the NBA Basketball School in Dubai, he combines his passion for basketball with a mission to inspire the next generation of athletes across the UAE.

Hernando's coaching career includes:

• Duke University (Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach): Led the team to an ACC Championship, two Elite Eights, and six NCAA Tournament appearances. Recruited, coached and developed 11 future WNBA players, including Las Vegas Aces and Team USA guard Chelsea Gray, while maintaining a 100% graduation rate.
• Maine Red Claws (NBA G-League): Worked with the Boston Celtics affiliate alongside current Celtics Assistant GM Austin Ainge, developing players such as 12-year NBA veteran Avery Bradley and Mario West.
• International Coaching: Served as the Head Coach for the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Japan and the University of the East in the Philippines, as well as the head coach for the New Zealand Junior National Team.
• William Jessup University (Head Women’s Basketball Coach): Guided the team to their first GSAC championship, earning Coach of the Year honors and an NAIA national tournament appearance.
• University of Illinois and UNLV: Gained valuable experience under former NBA Assistant Coach Bill Bayno.

Beyond coaching, Hernando has made significant contributions to film and TV as a part owner and sports coordinator/choreographer for Game Changing Films on major projects like 'Coach Carter,' 'The Longest Yard,' 'Swagger’, 'The Crossover,' and the newly released “Running Point’ starring Kate Hudson on Netflix. ”bringing authentic basketball action to the screen. He is also the founder of Be Contagious Leadership a consulting company dedicated to empowering teams and organizations through courage, communication, and connection.

A proud father, Hernando’s son Preston Planells, who is in his first year as the assistant women's basketball coach at New Mexico State, and Gabrielle Planells, is a senior theatre student at Chico State University. Driven by a passion for storytelling, leadership, and basketball, Hernando’s goal is to empower athletes both on and off the court.

 Klein Collins High School head coach Scott Harmatuk discusses his journey since joining Basketball Immersion—how shifting away from traditional drills and embracing game-based learning has reshaped his coaching philosophy. Learn how these changes have elevated his players’ enjoyment of practice and games, while also improving their decision-making, skill development, and overall basketball IQ, leading to noticeable growth in both individual and team performance.

Beyond Scott’s personal evolution, this episode is packed with insights for all youth coaches looking to modernize their approach. What are the biggest challenges when making the shift? What are the most impactful takeaways that any coach—regardless of level—can apply? And ultimately, what does it take to develop players who truly understand the game?

Coach Harmatuk, born and raised in Spring, TX, played basketball at Fordham University from 1996-2000. He went on to play professionally for the Brooklyn Kings (USBL) and REYNOSA UAT (Mexico-LNBP). After retiring, he began his coaching career at Spring Woods HS, followed by Nimitz HS with mentor Randy Gilmer. In 2008, he became the head coach at Klein Collins HS, where he remains today.

Since joining Basketball Immersion in 2020, Coach Harmatuk has led his team to 3 district titles and earned Coach of the Year honors 3 times. Known as a "player's coach," he builds strong relationships with his players through respect and honesty.

If you’re a coach who wants to maximize your players' potential while making practices more engaging, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Let’s get started!

David Rebibo has transformed Harvard-Westlake into a national powerhouse and established himself as one of the premier coaches in California basketball.

Under Coach Rebibo's guidance, Harvard-Westlake has become synonymous with excellence, capturing multiple CIF championships, including three state titles (2016, 2023, 2024) and sectional championships (2012, 2017, 2023). His program's dominance in the highly competitive Mission League - winning 7 titles in the last decade - speaks to the sustainable culture of success he's built.

Beyond his 400+ career wins, Rebibo's impact on the game extends nationally through his work with USA Basketball, where he's helped develop some of America's top young talent. His coaching acumen has been widely recognized, earning CIF Coach of the Year honors multiple times (2016, 2017, 2024) and being named State Coach of the Year in 2020.

Before Harvard-Westlake, Rebibo served as an Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at the University of San Francisco, where he helped guide the program to its best WCC finish in 20 years and an NIT berth. His head coaching journey began at El Camino Real High School (2007-13), where he built a powerhouse program that consistently competed for City Section championships.

Rebibo's success at multiple levels - from rebuilding El Camino Real to his collegiate experience at USF to creating a national power at Harvard-Westlake - demonstrates his ability to develop talent and build sustainable winning programs at every stop in his career.

After retiring from playing, Parks transitioned into significant roles within NBA infrastructure. He became a pivotal figure in NBA Player Development, working directly in the league office to create programs, strategies, and developmental pathways for emerging players.

His work in the NBA office focused on:

• Designing player transition and development programs
• Creating educational initiatives for rookies
• Developing strategies to support player growth beyond on-court performance
• Bridging communication between players, teams, and league management

Parks' role in basketball operations leveraged his playing experience and administrative expertise to shape the next generation of basketball professionals. He remains connected to the game through various advisory and developmental roles.

Parks played college basketball at Duke University under coach Mike Krzyzewski and won the 1992 national title during his freshman year. During his collegiate tenure from 1990-1994, Parks was a critical component of Duke's basketball success.

Drafted 11th overall in the 1995 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, Parks played for nine seasons for multiple NBA franchises including the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers and the Portland Trail Blazers.

John Bloom has worked as a sports performance coach at Abilene Christian University, Weber State, Texas Tech, and Oral Roberts before founding Elevated Athlete Development LLC. John's mission is to provide holistic development for athletes while creating platforms for coaches to learn, connect, and build.

At Oral Roberts University, he served as the Director of the Sports Performance Department and Head of Men's Basketball. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Men's Basketball at Texas Tech University. John also contributed as the Director of Sports Performance for Men's and Women's Basketball at Weber State University. His journey began at Abilene Christian University, where he was the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, responsible for Women's Basketball, Indoor/Beach Volleyball, and Men's Golf, while also assisting with Men's Basketball, Football, and Tennis.

Bloom’s book, "Strength In Numbers: An Encyclopedia of Authentic Coaching Wisdom", uncovers career-defining insights from over 100 elite coaches across all levels, from high school to professional sports. Strength In Numbers is your essential guide to building a successful, impactful coaching career.

Dr. Alex Auerbach has spent his career exploring how high performers, from athletes to business leaders, deliver superlative results and make meaningful progress toward achieving their full potential. Called to Greatness unveils the secrets he’s discovered about how to perform at your best when it matters most. 

Auerbach is a licensed counseling and sport psychologist, certified mental performance consultant, and board-certified coach working in professional sports. He has worked with elite teams and performers from a range of domains, including the NBA and NFL, Olympians, Army Special Forces, Fortune 5 Companies, and Venture-Backed Startups.

Dr. Auerbach earned his doctoral degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in sport and performance psychology from the University of North Texas. He received a Master’s in Business Administration from Salve Regina University and a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Arizona. Dr. Auerbach is a member of the American Psychological Association’s Division 47 (Exercise and Sport Psychology) and Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), as well as the Association of Applied Sport Psychology. Dr. Auerbach is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, a Licensed Psychologist, and a member of the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.

Gingerelli is the author of The Next Four Years: Compete, Win & Thrive in College Athletics that provides a comprehensive look at the transition from high school to college athletics, offering student-athletes an essential blueprint to compete, win and thrive at the next level. Over the years he has helped thousands of student-athletes compete at the highest level of Division 1 athletics.

As the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Seton Hall University since 2005 he regularly works with hundreds of men & women each year from a variety of sports and has been a key factor in the Pirates’ success in the extremely competitive Big East Conference. He has held similar positions at Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and the Pittsburgh Pirates as well as training numerous elite high school athletes each year.

In addition to his duties in the weight room, Gingerelli is an adjunct professor (SHU’s 2024 Adjunct Professor of the Year), winner of Seton Hall’s prestigious Most Valuable Pirate Award (2011), published author, frequent podcast guest, state/regional conference presenter and has served as the New Jersey State Director of the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Gingerelli also co-authored with Richard Boergers the book, Finish Strong: Resistance Training for Endurance Athletes.

Phil Martelli is a seasoned college basketball coaching veteran, renowned for his exceptional leadership and strategic acumen. Over his illustrious 24-year tenure at Saint Joseph's University, Martelli built a powerhouse basketball program that left an indelible mark on the college basketball landscape.

During his time at Saint Joseph's, Martelli amassed an impressive 444 career wins, ranking him second all-time in the program's history. Under his guidance, the Hawks secured seven Atlantic 10 regular season or divisional titles and claimed four Atlantic 10 Tournament championships. Martelli's teams made 16 postseason appearances, with eight NCAA tournament berths and eight NIT selections. His tenure was highlighted by two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in 1997 and 2004, and the school's third Elite Eight appearance in 2004.

Martelli's coaching prowess earned him numerous accolades, including the 2004 National Coach of the year, four Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors in 1997, 2001, 2004, and 2005. He was also named USBWA District Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2004 and received Philadelphia Big 5 Coach of the Year honors four times. Throughout his career, Martelli mentored several notable players who went on to successful professional careers, including NBA players Jameer Nelson (2004), Delonte West (2004), and DeAndre' Bembry (2016).

Martelli most recently served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan, supporting former head coach Juwan Howard in all aspects of the program. At Michigan, Martelli served as both associate head coach and interim head coach at various times.

Phil Martelli's legacy extends beyond his impressive coaching record and accolades. His ability to connect with players, instill a winning mindset, and adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of college basketball has solidified his reputation as one of the game's most respected and influential coaches. His dedication to the sport and his commitment to developing well-rounded athletes continue to inspire those within the basketball community.

Andrew Moran is a highly successful EYBL and high school coach, an NBA Skills Coach, an International clinician, and the Miami Hoop School Founder. He has won an unprecedented three-straight EYBL Championships with Nightrydas Elite in the U15, U16, and U17 divisions. At the high school level, he has won four state championships including three in a row at Columbus High School, and one at Miami Christian High School.

Founded in 2012 by Moran, the Miami Hoop School has grown to become the authority on basketball elite skill development and certification in South Florida. His experience serves him well, as he works with players at the NBA, international, collegiate, and high school levels. Andrew has trained NBA players such as Tim Hardaway Jr, Tyler Herro, James Johnson, James Wiseman, Cole Anthony, and many more.

Andrew travels around the Globe training athletes of all levels and because he is fluent in Spanish he has been granted many opportunities to train in places like Argentina, many different cities in Spain (Canary Islands, Huelva, Vinaros, Barcelona, Tenerife, Las Palmas), Panama, Chile, and Puerto Rico to name a few. MHS also hosts international groups and clients who come to Miami, Florida just to train with MHS. Clients from Japan, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Russia, the Caribbean, Ecuador, China, France, and Dubai have all come to train with the best.

Fisher played in the NBA for 18 seasons and won five NBA championships with the Lakers. Fisher, often considered one of the greatest role players of all time, was part of a three-peat Los Angeles Lakers championship squad with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal from 2000-02 and then again with Bryant and Pau Gasol in 2009 and 2010.

Fisher coached the New York Knicks from 2014-2016 and the WNBA Sparks from 2019-2022.

NBA Coaching Career

New York Knicks: Fisher was hired as the head coach of the New York Knicks in 2014 by then-president Phil Jackson. Despite facing challenges, he brought a wealth of NBA experience to the sidelines, emphasizing teamwork and resilience. His tenure with the Knicks was marked by a focus on player development and fostering a competitive environment.

WNBA Coaching Career

Los Angeles Sparks: In 2019, Fisher took on the role of head coach for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. His leadership was instrumental in guiding the team through the competitive landscape of the WNBA.

Crespi Carmelite High School (2023–Present)

On August 7, 2023, Fisher embraced a new challenge by becoming the head basketball coach at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California. This role allows him to impart his extensive basketball knowledge and leadership experience to young athletes, fostering the next generation of talent.

Since arriving at Blair in 1999, Mantegna has transformed the school into a national prep basketball powerhouse. Under his leadership, Blair boasts an impressive record of 464-159, securing 16 Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) titles and 21 trips to the NJ prep “A” state finals, with state championships in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2019, and 2024.

Blair’s program has produced six NBA players, including Luol Deng ’03 and Charlie Villanueva ’03, who both played in the 2003 McDonald’s All-American Game. Additionally, nine Blair alums have participated in the NCAA Final Four, with three winning National Championships. Over 80 players have moved on to Division I rosters, while ten have played professionally overseas. Many former players also coach at the NBA, NCAA, and prep school levels.

Before Blair, Coach Mantegna was an assistant coach at four colleges, including Boston University and Lehigh University. His extensive coaching experience also includes international success. In 2023, he helped lead the South Sudan Men's National Team to three wins at the World Cup in Manila, a historic achievement for African basketball, qualifying them for the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the Olympics, South Sudan became the second African nation to ever win a basketball game.

Mantegna’s international coaching accolades include guiding the USA team at the 2022 NIKE Hoop Summit to victory and assisting South Sudan to a fifth-place finish at the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket. He also played a key role in South Sudan’s qualification for the 2023 FIBA World Championships in Asia. Additionally, Mantegna served as the defensive coordinator for the U.S.-Select U-18 team at the Albert Schweitzer Games in Germany in 2014 and 2016, later becoming the head coach in 2018.

Joe Raso is Senior Director of Basketball Operations for the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He leads the league's player procurement program both domestically and internationally, oversees the CEBL Draft, directs team and player compliance issues, supervises officiating, and plays a key role in the CEBL's relationships with FIBA, Canada Basketball, other basketball organizations, and player agents.

As a college coach, Raso is the all-time winningest coach in McMaster University history and one of the most successful coaches in Canadian University Sports history, with a record of 389 wins against only 155 losses (a .715 winning percentage) over 18 seasons, including 17 seasons with 20 or more wins. 

Raso's basketball resume includes four OUA titles, 12 CIS National Championship tournament appearances resulting in four Silver medals, and six OUA Coach of the Year awards. He has produced five All Canadian players and two National Player of the Year winners while leading McMaster.

Raso has been a national and international consultant, clinician, committee member, speaker, and basketball analyst for the past 25 years. A former National team assistant coach, he has coached in World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, working with some of Canada's greatest players, including NBA two-time Most Valuable Player and Hall of Fame inductee Steve Nash. He has also served as Head Scout with the Canadian Men's National team and is an advance scout with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Denver Nuggets.

Raso has been instrumental in developing basketball at the grassroots level in Canada and has served in various roles, including Technical Director with the World International Children's Games, where his Hamilton teams won international Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. As a high school teacher for 32 years, he coached St. Mary's high school in Hamilton to an OFSAA championship in 1991 and represented Canada at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany.

Jones has served as the Nike Camp Director and is presently engaged in various initiatives aimed at the development of coaches and players in support of the EYBL

Before joining Nike, Jones served as an assistant coach at Colorado State for two seasons. He also spent two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the role of player development coordinator. Prior to these positions, he was part of the coaching staff for the Cleveland Charge in the NBA G-League for three seasons from 2016 to 2019, concluding his tenure there as the associate head coach.

Jones started his coaching career in The Netherlands, working with Den Bosch Eiffel Towers for three years as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach of Den Bosch SPM Shoeters (club changed names). With SPM Shoeters, he led his team to the Dutch Basketball League and NBB Cup crowns in 2014-15 and Dutch Basketball Supercup title in 2015-16. He also spent his final three years in the Netherlands as the associate head coach with the Dutch Men's National Team.

Prior to coaching, Jones played 10 seasons in Europe, including playing in the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Spain and Cyprus. During his time playing, he won two titles with Den Bosch Eiffel Towers and appeared in multiple All-Star games.

Overall, in 24 seasons as a high school head coach, White has compiled a 522-122 (.810) record. Sharman has been a staple at USA Basketball since 2014 having been a part of 5 gold medal teams including 3 as head coach. White recently completed his sixth season as head boys basketball coach as well as the associate director of athletics at Pace Academy. As the head coach at Pace Academy, White recently picked up his 500th victory and has won six straight state championships. 

Prior to Pace Academy, White was an assistant coach at Georgia State University for two seasons (2016-18), where he helped the team to a 44-24 record, including a 24-11 campaign and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017-18. Before Georgia State, White was a high school coach for 20 seasons (1996-16). Eleven of those seasons (2005-16) were as the boys head coach and athletic director at Miller Grove High School in Lithonia, Georgia. At Miller Grove, White compiled a 268-60 record, including six-straight state championships.

The 2014 USA Today All-USA Coach of the Year, White guided Miller Grove to the 2009-2012 Georgia Class 4A titles and the 2013 and 2014 Georgia Class 5A championships. His final season at Miller Grove in 2015-16 was one of his most impressive, as his team finished 31-3 and earned a bid to the Dick’s National’s tournament. He was named the 2016 National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year. He was recognized by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club and Georgia Sports Writers Association as the 2013 Georgia Coach of the Year, as the 2013 Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Class 5A Coach of the Year, the Georgia Class 4A Coach of the Year three times (2010-12) and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia Class 4A Coach of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

White has also been head coach of the McDonald’s All American Game and head coach of the Nike Hoop Summit USA team. Sharman has been a staple at USA Basketball since 2014. While being selected as an assistant coach with USA Basketball, White helped capture a Gold Medal for USA Basketball at the 2015 and 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championships. In March of 2021, White was named the Head Coach for the Nike Hoop Summit Team. In the summer of 2021 White took the command as the Head Coach for the USA Basketball Junior National Team U16 team and led them to a Gold Medal victory over Argentina in Xalapa, Mexico.

In the summer of 2022, White led the USA Basketball U17 team to a FIBA World Cup Championship and Gold Medal in Malaga, Spain. The following summer, Whitesteered the USA Basketball Junior National Team U16 group to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas U16 Qualifier Tournament. This past summer, White helped the USA secure their seventh consecutive FIBA World Cup Championship with a gold medal performance in Istanbul, Turkey. It gave the USAB Junior National Team a record of 51-0 in the FIBA World Cup competitions. 

Chris Oliver is the founder of Basketball Immersion, a leading resource for basketball coaches and players worldwide. Since 2014, Chris has been dedicated to sharing his passion for the game through innovative coaching methods, immersive videos, and insightful podcasts.

With a decade of experience in educating coaches, Chris Oliver has established himself as a trusted authority in youth basketball development. As a consultant for the NBA's youth basketball development programs, Chris Oliver works to shape the future of the game. He is also involved with the renowned Sierra Canyon basketball program, further solidifying his commitment to nurturing young talent.

Through Basketball Immersion, Chris Oliver provides coaches with the tools and knowledge to enhance their teams' performance. His engaging content, including the popular Basketball Immersion podcast and in-depth video analysis, has resonated with coaches from grassroots to elite levels.

Chris's mission is to empower coaches, players, and basketball communities globally, fostering a deeper understanding and love for the game. Join the Basketball Immersion community to tap into Chris's expertise and transform your coaching and playing experience.

Jack Van Deventer is the founder and CEO of Basketball Science, a consulting firm based in North Carolina. With a distinguished 45-year career as a statistician, professor, and data scientist, Jack retired as the Lead Data Scientist of a Fortune 40 company to embark on his basketball analytics venture.

Jack's academic journey includes his role as a professor of Business Statistics at Boise State University and later as a professor of Management Information Systems at Washington State University, where he earned teaching awards at both institutions. His expertise lies in simplifying complex information into actionable insights, a skill he seamlessly translated into the realm of basketball analytics.

Fifteen years ago, Jack began advancing basketball analytics when his daughter, Amy, started playing junior high basketball. Collaborating with fellow data scientists, Jack realized that commonly-used basketball statistics were lagging by about 25 years. He then focused on developing improved metrics and shared his findings with Amy's high school coach, leading her team to a State Championship. Later, Amy's D-II college coach utilized Jack's stats to win the conference championship and advance to D-II March Madness, defeating more talented teams in the process.

As Jack's analytics reached higher-level basketball programs, their success continued to grow. Today, Basketball Science is dedicated to providing better insights to teams that strive to win, consistently pushing the boundaries of basketball analytics.

Vincent extensive international research and professional experience in youth sports coaching, coach development and long-term athlete development, his current work at the institute focuses on improving youth experiences in sports, including prioritizing athlete health and safety, bolstering coach training, strengthening national coaching policy and reimagining models of school sports.

Minjares holds a Ph.D. in Coaching & Pedagogy from AUT University (Auckland, NZ), an M.A. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, within the Cultural Studies of Sport and Education (CSSE) program, and a B.A. in Economics from Claremont McKenna College. His research interests emphasize sports, coaching, education and human development, with published research in the areas of youth sports reform, college athletes, sports coaching and coach development. His dissertation examined the development of coaching practices in high school basketball that facilitate athlete learning.

Professionally, Vincent has held diverse learning and development roles in sport across the United States and New Zealand. Vincent began as a basketball skills trainer in Southern California. Following graduate study in Berkeley, Vincent served the Athletic Study Centre (ASC) as Director of Academic Development, a role responsible for the design and delivery of academic support services for student-athletes in an NCAA Division I sport setting. In addition, Vincent served as a member of the Chancellor’s task force on Academics and Athletics as well as a Special Advisor to Intercollegiate Athletics. In New Zealand, Vincent served as the Development Officer for North Harbour Basketball Association, a regional sport organization and the country’s largest basketball club. In this role, Vincent also served Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) as a Regional Coach Developer, Special Advisor (Wellbeing and Transition) and a member of the Coach Leadership Group.

Vincent brings extensive experience as a coach and player. Vincent played NCAA Div. III basketball for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Claremont, CA) and attended Damien High School (La Verne, CA) where he became a three-year varsity letterman. Vincent first coached high school and junior college basketball in Southern California before returning to coaching in New Zealand at the club, high school, national representative and international representative levels.

Dave Klatsky was appointed head coach of the New York University men’s basketball program in May 2022 and has quickly made an impact. In his second season (2023-24), he guided the Violets to a stellar 21-6 record, capturing the University Athletic Association (UAA) Co-Championship—their first conference title in 30 years—and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Under Klatsky’s leadership, NYU excelled nationally, finishing seventh in three-point shooting percentage (39.02%) and 19th in assist/turnover ratio (1.43). Star player Spencer Freedman thrived in Klatsky’s system, earning D3hoops.com National Player of the Year, UAA Player of the Year, NABC Third Team All-American, and First Team All-Metropolitan honors.

His remarkable debut year earned him numerous accolades, including UAA Coaching Staff of the Year and D3hoops.com Region 4 Coach of the Year, solidifying his place as one of the top coaches in Division III basketball.

At Colgate, under three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Langel, Klatsky had numerous responsibilities including scouting, practice and game planning, recruiting and analyzing advanced statistics. He was the primary recruiter of four All-League selections and two Defensive Players of the Year while directing Colgate's Elite Prospect Camp.

Prior to Colgate, Klatsky served as an assistant coach at Stevens Institute of Technology from 2007-11. While there, he played a key role in all facets of the program, helping guide the Ducks to their first-ever ECAC Metro Championships (2008, '11).

After graduating from Penn, Klatsky worked as an equity analyst and trader in Manhattan and Jersey City, NJ. He is also the creator of StatChat, a podcast centered around how different programs utilize advanced statistics, and mentored a Colgate student in developing the startup company ShotQuality which measures the expected value of all shots attempted.

Bridgette Mitchell took over as the head coach of the Fordham women’s basketball program on April 7, 2021. With a rich background in both playing and coaching, Mitchell brings a wealth of experience and passion to the Rams.

Mitchell comes to Fordham following two seasons as the head coach at Northeastern from 2021-23, where her teams consistently outperformed expectations. 

Picked to finish eighth in the 2022-23 preseason poll, Mitchell promptly led the Huskies to a share of their first-ever CAA regular season title with a 13-5 league mark, including a program-record nine straight victories, as part of a 19-12 overall record. For her efforts, Mitchell’s peers recognized her with CAA Coach of the Year honors. 

Highlighting the Huskies 2022-23 campaign was a Feb. 17 road win over fellow regular season co-champion Drexel, which snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Dragons and handed Drexel its first home loss of the season.  A top-three seed in the CAA Tournament for the first time since joining the conference in 2005-06, Northeastern downed sixth-seeded Stony Brook to advance to the semifinals for just the third time in the school’s CAA tenure.

Prior to taking over at Northeastern, Mitchell spent seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the Pittsburgh, James Madison, Siena and Wagner.

Brooks Miller just completed his 13th season as the Head Coach of the Trine University Men’s Basketball program and has 24 combined years of collegiate basketball playing and coaching experience. Miller has compiled an overall record of 226-116 at Trine including a 131-69 record versus Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opponents.

In 2024, Miller led the program to its first ever NCAA Division III National Championship behind a 29-4 record. The 29 wins is a record for the school’s most wins in a season. It is now back-to-back seasons that the program has crossed the 20-win mark after going 22-4 overall last season. Coach Miller has also guided the Thunder to MIAA Championships in 2019, 2021 and 2024. Trine swept both the MIAA regular season and MIAA Tournament Championships in 2021 finishing conference play undefeated with a 17-0 mark during a COVID shortened season.

Miller’s career at Trine University has been highlighted by being named the 2020-2021 NCAA D3 National Coach of the Year by both Hoopdirt.com/Just Play Sports Solutions and Basketball Times Magazine. In March of 2024, Miller was again named NCAA DIII National Coach of the Year for the second time receiving those accolades from D3Hoops.com, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), as well as being named the Eddie Robinson CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year for NCAA DIII.

Miller worked as an assistant men's basketball coach for three Hall of Fame coaches that amassed seven National Championships throughout their careers.  Miller began his collegiate coaching career working for BCAM Hall of Fame Coach Ed Douma (one National Championship) whom he previously played for at Hillsdale College. In 2007, his career took him to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he served as a graduate assistant coach to Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight (three National Championships) and was involved with on-campus recruiting and player development. In 2009, he became the Head Assistant Men’s Basketball coach and National Recruiting Coordinator at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas for Junior College Hall of Fame Coach Steve Green (three National Championships). While at South Plains, Coach Miller coached and or recruited nine players that would transfer on to NCAA Division I universities.

Jon Coffman is synonymous with success at Purdue University Fort Wayne. As he embarks on his 11th season as head coach (2024-25), he holds the distinction of being the program's winningest coach in Division I history with a remarkable 179-142 record.

Coffman's coaching prowess doesn't go unnoticed. He's garnered numerous accolades, including Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2022 (adding to his 2015-16 Summit League Coach of the Year award). His strategic guidance led Purdue Fort Wayne to capture the Horizon League regular season title in 2022 and the Summit League regular season title in 2015-16. The team has also made a habit of postseason appearances, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2023.

Beyond wins on the court, Coffman fosters a culture of player development. An impressive 24 players under his tutelage have gone on to professional careers, including NBA standout John Konchar. His commitment extends to recognizing his players' achievements, with a staggering 40 All-Conference honors awarded in the last 14 years.

Coffman's dominance extends beyond Purdue Fort Wayne. He holds the title of Winningest Mid-Major coach in Indiana over the past 11 seasons. His program's consistent success garnered national recognition with consistent rankings among the Top 25 Mid-Major programs by collegeinsider.com (2024).

Grant Leonard was hired by then-Division II Queens as an assistant coach in 2013 and promoted to associate head coach in 2016. Over seven years as an assistant coach, the team achieved a winning percentage of .837 with a 189–37 overall record, consistently ranking in the top 25, including a No. 1 ranking. Queens won the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) regular season championship three times, secured two SAC tournament titles, and made two Elite Eight appearances with Leonard on the staff. He was promoted to head coach for the 2022–23 season, Queens’ first season in NCAA Division I. In his first season, Queens went 18–15 with a 7–11 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN). Last year, his team reached the Atlantic Sun Tournament Quarterfinals for the second straight season after defeating Florida Gulf Coast University in the opening round.

Leonard began his coaching career as an assistant at Shorewood High School in 2004–05. He then assisted in coaching the Washington College Shoremen in 2005–06. For the next three seasons, he was the director of basketball operations for Texas–Pan American. In 2009–10, he served as an assistant coach for the Flagler Saints. From 2011 to 2013, Leonard worked for the Paine Lions as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, director of skill development, and defensive specialist, helping the team achieve their first winning season in seven years in 2011–12.

Chris Victor enters his fourth year as Head Coach of the Redhawks in 2024-25. The season will mark his eighth year overall at Seattle University as he spent four seasons as Associate Head Coach. Over the past three seasons, Victor has compiled a 66-35 record, including three straight seasons of 20 wins or more – the first such streak since 1957-59.

Chris Victor has an impressive head coaching record of 169 wins and 74 losses, boasting a winning percentage of .695. In 2022, he was honored as the Don Haskins WAC Coach of the Year.

Most recently, the 2023-34 concluded in the program's first-ever postseason tournament championship as the Redhawks won four games in five days to clinch the 2024 Ro College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in Daytona Beach, Fla. The postseason run led the Redhawks to a 23-win season for the second time in the past three years under Victor, as well as a 117 NET ranking – the highest such end-of-season ranking for the program.

Prior to Seattle U, Victor served as an assistant coach at Eastern Washington for two seasons. His first season on the Eagle coaching staff was punctuated by Eastern’s first-ever victory in a national postseason tournament as a member of NCAA Division I when the Eagles beat Pepperdine, 79-72, in the College Basketball Invitational. The Eagles went 22-12 and returned to the CBI in 2016-17.

Victor’s first head coaching position was at Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., where he led the Owls of the Western State Conference and California Community College Athletic Association to 103 victories over five seasons. He won 73 percent of his games overall (103-39) and 73 percent in league play (44-16) with a pair of CCCAA Final Four appearances and one league title.

Victor spent four seasons as a top assistant at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif., under Head Coach Ken Ammann. In that span, Concordia went 118-23, won three out of four Golden State Athletic Conference Championships and made four-straight appearances in the NAIA National Tournament, including appearing in the national title game in 2006-07.

Craig Luschenat is the Director of Player Development for the Boston Celtics, bringing a wealth of experience and a proven track record in player enhancement and coaching. 

Prior to joining the Celtics, Craig served as a player development intern for Integrity Hoops and Wasserman Sports Agency Clients in Los Angeles, California. In this role, he was responsible for planning and leading workouts for NBA talent, as well as developing strong relationships with NBA players and agents. His notable work with NBA All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis highlights his ability to work with top-tier talent.

Craig’s journey in basketball began as a college player at Saint Joseph’s College, where he played under the guidance of Coach Rob Sanicola. His passion for the game and dedication to player development led him to various coaching roles, including his tenure with the Maine Celtics. Craig served as an Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the Maine Celtics from 2020 to 2022, where he played a crucial role in enhancing player performance and development.

In July 2022, Craig transitioned to the Boston Celtics as a Player Enhancement Coach, a position he held until July 2024. His exceptional skills and commitment to player growth earned him the role of Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development in July 2024.

J.J. Outlaw is a dynamic and experienced NBA assistant coach who has made a significant impact on the game. Currently serving as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards under Brian Keefe, Outlaw has been a valuable member of various NBA coaching staffs, including stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Outlaw's journey to the NBA began with a successful football career at Villanova University, where he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. After two seasons in the NFL, he transitioned to the world of basketball, leveraging his competitive spirit and athleticism to excel in a new sport.

Aaron Roussell, the reigning A-10 Coach of the Year, enters his sixth season as the head coach of the Richmond Spiders Women's Basketball team. With an impressive career winning percentage of .694, Roussell has transformed the Spiders into a competitive force in the Atlantic 10 Conference and nationally.

Roussell's tenure at Richmond has been marked by significant accomplishments. In the 2023-24 season, he led the Spiders to their first A-10 regular season title and championship since 1991, culminating in a historic appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. His coaching prowess has also been recognized with individual accolades, including the 400th career win against Loyola Chicago and the program's 1,000th win against Fordham.

Prior to his time at Richmond, Roussell gained valuable experience at Minnesota State, the University of Chicago, and Bucknell University. His consistent success throughout his career has solidified his reputation as a skilled and dedicated coach.

Two-time National Coach of the Year Landry Kosmalski has a 224-93 record at Swarthmore with a .707 win percentage since taking the helm in 2012. Under his leadership, the Garnet have become a powerhouse in Division III basketball, consistently ranking among the top teams in the nation.

Kosmalski’s coaching career is marked by numerous accolades and achievements. He has been named the NABC Division III Coach of the Year and has earned the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year award multiple times. His teams have made several NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips to the Elite Eight and the Final Four. In the 2019-20 season, his team was ranked No. 1 nationally and finished with an impressive 28-1 record.

Kosmalski has been recognized as the Region/District Coach of the Year in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2023. He has also earned the title of Centennial Conference Coach of the Year in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020. Under his leadership, Swarthmore has made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances in the 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 seasons. Additionally, his teams have clinched the Centennial Conference Championship in 2016-17, 2018-19, 2022-23, and 2023-24.

Before joining Swarthmore, Kosmalski served as an assistant coach at Davidson College, where he helped lead the Wildcats to two Southern Conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.

With a career coaching record that includes over 347 wins, Krista Gerlich brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the program. A former standout player for Texas Tech, Gerlich was a key member of the 1993 NCAA Championship team, earning accolades such as Final Four All-Tournament Team and NCAA Woman of the Year for Texas.

In 2013, Gerlich took over as head coach at UT Arlington, where she became the winningest coach in program history with 121 victories. Her tenure at UT Arlington was marked by significant achievements, including a Sun Belt Regular Season Championship and a Sun Belt Coach of the Year award..

Gerlich returned to her alma mater in 2020, taking the helm of the Lady Raiders. Under her leadership, the team has shown steady improvement, reflecting her commitment to building a competitive and resilient program. Known for her strategic acumen, player development skills, and ability to foster team chemistry, Gerlich continues to inspire and lead her players both on and off the court. Her dedication to excellence and her deep connection to Texas Tech make her a pivotal figure in the world of collegiate basketball.

Emilee Thiesse has transformed the Minnesota State University’s women’s basketball program into an NCAA Division II powerhouse. Under her leadership, the Mavericks clinched their second NCAA Division II Championship during the 2023-24 season, breaking several team records along the way. Thiesse’s tenure boasts an impressive 228-116 (.662) overall record, with 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, and her teams consistently ranking among the top in scoring offense and defense. Minnesota State’s 2023-24 season saw them achieve a 20-2 conference record, their second NSIC Championship, and their first NSIC Tournament Championship.

Thiesse’s coaching prowess has been recognized with multiple accolades, including the NSIC Coach of the Year honor. The team broke several team records during their 2023-24 championship season, including games played (37), most wins (32, tied with 2008-09 season), points scored (3,069), field goal attempts (2,673), field goals made (1,146), field goal attempts (789) and free throws made (571). Along with the fourth-best scoring offense in NCAA Division II (82.9 ppg), the Mavericks also boasted a smothering defense that ranked second in steals per game (17.1), second in turnovers forced (28.05) and first in turnover margin (+13.11).

Chris Oliver is the founder of Basketball Immersion, a leading resource for basketball coaches and players worldwide. Since 2014, Chris has been dedicated to sharing his passion for the game through innovative coaching methods, immersive videos, and insightful podcasts.

With a decade of experience in educating coaches, Chris Oliver has established himself as a trusted authority in youth basketball development. As a consultant for the NBA's youth basketball development programs, Chris Oliver works to shape the future of the game. He is also involved with the renowned Sierra Canyon basketball program, further solidifying his commitment to nurturing young talent. 

Through Basketball Immersion, Chris Oliver provides coaches with the tools and knowledge to enhance their teams' performance. His engaging content, including the popular Basketball Immersion podcast and in-depth video analysis, has resonated with coaches from grassroots to elite levels.

Chris's mission is to empower coaches, players, and basketball communities globally, fostering a deeper understanding and love for the game. Join the Basketball Immersion community to tap into Chris's expertise and transform your coaching and playing experience.

Appalachian State head coach Dustin Kerns joins the Basketball Podcast.to share insights on draft time, defense and a culture of appreciation.

Kerns guided the Mountaineers to a historic season in his fifth year at the helm, securing the program's first regular season outright conference championship since the 1978-79 season, a program-record 27 wins and an NIT first-round appearance for the first time since 2006-07. The Mountaineers won 16 Sun Belt games in 2023-24 and finished with a 16-2 record, marking the best winning percentage in conference play in program history. For the third consecutive season, the Mountaineers won at least 10 home games, winning 15 games at the Holmes Center, the most in the building's era. App State was one of 12 teams in the country to be undefeated at home while shattering their regular-season attendance record.

The Mountaineers finished the season 3-0 against teams that made the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament. App State's win over Auburn on December 3 made it back-to-back seasons that the Mountaineers have defeated a Power 5 opponent. Additionally, the Mountaineers were the only team in the country to post three separate winning streaks of at least eight games. Because of the team's success, Kerns was named App State's first Conference Coach of the Year since 2003. Kerns also garnered the All-District 23 Coach of the Year honors by the NABC and was named a finalist for both the Jim Phelan and High Durham Coach of the Year Awards.

Kerns coaching journey started as a student assistant at Clemson, and after graduation landed his first coaching job at Tennessee Tech. Following a one-year stop as a graduate assistant at Tennessee, Kerns joined Mike Young's staff at Wofford from 2004 to 2007, then moved on to Santa Clara as an assistant from 2007 to 2013. He returned to Wofford as the associate head coach in 2013, where he was on staff for the Terriers' 2014 and 2015 NCAA Tournament appearances.

On May 23, 2017, Kerns was named the head coach at Presbyterian.Kerns took over a Presbyterian program that had endured 12 straight losing seasons and a 5 win campaign the previous season. The program quickly turned around as in his 2nd season at Presbyterian, he led the Blue Hose to a 20 win season, first ever postseason berth, and quarterfinal appearance in the CIT Tournament. Kerns was named the head coach at Appalachian State on March 28, 2019.

Breakdown:

02:22 Celebrating Team and Fan Support

03:41 Unique Summer Training Approaches

05:08 Draft Time: A New Approach to Pickup Games

13:27 Mental Health and Player Wellbeing

14:58 Encouraging Diverse Training Environments

19:18 Emphasizing Offensive Skills in Summer

23:29 Focusing on Fewer Fouls During Games

26:33 Officiating Practice: A Teaching Tool

27:48 Addressing Bad Habits and Consequences

30:36 The Role of Analytics in Shot Selection

31:39 Consequences and Emotions in Practice

33:44 Verticality and Defensive Techniques

37:56 Defensive Conditioning and Team Building

40:11 Developing Defensive Intensity

43:01 Core Principles and Program Success

46:44 Appreciation and Individuality in Coaching

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

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Immersion Videos:

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In this week’s basketball coaching conversation, New Mexico head coach Mike Bradbury joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on efficient language, keeping it simple, and his “so what” philosophy.

Mike Bradbury enters his ninth season as head coach for The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team. In his previous eight seasons at the helm, Bradbury has guided the Lobos to a 162-89 (.645) and 89-51 (.636) in conference and became just the second coach in UNM history to win 100 games. Overall as a head coach he has won over 340 games.

Five times in his tenure (2017-18, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) the Lobos eclipsed the 20-win mark, with the Lobos tying the program record for most wins in a single season with 26 in 2021-22. Further, the 25 wins in 2017-18 were tied for the second-most wins in program history. The consecutive 20-plus win seasons under Bradbury in 2017-18 and 2018-19 were the first for the program since the 2007-08 – 2008-09 seasons

From 2007 to 2010, Bradbury led Morehead State to a 50–44 record over the course of three seasons, including a 22–11 record and a bid to the WBI in his final season as head coach. The 22-win mark set the school's NCAA-era record for victories in a season, and the 14–4 conference mark in the same year set the school's single season conference wins record and was also the highest conference winning percentage in a season in school history

At Wright State from 2010 to 2016, Bradbury had five seasons with 20 or more wins and led the school to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014, in addition to WBI appearances in 2011 and 2012 and WNIT appearances in 2015 and 2016.

Breakdown:

01:10 Longevity in Coaching

02:02 Building a Winning Team Culture

03:03 Efficient Communication in Coaching

04:39 Non-Negotiables in Player Development

10:27 Adapting Offensive Strategies

15:14 Defensive Principles and Adaptability

21:14 Coaching Philosophy and Staff Development

26:05 Overcoming Adversity: No Excuses

26:42 Staff Organization and Responsibilities

27:56 Efficient Practice Communication

30:03 Post-Practice and Game Review

33:05 Adapting Coaching Strategies

39:06 Simplifying Game Plans

48:05 Maintaining Passion for Coaching

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachbballimmersion/

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s coaching conversation, Boston Celtics Performance Enhancement Coach Phil Pressey joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on transitioning from player to coach, and applying skill acquisition ideas.

Known for his strategic mind and ability to develop players, Phil is a rising star in the coaching world. After serving as a graduate assistant at Missouri, he joined the Celtics’ coaching staff in 2023, bringing his court vision and leadership to the sidelines.

Phil’s basketball roots run deep. The son of former NBA player and coach Paul Pressey, Phil has basketball in his DNA. His playing career began at the University of Missouri, where he set records for assists and steals, earning First-Team All-SEC honors in 2013.

Despite going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft, his tenacity and skill earned him a spot with the Boston Celtics, where he played as a point guard. His professional career also included stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and several international teams.

Breakdown:

01:01 Transition from Player to Coach

02:09 Mentorship and Learning

03:35 Innovative Coaching Techniques

06:40 Enhancing Basketball IQ

07:30 The Importance of Scanning

10:52 Film Study and Player Development

13:37 Roles and Responsibilities

16:42 Challenges in Transitioning to Coaching

20:53 Balancing Practice Techniques

22:53 Coaching Summer League: Insights and Challenges

23:53 The Importance of Player Feedback

25:34 Balancing Feedback and Player Independence

28:23 Empowering Players Through Communication

30:34 The Role of Reading and Continuous Learning

36:0 Developing Point Guard Skills

37:48 Adapting to Modern Basketball

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, UC Riverside head coach Mike Magpayo joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on adjustments, confidence, and analytics.

Mike Magpayo has set a new standard for UC Riverside men's basketball, entering his fifth year as full-time head coach in 2024-25 after having the interim tag removed on May 21, 2021.

Magpayo is the fastest UC Riverside head coach to collect 25 Big West victories, doing so in just three seasons. As of the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Magpayo's Highlanders have earned back-to-back Big West Freshman of the Year honors.

Magpayo was named the first Big West Coach of the Year in program history in 2022-23 after leading UCR to a program-record 22 wins - including 10 in Big West play - while picking up another program-record five Big West Player of the Week awards.

Prior to arriving in Riverside, he spent a year as the men's basketball director of operations at the University of San Francisco on the staff of his coaching mentor, Kyle Smith. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Campbell University and Columbia University.

Magpayo has also found tremendous success off the court, both as the CEO of a multi-million dollar real estate firm in Southern California for seven years, and as the founder and president of the Asian Coaches Association

Breakdown

1:00 - Coaching Strategies

2:00 - Mental Performance

6:00 - Solution based Coaching and managing Losses

9:00 - Coaching Strategies with Two Small Guards

14:00 - Shapes and Formations

16:00 - Advantage Games and Screening Actions

21:30 - Murky Play and Language Use

25:00 - Audibles and Player Development

28:00 - Importance of Being Decisive

33:00 - Teamwork

36:00 - Sales Tactics

38:30 - Importance of Accountability

43:00 - Business Strategies

46:00 - Leadership, Vision, and Alignment

48:30 - Asian American Experience in Coaching

Mike Magpayo’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Magpayo

Twitter: https://x.com/coachsonic

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, North Florida head coach Matthew Driscoll joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on embracing change and dots on the map.

Coach Driscoll is the all-time winningest coach in ASUN history and has won over 250 games at North Florida. He is a three-time ASUN Coach of the Year (2014-15, 2015-16, 2019-20) and was the NABC District 3 Coach of the Year in 2014-15.

Driscoll has led his Osprey teams to multiple ASUN regular season titles (2015, 2016, 2020), an ASUN tournament championship (2015), and two national postseason appearances (2015 NCAA, 2016 NIT). 

Discroll boasts an impressive record, having mentored 13 of UNF's 18 1,000-point scorers (including transfers) while leading his teams to hold nearly every program record. His strategic approach resulted in a Top 20 final ranking in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll (2014-15) and twice led NCAA Div. 1 in 3-pointers made per game (2016, 2020). He's also known for guiding UNF to victories over powerhouse programs like Purdue and Illinois.

Before coming to UNF, Driscoll spent twelve years as an assistant at Baylor University, Valparaiso University, Clemson University, and the University of Wyoming.

Breakdown

1:00 - Coaching Strategies and Player Development

4:00 - Importance of Foundation and Fundamentals

8:00 - Importance of Guarding The Ball

13:00 - Mindfulness in Practice

15:00 - Fast and Furious

18:00 - Peer Pressure Drills

23:30 - Purposeful Drills

26:00 - Understanding the Game

28:00 - Player Freedom

32:00 - Consistent Coaching

36:00 - Transfer Portal Era

41:00 - Longevity with Specific Player's Journey

45:00 - Character and Chemistry in Basketball

49:30 - Program Success

53:30 - Virtual Training

57:00 - Adaptability to Change

1:00:00 - Personal Growth

1:06:00 - Personal Connections

1:08:00 - Conclusion

Matt Driscoll’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Driscoll_(basketball)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattsdriscoll

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Numerous achievements and milestones mark Kampe’s coaching career. He is the current longest-tenured coach at a single school dating back to 1984 when Oakland was an NCAA D2 school. Kampe has coached five NBA players, led four teams to the Division 1 NCAA Tournament, and has a chance to win his 700th career game this coming season.

The 2023-2024 season was particularly noteworthy for Kampe and the Golden Grizzlies. Under his leadership, Oakland won the Horizon League tournament for the first time, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As a 14-seed, they achieved a remarkable upset victory over 3-seed Kentucky in the Round of 64, marking Kampe’s first win in this tournament stage.

Oakland’s only previous NCAA tourney win came in the First Four in 2005. Over the years, Kampe has led Oakland to multiple conference championships, including three Summit League tournament titles and two Horizon League regular-season titles. He is the third-longest tenured men's college basketball coach currently active, a testament to his dedication and leadership. 

Kampe’s dedication to the program and his players is evident in his long-standing commitment to Oakland University. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including four Summit League Coach of the Year honors and an induction into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Kampe’s coaching philosophy emphasizes consistency, hard work, and the development of student-athletes both on and off the court.

Breakdown

1:00 - Achievements in Coaching Career

1:30 - Coaching Consistency and Its Impact on Success

3:30 - Game Planning and Strategy

8:30 - Coaching Decisions

11:00 - Coaching Philosophy and Offensive Strategy

17:00 - Finding Player's Strengths

20:00 - Unique Matchup Zone Defense

23:00 - Adapting Zone Defense

29:00 - Practice Plan and Emphasizing Repetition

32:00 - Offensive Strategies

39:00 - Values

42:00 - Personal Growth

44:00 - Didn't Travel with the Team

46:00 - Self Awareness

47:00 - Conclusion

Greg Kampes Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Kampe

Website: https://www.allcoachnetwork.com/kampe/main.html

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Matt Hill joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on NBA transition and player development concepts.

Matt Hill brings a wealth of NBA coaching experience to the Charlotte Hornets, having previously served as an Assistant Coach with the Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks (2018-2023) and the Orlando Magic (2017-2018). He began his NBA journey with the Orlando Magic in 2012, working his way up from Video Analyst/Scout to Player Development under coaches Jacque Vaughn, James Borrego, Scott Skiles, and Frank Vogel.

A standout athlete himself, Hill played college basketball at the University of Texas and was named Nebraska's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year in high school. He holds a bachelor's degree in corporate communications.

Hill's dedication to the game is evident in his career path. Transitioning from player development to coaching positions, he has developed a strong foundation in maximizing player potential and contributing to team success.

Breakdown

1:00 - Coaching Experience

2:00 - End of Shot Clock Possession

7:30 - Coaching Strategies

8:30 - Rival Spacing

13:30 - Creating Space

16:00 - Processes and Feedback Loop

21:00 - Balance, Tracking, and Feedback

27:30 - Stats and Film Analysis

30:00 - Importance of Trust and Accountability

36:00 - Coaching Journey and Staff Development

40:00 - Four Different Coaches

42:00 - Conclusion

Matt HIll’s Bio:

Bio: https://nbacoaches.com/matt-hill/

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, the technical director for Netherlands basketball and former FIBA 3x3 head coach Brian Benjamin joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss FIBA 3vx3 and its application to all basketball coaching.

From 2016 to 2021, Brian Benjamin has been the Head Coach of the 3x3 Men National Team of The Netherlands. After his teams won several medals at the Europe Cup and World Cup, the Men's team qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Brian Benjamin is currently the Technical Director of the Netherlands Basketball Federation. He oversees and is responsible for all National Teams and Talent Programmes (3x3, 5-on-5, and Wheelchair) of the Netherlands Basketball Federation.

Breakdown

1:00 - Netherlands Success in 3x3 Basketball

5:00 - Defensive Strategies for 3--Point Shots

11:00 - Strategies to Counter Switches

14:00 - Defensive Rebounds and Communication

20:00 - Limiting Turnovers

22:00 - One-on-One Defense

27:00 - Player Skills and Team Concept

30:00 - 3x3 Practice and Defensive Tactics

36:00 - Importance of Individual Skills

39:30 - Performance Analysis

42:00 - Keep Competing

45:00 - Conclusion

Brian Benjamin’s Bio:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjbrian/

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, ESPN College Basketball Game and Studio Analyst, Fran Fraschilla shares insights on trends in coaching, 3x3 and a passion to learn.

Fran Fraschilla joined ESPN as a college basketball game and studio analyst in 2003. Fraschilla has an extensive coaching background, having coached at the collegiate level for 23 years. His teams made eight postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments. He was the head coach at the University of New Mexico, St. John’s University and Manhattan College..At ESPN, he worked on NBA Draft coverage, the FIBA World Championships, as well as the NBA and high school basketball. He was also an analyst on ESPN’s NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball coverage from 2007-2014.

Fran Fraschilla had an impressive coaching career before transitioning to ESPN.

Manhattan College (1992–1996): As head coach of the Manhattan Jaspers, Fraschilla led the team to the NCAA Tournament twice. In 1995, the Jaspers pulled off an upset as a 13-seed, defeating Kelvin Sampson’s No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners. St. John’s University (1996–1998): At St. John’s, Fraschilla coached four NBA players, including Metta World Peace. His overall record with the Red Storm was 35–24.University of New Mexico (1999–2002): Fraschilla continued his success at New Mexico, posting a 55–41 record. His teams made postseason appearances, including the NIT and NCAA Tournaments.

In total, Fran Fraschilla’s coaching career spanned 23 years, with an overall record of 176–99. His expertise and insights now benefit ESPN viewers as he analyzes college basketball games and covers the NBA draft, particularly focusing on foreign players.

Breakdown

1:00 - International Basketball Growth

6:00 - Pick and Roll Basketball Techniques

13:00 - Five Out Offense and Big Men Passing Ability

16:00 - Effective Weak Side Actions

18:30 - Practice Design and Habits

25:00 - Coaching Techniques in College Basketball

28:30 - Offensive and Defensive Approaches

33:00 - Importance of Switching

35:30 - Difference of 3x3 vs 5x5

39:00 - Benefits of 3x3

46:00 - Family Involvement

49:00 - Coaching and Mentorship

54:00 - Conclusion

Fran Fraschilla’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_Fraschilla

Twitter: https://x.com/franfraschilla

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Spanish professional basketball Joan Plaza joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on modern coaching: Instilling confidence and empowerment.

Joan Plaza is a Spanish professional basketball coach with an impressive track record. His coaching journey spans across various European teams, where he has consistently achieved success at the highest levels of the game. Plaza most recently was head coach of AEK in the Greek League and in the Basketball Champions League.

Plaza began his coaching career at the basketball school he co-founded, EB Betsaida, and worked with the women’s team EB Santísima Trinitat and the small club CB Sant Adriá. During the 2000–01 season, he led his team to victory in the Spanish Under-20 championship.

A veteran of 194 coaching appearances in the EuroLeague, spread between Zenit, Unicaja, Zalgiris, and Real Madrid. His most notable coaching stint was with Real Madrid, where he initially served as an assistant coach under Božidar Maljković. When Maljković departed, Plaza stepped up as the head coach. Under his leadership, Real Madrid achieved remarkable milestones, including thirteen consecutive Liga ACB wins and winning the ULEB Cup (now known as EuroCup) in the same season. Plaza was named the AEEB Coach of the Year.

Plaza’s coaching journey continued with other prominent teams including Cajasol Sevilla, Unicaja Malaga, where he secured his second EuroCup title in the 2016–17 season., Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Real Betis.

Breakdown

1:00 - Coaching Youth Basketball

2:30 - Sharing Experiences

7:30 - Modern vs Traditional Coaching Methods

10:30 - Player Development and Communication

17:00 - Assistance in Decision Making

20:30 - Building Confidence

27:00 - Creating Strategy and Goals

31:00 - Time Management

36:00 - Coaching Methods

40:00 - Game Plan and Priorities

48:00 - Coaching Philosophy and Passion

55:00 - Conclusion

Joan Plaza’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Plaza

Twitter: https://x.com/joanplazaduran

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Birmingham Squadron G-League head coach T.J. Saint joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on his playbook and modern strategies and concepts.

Saint's professional coaching journey started in 2014 when he served as the video coordinator for the Detroit Pistons. He remained with the Pistons until 2018 gaining valuable insights into the NBA game.  Following his departure from the Pistons, Saint went to the University of Georgia where he held the position of Director of Basketball Strategy for the Men's Basketball team during the 2018-19 season.

Saint then spent three seasons honing his coaching skills with the New Orleans Pelicans' G League affiliates.  He started as an assistant coach (2019-20) before being promoted to associate head coach (2020-22).  His dedication and hard work culminated in his well-deserved appointment as head coach of the Birmingham Squadron in 2022. Saint's 2023-24 Squadron team was the #1 ranked offense in the regular season, and the 4th all-time regular season offense in the history of the G-League.

Saint attended Belmont University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in business development. During his time at Belmont, he also served as a student assistant coach with the men’s basketball team from 2009 to 2011. His experience at Belmont laid a strong foundation for his coaching career, combining academic achievement with practical coaching experience.

Saint later pursued a Master’s degree in effective teaching and leadership at Butler University. While at Butler, he worked as a graduate assistant coach, further honing his coaching skills and expanding his understanding of leadership in sports.

Breakdown

1:00 - Coachikng Strategies and Culture

2:00 - Creating Team Identity

5:30 - Positive Reinforcement

9:00 - Basketball Coaching Strategies

15:30 - Confrontational Drives

19:00 - Alternating the Current

22:30 - Spacing

29:30 - Blitzing and Pick and Roll Coverage

32:30 - Defensive Tactics

35:00 - Pick and Roll Reads

41:30 - Hang and Hostage Dribbles

44:30 - Late Sprays and Monkey in the Middle

48:00 - Play Calling

55:30 - Angle Shot

59:00 - Chase Five and Euro

1:03:00 - Offense Strategies and Plays

1:09:30 - Dribble Drive Motion

1:12:30 - Single Side Tag and Small Ball

1:16:00 - Use of Flares and Back Screens

1:23:00 - His Coaching Philosophy and Experience

1:27:00 -  Conclusion

TJ Saint’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://georgiadogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/t-j-saint/2505

Twitter: https://x.com/tjsaint4

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Tim Martin joins the Basketball Podcast to share a holistic approach to player and business development.

Tim Martin is a basketball coach, motivational speaker, filmmaker, and industry expert. His journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most respected skills trainers in the basketball community is nothing short of remarkable.

Tim’s journey took a pivotal turn when he began training young athletes. His work ethic, second to none, caught the attention of rising NBA star Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, who has trained with Tim since his freshman year at South Garland High School, describes their relationship as family-oriented.

Tim Martin’s impact extends beyond the court. He has developed comprehensive training transformation programs for basketball players at all levels. His Virtual Training Academy, established in 2007, has helped produce 21 NBA Draft selections and assisted clients in earning over $550 million in NBA salary. Tim has worked with NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and Euro league champions, leaving an indelible mark on the basketball world.

Tim is not only a basketball trainer but also a motivational speaker, filmmaker, and industry expert. As the Director of Basketball Relations for the Dwyane Wade sneaker company, Way of Wade/Li Ning, he has cultivated relationships with premier names in sports entertainment and fashion.

Tim Martin’s journey from homelessness to world-renowned trainer exemplifies resilience, hard work, and the transformative power of basketball. His story inspires athletes and dreamers alike, reminding us that greatness can emerge from even the humblest beginnings.

Breakdown

1:00 - Holistic Player Development

7:00 - Building a Personal Brand

9:30 - Personal Growth and Curiosity

16:00 - Unconventional Methods

19:00 - Confidence Building

24:30 - Building Mental Toughness and Pressure

27:00 - Coaching Method in the NBA

33:00 - Mental Health

35:30 - Team Building

42:00 - Networking and Authenticity

46:00 - Conclusion

Tim Martin’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://timmartiniq.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/timmartin_tx

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, University of Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin joins The Basketball Podcast for a deep dive into defensive principles, offensive philosophy and sustaining success.

Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has elevated Ole Miss women’s basketball back into the national spotlight throughout her six seasons in Oxford. McPhee-McCuin keeps building upon success each season at the helm of the Rebels, leading Ole Miss to a program record 12 SEC wins in 2023-24 as well as the school’s third straight NCAA Tournament appearance for its 20th overall.

Along with guiding the Rebels to a program best in conference wins, McPhee-McCuin picked up her 100th win at the helm of Ole Miss during the 2023-24 season to become the second coach in program history to achieve the feat. McPhee-McCuin spent the five seasons before Ole Miss transforming Jacksonville into a perennial power in the Atlantic Sun Conference. During her tenure as head coach, McPhee-McCuin led the Dolphins to a 94-63 record (50-24 in ASUN play) and postseason appearances in each of her last three seasons.

McPhee-McCuin, who has also served as the national team head coach for her native Bahamas, was an assistant at Clemson from 2011-13, where she was recognized as one of the top assistants in the nation by National Women's Basketball Insider. Before her stint at Clemson, McPhee-McCuin was on staff at Pittsburgh for two seasons in 2009 and 2010. Her coaching career also includes stops at Portland, Frank Phillips College, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Breakdown

1:00 - Defense and Adaptability

8:00 - Defensive Strategies for 3 Point Shots

15:00 - Defensive Techniques

18:00 - Embracing Physicality

23:00 - Defending Ball Screens

28:30 - Freedom on Offense

34:00 - Exploit Defensive Weaknesses

36:30 - Data Analysis and Practice Management

43:00 - Maintaining Standards

48:00 - Mentorships in Women's Basketball

53:00 - Conclusion

Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yolett_McPhee-McCuin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YolettMcCuin

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Canadian Women's National Basketball Team Víctor Lapeña joins the Basketball Podcast to share his philosophy on international coaching, development, and principles of play.

Lapeña brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to his current role as Head Coach of the Canadian Women's National Basketball Team.

Prior to his appointment in 2021, Lapeña spent a remarkable 14 years within the Spanish Basketball Federation.  His impact is undeniable, having played a key role in Spain's dominance on the international stage. During this tenure, he contributed to an impressive collection of 14 medals, including two coveted EuroBasket golds (2013, 2017) and a silver medal at the prestigious 2016 Rio Olympics.

Lapeña's expertise extends beyond the national team level. He also boasts a distinguished club-level career in Spain, leading teams in both the second and first tiers of their national league. His strategic brilliance culminated in a championship title with CB Avenida in the 2012-13 season. Additionally, he achieved success on the international club scene by guiding Nadezhda Orenburg to the EuroCup Women title in 2019.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:30 - Coaching Basketball in Canada

10:00 - Club Model vs Scholastic Model

16:00 - Basketball Development Model

22:00 - Coaching Principles and Strategies

26:00 - Player Development

32:00 - Coaching Strategies Learned in Soccer

37:00 - Defensive Strategies in Basketball

43:30 - Defensive Rebounding Strategies

47:00 - Conclusion

Victor Lapena’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_Lape%C3%B1a

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s coaching conversation, Fairfield head coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis joins the Basketball Podcast to share her insights on 5-Out and, team and basketball identity.

In just her second season at the helm, Thibault-DuDonis led the Stags to a program-record 31 wins as part of an historic 31-2 campaign, the second-highest winning percentage in the nation. That mark featured a conference-record 29 game winning streak culminating in a MAAC Championship, their fifth in program history.

Thibault-DuDonis was named the Maggie Dixon Coach of the Year, All-Met Coach of the year, the ECAC Coach of the Year, the College Insider Kay Yow Coach of the Year, and the MAAC Coach of the Year to celebrate Fairfield's historic season. The Stags also achieved the program's first-ever national ranking as they slotted No. 25 in the AP Top-25 poll and also received votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They finished the season ranked fourth in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll. The Stags capped off their historic season with the MAAC Tournament and Regular Season Championship while punching their ticket to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

In her first season with the Stags, she led the team to a top-5 finish in the conference, receiving a bye into the MAAC Championship Quarterfinals with an 11-9 conference mark.

Carly most recently served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Minnesota. Before joining Minnesota, Carly was an assistant coach at Mississippi State and Eastern Michigan.

Thibault-DuDonis' father Mike Thibault was a three-time WNBA Coach of the Year previously coaching the Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics while also being an assistant coach in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. Her brother Eric, is the current Head Coach of the Washington Mystics.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Positive Team Environment

5:30 - Offensive Identity

9:00 - Coaching Strategies for Mid-Major Teams

12:00 - Creative Advantages in Offense

14:30 - Cutting and Spacing

18:00 - Basketball Analytics and Player Development

23:30 - Defensive Strategies

27:30 - Defensive Fundamentals

30:30 - Film Analysis abd Drills

34:00 - Workload Management

38:00 - Coaching Philosophy

41:00 - Skill Improvement

Carly Thibault Dudonis’s Bio:

Bio: https://fairfieldstags.com/staff-directory/carly-thibault-dudonis/240

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CTbow

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Chris Oliver joins the Coach Dave Love Podcast to share insights on applying skill acquisition concepts to basketball shooting and player development. In this enlightening episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast simulcast on the Basketball Podcast, hosts Matt Robertson and NBA Shooting Coach Dave Love are joined by Chris Oliver, the esteemed founder of Basketball Immersion. 

Chris Oliver stands as a leading figure in integrating motor learning and skill acquisition principles into basketball training. With a track record of consulting for numerous NBA teams and National Federations globally, Chris brings a wealth of evidence-based coaching approaches to the table.

Throughout the episode, Chris and Dave dissect their top five Skill Acquisition concepts, providing invaluable insights for coaches looking to enhance their training methodologies. This episode serves as a beacon for those new to the realm of Motor Learning, offering a comprehensive starting point. Tune in as Chris and Dave delve into the nuances of skill acquisition, providing actionable strategies and practical advice that coaches can implement immediately. 

Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to coaching, this episode promises to equip you with the foundational knowledge needed to elevate your coaching game and unlock the full potential of your players. If you're ready to take your coaching to the next level and optimize player development, this episode is a must-listen.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Basketball Shooting Form and Practice Methods

8:00 - Improving Skill Acquisition

12:30 - Importance of Adaptability

17:00 - Internal vs External Cues

21:30 - Perception and Adaptability

26:00 - Skill Acquisition Strategies

30:30 - Reducing Instructions

37:00 - Focusing on Habits

40:00 - Teaching Cues

44:30 - Coaching Techniques

48:00 - Constraint-Led Approach

54:30 - Player Development

58:30 - Personalized Approach

Dave Love’s Bio:

Website: https://www.coachdavelove.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coach-dave-love-podcast/id1719926493

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspHEavqXfrWe2YFps_4RiQ

Matt Robinson’s Bio:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachmattyrob

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, the creative mind behind Basketball Immersion, Chris Oliver, joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on his practice framework for player and team development. 

For a decade, Chris Oliver, founder of Basketball Immersion, has been revolutionizing basketball coach education with his experiential and evidence-based approach. Chris has traveled the world, and worked with NBA organizations, National Federations, and NCAA programs, along with youth basketball players and coaches around the world. In this special solo podcast episode, Chris dives deep into his Practice Framework – a blueprint for maximizing player and team development. Listen in as the veteran coach unveils strategies to go beyond rote memorization and empower players to understand the "why" behind the drills. 

This episode includes an audio clip from a 10-13-year-old mixed youth basketball development session and is a must-listen for any coach who wants to build winning teams and create a truly impactful practice experience. Learn more about this podcast and Basketball Immersion at.

Breakdown

1:00 - Focus on Player Development

3:00 - Moving to Los Angeles

7:00 - Audio on 5 on 5 Conceptual Offense

11:00 - Player Development and Parent Involvement

15:30 - Creating Double Gaps for Spacing

18:00 - Classroom Management Strategies

23:30 - Challenging Drils

26:30 - Improving Player Performance

32:00 - Offense and Defense Concepts

34:30 - Space, Passing, and Driving Principle

42:30 - Player Development and Problem-Solving

48:30 - Player Responsibility

51:30 - Defensive Strategies and Techniques

57:00 - Open-Ended Questions

59:30 - Coaching Philosophies and Practice Strategies

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Penn State assistant coach Joe Crispin joins the Basketball Podcast to share his philosophy on cultivating creativity and adaptability in basketball.

One of Penn State’s all-time great players and longtime professional athlete, Joe Crispin is an Assistant to the Head Coach at Penn State. Crispin last appeared on Episode 247 and his Immersion Videos product All Access Practice with Joe Crispin has become a best seller as coaches learn about his play based philosophy from raw and real practices.

Crispin spent the last seven seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Rowan University where he guided the Profs to a 114-54 record, three NCAA Tournament appearances, two conference titles and the 2023 Sweet 16. He collected the fourth-most wins by a head coach in school history through his seven years on the sideline.

Crispin engineered one of the most prolific offenses in the country at Rowan, as the Profs averaged more than 80 points per game in each of his final six seasons including 90+ points per game in each of the last two years.

A longtime professional player, Crispin joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 as a free agent and enjoyed a highly successful career in Europe for more than a decade.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Practice to Games

5:00 - Experiential

7:00 - Youth Basketball Development

11:30 - Higher Level Coaches

16:00 - Problem Solving

21:00 - Asking Questions

24:30 - Creating Solutions

27:00 - Freedom and Structure

30:00 - Organization Drills

34:00 - Stop and Listen

39:00 - Structure

43:00 - Run The Pattern

46:00 - Struggling with Flow

51:00 - Adaptability

56:00 - Working on the Game

59:00 - Take Away Decisions

1:02:00 - Creating Opportunities

Joe Crispin’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Crispin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joecrispin

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Sports practice design specialist Kevin Mulcahy joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on representative practice using a constraints-led approach.

Kevin is an experienced sports and conditioning coach who has worked with sports teams, athletes, professionals, and clubs across three continents for over 30 years. He is the owner-operator of the Design the Game Project, a platform that shares coaching insights and research with a progressive and learning-led audience.

Design the Game promotes a Constraints Led Approach to Motor Learning and coaching. Kevin has studied on and off the field how humans learn to move and learn skills for well over 20 years.

Through the Design the Game brand has run several mini online courses around motor learning, decision making in sport and practice design. Kevin also runs TMC Performance, a sports and conditioning, personal training business that caters to the overall health and lifestyle of his clients from athletes to busy professionals through a strength and conditioning for life and sport mindset and programming approach.

Kevin has a strong educational background in coaching science, with a BSc in Strength and Conditioning from Setanta College, a certificate in Nutritional Science and Coaching from Precision Nutrition, and a certificate in The Neuroscience of Decision Making from Barcelona FC

Breakdown

1:00 - Constraint Led Approach

7:00 - Manipulating Task Constraint

11:30 - Elicit Skill

16:00 - Technique Development

26:00 - Poet's Practice

34:00 - Feedback with Action

40:00 - Early in Learning

49:00 - History

52:00 - Playing Unstructured

59:00 - Affordances

1:03:30 - The Three Things

1:07:00 - Basketball Drills

1:12:00 - Free Throw

1:14:00 - Conclusion

Kevin Mulcahy’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://kevinmulcahy.substack.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/movementcoachkm

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s coaching conversation, Atlanta Dream head coach Tanisha Wright joined the Basketball Podcast to share insights of WNBA culture and coaching.

Tanisha Wright joined the Atlanta Dream prior to the 2022 WNBA Season and led the franchise to its most wins in a season (14) since 2018. Her breakout first year as a head coach with the Dream also earned her the Associated Press Coach of the Year award and a second-place finish in WNBA Kia Coach of the Year voting.

As head coach, Wright is responsible for fostering the growth of the Dream’s players and establishing a culture of integrity and accountability. She brings 14 years of WNBA experience as a player and 2 more seasons as an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Aces.

A first-round draft pick in 2005, Wright spent 10 seasons as a guard with the Seattle Storm, where she helped lead the team to nine straight playoff appearances and a WNBA Championship in 2010. She played another four seasons with the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx before retiring as a player in 2019.

While still playing in the league, Wright began her coaching career in 2017 as an assistant with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers. In 2020, the Aces signed her as an assistant coach, where she worked closely with industry leader Bill Laimbeer.

Prior to joining the WNBA, Wright was a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-American at Penn State.

Breakdown

1:00 - Vision of Coaching

3:30 - Huge Impact

5:00 - Building Culture

8:30 - Player Accountability

12:00 - Unstoppable Moves

13:30 - Analytics

17:00 - Player Development Coach

19:00 - Game Reps

20:30 - Traditional Practices

23:30 - Different Type of Realities

25:30 - Adjustments

27:30 - Special Projects

28:30 - Playing Conceptually

31:00 - Evolving Landscape

34:30 - Development League

38:00 - Value of Mentor

40:30 - Off Season

42:00 - Small Jobs

Tanisha Wright’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanisha_Wright

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachtwright_

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

LA Sparks head coach Curt Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on WNBA coaching, mastering the monotony, and point-of-attack concepts.

Los Angeles Sparks Head Coach Curt Miller made history on August 6th against the Washington Mystics winning his 150th WNBA game as a head coach. His latest career milestone places him in elite company. Miller, Lin Dunn, and Van Chancellor now stand alone as the only head coaches to have won at least 275 collegiate games and 150 WNBA games. Miller is the fifth fastest to 150 WNBA wins.

Before coaching the Sparks, Miller served as the Head Coach of the Connecticut Sun where he was named the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2021. Miller led the Sun to two WNBA Finals appearances in 2019 and 2022 and six playoff appearances in seven seasons. Miller also coached at Bowling Green State University (2001-12) and Indiana University (2012-14). In his tenure as a college coach, he won over 290 collegiate games.

Breakdown

1:00 - Involvement with USA Basketball

5:30 - Unique Places in History

8:30 - Love of Teaching

11:00 - Scout Heavy Philosophy

13:00 - Monotony

17:00 - Collaborative Process

19:00 - Transactional Nature

21:00 - Significant Developments

26:00 - Qualitative Elements

28:00 - Ball Screen 

33:00 - Switching

35:00 - Ghost Slip Set Decision

38:00 - Point of Attack

41:30 - Humility

43:30 - Conclusion

Curt MIller’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Miller

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtMillerWBB

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s basketball coaching conversation, G League head coach Dylan Murphy joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on coaching analytics.

Dylan Murphy is the head coach of the Osceola Magic, the NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic.

Dylan Murphy has been associated with the Orlando Magic for the past five seasons. His journey began as a basketball operations analyst from 2018 to 2020, where he provided valuable analytics support to the coaching staff. Subsequently, he was promoted to assistant coach in 2020 and has continued in that role for the last three seasons.

Prior to joining the Magic, Murphy served as an NBA G League scout for the Atlanta Hawks during the 2016-17 season. His responsibilities included identifying potential call-up candidates for the Hawks’ NBA roster.

From 2013 to 2016, Murphy worked as an assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the NBA G League team for the Indiana Pacers. In the 2013-14 season, the Mad Ants clinched the G League championship with an impressive regular-season record of 34-16 and a perfect 6-0 playoff run. They followed it up with another trip to the G League Finals in the 2014-15 season.

Murphy also served as a graduate assistant with the men’s basketball team at Ball State University in 2018.

One of Murphy's most notable contributions to the coaching community is the creation of the Basketball Dictionary. This comprehensive resource serves as a compendium of basketball terminology, concepts, and strategies, providing coaches at all levels with a valuable tool for enhancing their understanding of the game.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

4:00 - Understanding Analytics

8:00 - Analytics and Basketball Experiences

11:30 - Optimizing Offensive Tempo

13:30 - Super Slow

15:30 - Efficiencies vs Types of Defenses

19:00 - Attacking a Switch

20:30 - Double Teaming a Star Player

25:00 - Offensive Rebounding

28:00 - Decision Making

31:00 - Interpreting the Data

35:30 - Teaching Points

37:30 - Decision Making Defensively

41:00 - Trends in Basketball Analytics

42:00 - Ideas Into Action

Dylan Murphy’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://gleague.nba.com/news/osceola-magic-name-dylan-murphy-head-coach

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Hoopsalytics founders Bill Dettering and Mike Murphy join the Basketball Podcast to share insights on Basketball Stats and Analytics Systems Designed for Coaches.

Bill Dettering developed and conceived Hoopsalytics with co-founder Mike Murphy. Hoopsalytics brings the most powerful analytics to teams of all levels. It is a Next Generation Basketball Stats and Analytics System Designed by Coaches, for Coaches.

Bill Dettering is currently the Girls Varsity Coach at Truckee High School, and is in his 12th season as a basketball coach at various levels. He played college basketball at Swarthmore College. He is a lifelong software designer and entrepreneur, previously founding Zingtree and has started and run six companies - all powered by data-driven decision making.

Mike Murphy is the current Head Coach of the freshmen/sophomore basketball team at Urban High School in San Francisco. He played college basketball at UNC-Greensboro and Catholic University.

Bill and Mike met as they played together in a San Francisco area men's leagues, which led to them connecting and building Hoopsalytics together. 

Breakdown

1:00 - Affordable Things

4:00 - Evaluating Defensive Performance

7:30 - Evaluating 5 Player Lineups

11:00 - Tracking Player Moves

14:00 - Why Paint Touches is Subjective

15:30 - Evaluating Sets and Actions

18:30 - Lineup Analysis

20:00 - Shot Tracking

26:00 - Work in Practice

28:00 - Game Decisions

30:00 - Value of Three Point Miss

33:00 - Turnovers

34:00 - Nerd Ball

38:00 - Data

41:00 - Hoopsalytics

Bill Dettering and Mike Murphy’s Bio:

Bill Dettering

Bio/Website: https://hoopsalytics.com/about.php

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BDettering

Mike Murphy

Bio/Website: https://hoopsalytics.com/about.php

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachMikeMurphy

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Overtime Elite coach Dave Leitao joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss the basketball coaching and development landscape.

Dave Leitao is an accomplished American professional basketball coach, currently holding the position of head coach for the City Reapers in Overtime Elite (OTE). With a coaching journey spanning various institutions, including DePaul University, the University of Virginia, and his alma mater, Northeastern University, Leitao has left an indelible mark on the basketball world.

Leitao began his coaching journey as an assistant under Jim Calhoun at Northeastern University in 1984, later joining Calhoun at the University of Connecticut. 

After a stint as the head coach at Northeastern University, Leitao returned to Calhoun’s staff during the Huskies’ national championship-winning season in 1999. In 2002, Leitao assumed the head coaching position at DePaul University, leading the Blue Demons to postseason appearances, including the NIT in 2003 and 2005, as well as the NCAA tournament in 2004. His tenure saw an overall record of 58–34.

Taking over as head coach at the University of Virginia, Leitao made history as the first person of African descent to coach any varsity sport in Virginia Cavaliers history. Notably, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coach of the Year by the Associated Press in the 2006–07 season.

Continuing his coaching journey in the innovative Overtime Elite league, Leitao has achieved success, winning the OTE Finals in the league’s first two seasons. He continues to lead the City Reapers influencing young players like last year’s team members Amen and Ausar Thompson, showcasing his dedication to player development.

Breakdown

1:00 - Developing Professional Players

6:00 - Approaching Player Development

9:00 - Holistic Approach

11:00 - Analytics

14:30 - Free Care

18:00 - Continuous Process

21:00 - Evolving Philosophically

23:30 - Improvement

28:00 - Real World Experience

30:00 - Deficiency

33:30 - Next Generation of Coaches

36:00 - Holding Players Accountable

39:00 - Player's Life

42:00 - The Thompsons

46:00 - Foundation

48:00 - Conclusion

Dave Leitao’ Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Leitao

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachDLeitao

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Transylvania University head coach Juli Fulks joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on transformational leadership, positive psychology, and playoff preparation.

Juli Fulks has over 360 wins as a head coach and has been the head coach of the Transylvania University women’s basketball team for the past 10 years. Last year she led Transylvania to remarkable achievements. In the 2022-2023 season, her team achieved a perfect record of 33-0 and secured the NCAA National Championship. During this historic season, they dominated opponents, averaging over a twenty-point differential, scoring more than 70 points per game, while holding their adversaries to under 50 points. The Pioneers also clinched their fifth consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) title and completed two consecutive years of a perfect regular season.

Fulks began her head coaching career at Lewis & Clark College. During her 10 years there, her team (also named the Pioneers) posted seven winning seasons and made three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances while attaining a national ranking of fifth in the country. Coach Fulks has been named conference Coach of the Year seven times in her career and coached several academic and athletic All-Americans.

In addition to coaching, Juli holds a master’s in education degree from Defiance College (2004) and a Ph.D. in leadership studies (2022) from the University of the Cumberlands.

Breakdown

1:00 - Run on Transylvania University Basketball

6:00 - Transformational Leadership

8:00 - Generational Perspective

12:00 - Positive Psychology

14:30 - Common Sense

18:00 - Evidence Based Stuff

19:30 - Playing a Team Multiple Times

22:00 - Reduction Intensity

24:00 - Positive Framing

25:32 - 26:28 - Hoopsalytics Ad 3

26:28 - Endgame Situations

30:00 - Five Minute Moments

32:00 - Recovery

35:00 - Coaching Behaviors

38:00 - Special Situations

41:00 - Efficacy

45:00 - Risk Tolerance

48:00 - Experiential Things

51:00 - Conclusion

Juli Fulks’ Bio:

Bio/Website: https://transysports.com/staff-directory/juli-fulks/74

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Transy

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s basketball coaching conversation, Ukrainian Superleague head coach Stas Ovdieienko joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on war and basketball.

Stas Ovdieienko is a prominent Ukrainian basketball figure, who has made significant contributions to the sport as a player and coach. Ovdieienko boasts an impressive 17-year career as a professional basketball player. During this time, he achieved significant milestones, including being crowned the champion of Ukraine and securing the Superleague Cup. Transitioning from player to mentor, Ovdieienko spent 2 years as an assistant coach before taking the reins as the head coach of BC Zaporizhzhia in the Ukrainian Superleague.

However, tragedy struck when the war reached his doorstep—quite literally. Despite his dedication to the sport, the conflict forced him to confront a new reality.

Stas Ovdieienko’s journey exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to basketball, even in the face of adversity and I am grateful to share it with you.

Breakdown

1:00 - Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine

6:00 - Impact of Conflict on Ukraine Basketball

11:00 - Normality

12:30 - Leadership

15:30 - Humor

16:23 - 17:31 - Hoopsalytics AD 2

18:30 - Mental Toughness

21:00 - Solution-Based Coaching Interventions

26:00 - Talk To Yourself

28:30 - Team Building

31:00 - Conclusion

Stas Ovdieienko’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://vk.com/stise

Twitter: https://twitter.com/prostoj

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week’s basketball coaching conversation, G League Ignite general manager Anthony McClish joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on ownership of decisions, relationships, and organization building.

Anthony McClish is a distinguished basketball executive with a rich history of accomplishments within the industry. He is the current General Manager of the NBA G League Ignite, a role he began in 2022. Under his guidance, the team experienced significant growth and success, with McClish playing a central role in shaping strategic initiatives, refining player development programs, and fostering an environment conducive to achieving excellence both on and off the court.

Prior to his tenure with the G League Ignite, McClish served as the General Manager for the Stockton Kings. Within the Sacramento Kings organizations, he honed his expertise as a Basketball Operations Assistant at the Sacramento Kings where he gained invaluable insights into player management, team dynamics, and the intricacies of operational efficiency within a premier basketball franchise.

McClish started his professional career as an intern with basketball operations with the San Antonio Spurs. He has also served as a consultant with USA Basketball. He holds an Executive MBA in Business Administration and Management from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Breakdown

1:00 - Incredible Questions

3:30 - Being Confrontational

7:30 - Mentorship Model

10:00 - Organic Moments

12:00 - Team Building

15:00 - Building Geniune Relationships

18:00 - Ownership of Decisions

25:30 - Integrity

28:07 - 29:14 - Hoopsalytics Ad 1

29:14 - Nonlinear Development

31:00 - Life Skills

35:00 - Coping Strategies

38:00 - Qualitative/Quantitative Data

41:00 - Conflict Resolution Perspective

45:00 - Voicing Concern

51:00 - Trial and Error

54:00 - Conclusion

Anthony McClish’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-mcclish-mba-63626335/

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Author, podcast host, speaker, and leadership consultant Jamy Bechler joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on failing forward, coachability, and modern leadership.

Jamy Bechler combines his unique experiences as a championship athletic director, college basketball coach, and executive business trainer to help take you and your team's results and leadership to the next level. He is a professional speaker, author, podcast host, and leadership consultant who works with teams ranging from major corporations to the NBA.

Jamy spent 20 years in organized athletics as a college basketball coach and athletic administrator. He now leads leaders and is a coach to coaches as a team consultant and leadership trainer. He is the host of the popular "Success is a Choice" podcast and is the author of six eBooks and four published books. You can learn more about him at www.JamyBechler.com

Breakdown

1:00 - Best Version of Themselves

6:00 - Concept of Coachability

11:00 - Players

13:00 - Filtering the Information

17:00 - Pursuit of Excellence

24:00 - Intentional Communication

26:57 - 28:09 - Hoopsalytics AD

28:09 - Modern Way of Communicating

31:00 - Leadership

36:00 - Looked Back in the Mirror

41:00 - Moments on the Bench

44:00 - Sports Team

46:00 - Bus Trip

52:30 - Leadership Development

56:00 - Conclusion

Jamy Bechler’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://jamybechler.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachBechler

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, retired college coach, and current author, speaker, and consultant, Sherri Coale joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on intention, and the writing and coaching process.

Sherri Coale retired from her position as the head coach of the University of Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team in 2021 after serving for 25 years. Currently, she is a writer, speaker, and consultant. Coale’s book, Rooted to Rise, is a collection of essays about people, and her must-read blog titled A Weigh of Life is available at sherricoale.com.

Coale last appeared on EP28 of the Basketball Podcast. She served as the head coach of the University of Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team for 25 years, from 1996 to 2021. During her tenure, her teams won multiple Big 12 championships, qualified for 19 straight NCAA tournaments, and earned their way into three Final Fours. She had the privilege of coaching 4 All-Americans, 14 WNBA draft selections, and a whole bunch of remarkable women who rewarded her still with their lives.

In addition to working the Oklahoma sideline, Coale participated in USA Basketball as an assistant coach in 2001 and as the head coach in the 2013 World University Games where her squad defeated Russia on their home floor to bring home the gold.

Breakdown

1:00 - With Intention

5:00 - Inspiration to Write

8:00 - Trusting the Process

11:00 - Importance of Foundations

16:00 - Asking Coach

20:00 - Self Discovery

26:00 - Story Telling

27:08 - 28:20 - Hoopsalytics AD

28:30 - Getting Unstuck

33:00 - Human Interaction

38:00 - Being Beside Someone

44:00 - Asking Great Questions

49:30 - Retrieval Practice

52:00 - Conclusion

Sherrie Coale’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherri_Coale

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherricoale

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Christopher Newport head coach John Krikorian shares insights on game philosophy, core principles, and his foundation series.

Krikorian led Christopher Newport to remarkable success, including its first three Final Four appearances and first National Championship in the 2022-2023 season. Krikorian has led the Captains to nine NCAA Tournaments in 12 seasons, including the last seven tournaments. CNU is the only school in the nation to win at least one game in each of the last seven NCAA tourneys, and Krikorian now has a career mark in tournament games of 23-7. His overall record at CNU is 290-65 (.817) through his first dozen years at the helm. He was named the National Coach of the Year by the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) following his national title in 2023.

Krikorian’s teams at CNU have won at least 18 games per season since he took over, and have advanced to the conference championship game every year for the last nine seasons in the Capital and Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference.

The National Championship team of 2022-2023 tied the school mark for victories with 30, finishing 30-3, and ending the year on a 15-game winning streak. Krikorian’s coaching resume now includes six seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant and 16 as a Division III head coach. His overall head coaching record is 355-107.

Breakdown

1:00 - National Championship

3:30 - Game Competitive Spirit

6:00 - Cliques and Outliers

10:00 - Empowering Everyone

13:00 - Stereotype of Leadership

18:00 - Risk Tolerance

22:00 - Empowering Players as Leaders

25:56 - 27:08 - Hoopsalytics ADS

27:08 - Breathing Practices

30:00 - Balance

32:00 - Foundation Series

36:00 - Defensive Philosophy

38:00 - Adjustments on Defense

41:00 - Drop Coverage

43:00 - Offensive Philosophy

45:00 - Spacing Template

47:00 - Conclusion

John Krikorian’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Krikorian

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-krikorian-96345a183/

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, Northwest Florida State College head coach Steve DeMeo shares insights on his road map to success.

Steve DeMeo was named head men's basketball for Northwest Florida State College on April 4, 2022, making it his second stint with the Raiders after a brilliant tenure from 2013-19. DeMeo most recently served as assistant coach for East Carolina University during the 2021-22 season and was at St. John's University in the same role from 2019-21 prior to his time at ECU.

Possessing three decades of experience across all levels of the college game, DeMeo's previous time leading the Raiders was remarkable. Coach DeMeo took NWFSC to a national title and was named the Spalding NJCAA National Coach of the Year in 2015. Under DeMeo's direction, Northwest Florida State turned in a six-year record of 198-35 (.850), earned an additional berth in the 2017 NJCAA Final Four and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Under his leadership, the Raiders captured the Panhandle Conference Championship five-straight years (2015-19) and earned four Florida College System Activities Association State Tournament Championships in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Numerous players that he recruited, coached and developed have been drafted by National Basketball Association teams including Charles Jenkins (Golden State Warriors), Ryan Gomes and MarShon Brooks (Boston), Herbert Hill (Utah) and Marcus Douthit (Los Angeles). In 2019, Oregon-signee and future 2021 NBA First Round Draft pick Chris Duarte was selected as the NJCAA Division I Player of the Year, the first player to earn that honor under DeMeo.

A veteran coach with a track record of success, DeMeo also held lead roles at Division II Newberry College, as well as Monroe College and Bronx Community College. DeMeo has accumulated a 294-105 (.737) overall record as a head coach. Prior to taking over at Northwest Florida State, DeMeo spent 17 years as an assistant at the Division I level, enjoying successful stints at Iona, Providence, UCF and Hofstra.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Next Practice

6:00 - Empowering Staff

8:00 - Areas of Improvement

12:00 - Happiness and Team Success

15:00 - Shot Selection

17:00 - Academics

19:00 - Different Defenses

22:30 - Freedom Early On

24:53 - 26:05 - Hoopsalytics Ads

26:05 - Weight Coaching

26:30 - Competetive Advantages

29:00 - Coaching Values

32:00 - Walk Ons

36:00 - Xavior Moon

41:00 - Competetive Practice

42:30 - Offensive Stall

46:00 - Being Open Minded

48:00 - Conclusion

Steven DeMeo’s Bio:

Bio: https://ecupirates.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/steve-demeo/3692

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachSteveDeMeo

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, leadership coach and consultant J.P. Nerbun joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on sport parent solutions and culture.

J.P. Nerbun is a bestselling author, leadership coach, and founder of TOC Culture Consulting, a leading global sports-consulting and leadership coaching business. His mission is to support leaders and their teams to achieve their full potential through 1:1 coaching, consulting, and community.

Nerbun's impressive scope spans across sports, education, healthcare, and business, with a proven track record of guiding leaders at esteemed institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, University of Texas, the USGA, PWC, and Chick-Fil-A.

In 2019, he published his first book, Calling Up: Discovering Your Journey to Transformational Leadership, which has received critical acclaim. In 2022, he published The Culture System: A Proven Process for Creating an Extraordinary Team Culture, a groundbreaking book offering a framework for developing team culture.

In 2023, he launched The Culture System Online Training Platform, which has been praised for being one of the most applicable online coach educations available. His podcast, Coaching Culture, is one of the top sports leadership podcasts globally. Nerbun lives in Ireland with his wife and their three children.

Breakdown

1:00 - Sports Parents Solution

6:00 - Strategies for Coaches

9:00 - Struggle in the Book

12:00 - Conversations with Parents

16:00 - Expressing Gratitude

18:00 - Leading By Example

21:00 - Interaction of Parents in Games

24:23 - 25:35 - HOOPSALYTICS ADS

25:00 - Practice Into an Experience

31:30 - Setting Boundaries

35:30 - Creating Safe Environment

38:00 - Mistakes in Culture

41:00 - Behavioral Problems

46:00 - Culture as a System

49:00 - Conclusion

JP Nerbun’s Bio:

Website: https://www.tocculture.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-culture/id1286560192?uo=4

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JpNerbun

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, world-renowned movement specialist, mentor, and coach, Lee Taft joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on basketball performance and movement.

Lee is highly respected as one of the top athletic movement specialists in the world. In the last 35 years, he has devoted most of his time to training all ages and abilities. He has spent most of his time teaching his multi-directional speed methods to top performance coaches and fitness professionals worldwide. Lee has also dedicated countless hours to mentoring up-and-coming sports performance trainers, many of whom have gone into the profession and made a significant impact themselves.

Since 1989, Lee has taught foundation movement to beginning youngsters and helped young amateur athletes, to professional athletes, become quicker, faster, and stronger. Lee’s entire philosophy is based on one of his most notable quotes, “Learning athletic movement correctly from the start is the foundation for athletic success.”

With the release of Ground Breaking Athletic Movement in 2003, Lee revolutionized the performance industry with his proven methods and strategies for multi-directional speed. His innovative approach to training has impacted how athletic movement speed is taught.

Lee brought to light the importance and fine points of the “Plyo Step,” “Hip Turn,” “Lateral Run,” and athletic stance. According to Lee, “Speed and agility done right are about making sure we marry the natural movements athletes have with the effective and efficient body control to maximize speed and quickness.”

Lee has been asked to speak at numerous global strength and conditioning and sports performance events and has produced multiple instructional videos and courses in multi-directional speed and movement training. In addition, Lee has written several manuals on movement techniques and speed development.

Breakdown

1:00 - Basketball Player Consultation

2:30 - Movement Specialist

6:00 - Basic Goals

10:00 - Skill Execution

12:30 - Seven Things

14:00 - Run Fast and Stop Fast

17:30 - Defensive Slides

21:00 - Recovery

23:30 - Long First Step

25:30 - Foot Position

28:00 - Stimulating Thinking

32:30 - Parkour

34:00 - Late Development Sport

35:34 - 36:46 - Hoopsalytics AD

36:47 - Perfect Footwork

40:30 - Acceleration

43:00 - Footwork

45:00 - Low, Low, Low

48:30 - How to Jump Higher

51:30 - Teach with Cues

56:00 - Static Stretching

58:00 - Dissipating the Lactic Acid

1:00:30 - General Movement Template

1:04:00 - Extrinsic Motivation

1:08:30 - Create Efficiencies

1:10:00 - Better Movement Patterns

Lee Taft’s Bio:

Bio: https://leetaft.com/meetleetaft/

Website: https://leetaft.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leetaft

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leetaft/

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's coaching conversation, basketball coach Doug Novak joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on coaching and teaching.

Doug Novak is currently an assistant coach for the Northern Kentucky women’s basketball program. 

Novak was last on episode 21 of the basketball podcast, and possesses nearly three decades of coaching experience, most recently serving as the associate head coach for the men's basketball program at Army West Point during the 2022-23 season. Before West Point, he was the interim head coach for the women's basketball program at Mississippi State in 2021-22.

Prior to his lone season with Mississippi State Women, Novak served as the Head Men's Coach at Bethel University from 2013-21. There he composed an overall record of 131-68 in eight seasons. He left with the highest winning percentage (.658) of any Bethel basketball coach in program history. 

Doug has previously been an assistant coach at the NCAA D1 men’s level and has produced one of the most popular www.immersionvideos.com all access product of all time with his video series - All Access Basketball Practice with Doug Novak that gave access to his practice teaching methodology as well as unique and exclusive access to a team film session. It is available at www.dougnovakbasketball.com 

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

5:00 - Having Daughters

7:00 - Idea of Tick Tock

9:30 - Mimicry

14:00 - All Learning is Nonlinear

17:00 - Program on a Napkin

20:00 - Quotes from Music

24:30 - Norms in Coaching

30:00 - Acquiring Skills

35:28 - 36:40 - Hoopsalytics AD

36:40 - Offense vs Defense

46:30 - Choosing One Path

53:30 - Freedom from Decision Making

1:00:00 - Learning The Game

1:05:00 - Concept of Rabbit Hole

1:12:00 - Winning Record

1:14:30 - Conclusion

Doug Novak’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Novak

Website: https://www.coachdougnovak.com/

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Brandon Payne also discussed his All Access Shooting Video Series available at www.brandonpaynebasketball.com. The Brandon Payne video series showcases one of the NBA's top player coaches' holistic approach to player development. The combination of an in-depth discussion of the overriding philosophy and structure behind what he does, coupled with the demonstration of practical drills and skills and how they complement each other makes the Brandon Payne video series stand apart from other shooting clinics or player development videos you have seen.

As a basketball player development specialist, Brandon Payne is renowned for his self-curated training methods that are responsible for the success of some of the game's most elite athletes. Most notably, 4x NBA champion, 2x NBA MVP (the only unanimous MVP in NBA history), 1X Finals MVP, and 9x NBA All-Star Stephen Curry sits atop the extensive roster of impressive clientele.

Since training his first client in 1996, Brandon Payne has developed and refined a unique, elaborate workout program combining strength, speed, agility, and skill work into one efficient session aimed at producing a more innovative and intelligent model of basketball player development. His success led to the founding of Accelerate Basketball Training, an elite basketball training center catering to all talent levels. For more than two decades, Payne has personally trained over 100 NBA, WNBA, and international athletes, with his work profiled in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CBSSports.com, Bleacher Report, NBA TV, and many others.

Breakdown

1:00 - Player Development Specialist

3:00 - Brand Pain

4:00 - Visiting Staff and Players

7:00 - Less is More

11:30 - Traditional and Cultural Norms

14:00 - Biological Individuality

16:30 - Making Adjustments

22:00 - His Values in Helping Players

23:30 - 24:42 - Hoopsalytics New AD

24:42 - Teaching Shooting

28:00 - Shooting Off The Dribble

32:00 - Specific Team Styles

35:00 - Adaptable

38:00 - Void of Competition

40:00 - Hardest Skill

43:30 - Metrics

45:00 - Be Better Coaches

51:00 - Conclusion

Brandon Payne’s Bio:

Bio: https://www.acceleratebasketball.com/our-team

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachbrandonpayne/

Website: www.brandonpaynebasketball.com

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Indiana Wesleyan head coach Greg Tonagel shares insights on traditing the pursuit of me for the pursuit of three.

Greg Tonagel has been the head coach since 2005 and has 500 wins in fewer games, and younger than, any coach in college basketball history.

Under his leadership, the team has won three NAIA Div. II National Championships in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and has been the No. 1-ranked team in NAIA Division II for four seasons. Tonagel has also coached 25 NAIA Div. II All-Americans and has won 12 Crossroads League Regular Season Championships and 5 Crossroads League Tournament Championships. He has coached two NAIA National Players of the Year, Tonagel has the most wins (420), the highest winning percentage (.795), the most NAIA National Tournament Victories (32), the most National Tournament appearances (13), the most Crossroads League Regular Season Championships (11), and the most Crossroads League Tournament Championships (5) in the program’s history.

He has been named NABC/NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year three times.

Tonagel is a graduate of Valparaiso University where he played basketball and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Secondary Education, and was a director of basketball operations. He also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning from Valparaiso University and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Wesley Seminary.

Breakdown

1:00 - Pursuit of Three

3:30 - IRM 30

6:00 - Role Definition

8:00 - Roadmap

11:00 - Practice Game

14:00 - Needs My Weakness

17:00 - Convey Strength

19:00 - Ideation of Coaching About

20:30 - Climb To The Top

23:00 - Handling Accountability

24:33 - 25:45 - Hoopsalytics Ads

25:45 - Alternatives

28:30 - Father and Son Retreat

33:00 - Fearless

36:30 - Fear of Failure

39:00 - Hunger, Habits, Humility

43:00 - Style, Play, Offense, Defense

45:00 - Devotional Books

46:00 - Conclusion

Greg Tonagel’s Bio:

Bio: https://iwuwildcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/greg-tonagel/942

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IWUHoops

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

In this week's the Basketball Podcast, Henry Domercant is currently the head coach of the Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League, the development team for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association.

After retiring from playing, Domercant transitioned to coaching. He was hired as an assistant coach for the Maine Red Claws in 2017, and then moved to the Windy City Bulls as an assistant coach in 2018. He was promoted to player development coordinator for the Windy City in 2020. He also held the role of Player Development Coordinator with the Chicago Bulls during the 2020-21 NBA season and also served as an Assistant Coach during the Bulls' NBA Summer League.

Domercant joined the coaching ranks after a lengthy playing career overseas, including stints in Turkey, Greece, Russia and Italy, before returning to the United States to play a season with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League. As a player, Domercant found success nearly everywhere he went, winning a combined nine tournament and league championships during his career. Prior to his professional career, Domercant was named the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Player of the Year in 2002 and was a three-time First Team All-OVC honoree.

He played college basketball for Eastern Illinois, and was an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection. Domercant has had a lengthy playing career overseas, including stints in Turkey, Greece, Russia, and Italy. He played for Pınar Karşıyaka, Efes Pilsen, Olympiacos Piraeus, Dynamo Moscow, Montepaschi Siena, Spartak Saint Petersburg, UNICS Kazan, Galatasaray Liv Hospital, and Idaho Stampede. 

He won several awards and championships during his playing career, including the Italian League championship twice, the Italian Cup twice, the Italian Supercup twice, the Turkish League championship, and the Russian Cup.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Pregame Meetings and Preparation

6:00 - Development Periods

9:30 - Scouting Report

13:00 - Game Day Walkthrough

20:00 - Building Team Cohesion

23:00 - Game Adjustments

23:46 - 24:59 - Hoopsalytics AD

26:00 - Try Some Stuff

27:30 - Halftime

33:00 - End of Game Scenario

34:30 - Elam Ending

40:00 - Minutes

43:00 - Analytics

46:00 - Youth Sports

47:00 - Conclusion

Henry Domercant’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Domercant

Windy City Bulls Twitter: https://twitter.com/windycitybulls

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Tulane University head coach Lisa Stockton joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on space, pace, and flow.

Lisa Stockton, the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in the state of Louisiana and the newest inductee to the Conference USA Hall of Fame, will wrap up her third decade at the helm of the Green Wave’s women’s basketball program during the 2023-24 season.

Stockton was named Tulane’s sixth head basketball coach in 1994. As the winningest coach in Conference USA, she was named 2006–07 C-USA Coach of the Year, a distinction she again earned for the 2009–10 season. She has led Tulane to four Conference USA regular-season championships and five Conference USA tournament championships. In 2014, Tulane joined the American Athletic Conference.

Stockton has an overall head coaching record of 624–335 (.651). She has been named Louisiana Coach of the Year twice (1995 and 2010) and Conference USA Coach of the Year twice (2007 and 2010).

Stockton has led Tulane to 21 postseason appearances while averaging 20 wins a season. She has also helped secure five conference tournament titles and four regular season conference titles. While leading the Green Wave, Stockton has mentored six All-Americans and five WNBA draft picks.

Breakdown

1:00 - Maintain a Job and Adaptable

3:00 - Offense

4:00 - Space, Pace, and Flow

6:00 - Offensive Situations

7:00 - Study Herself

9:00 - Stretching The Defense

12:00 - Reading Gaps

13:00 - PAC Line

15:00 - Post-Play

21:00 - Conceptual Players

21:15 - 22:27 - Hoopsalytics New Ad

22:27 - Short Clock

26:00 - Pace

33:00 - FIBA 3-on-3

36:00 - Conditioning Part

38:00 - Defensive Side of the Ball

42:00 - Advice for Veteran Coaches

43:00 - Staff

46:00 - The Next Phase

Lisa Stockton’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Stockton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisastockton__

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Radford head coach Darris Nichols joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on invisible ingredients, roleplaying, and coaching responses.

Darris Nichols enters his second season as the Radford head basketball coach in 2023-24. The native son of Radford, Va. was named the eighth head coach in program history on April 21, 2021. Nichols' plan to return the Highlanders to their winning ways came to fruition in just his second season at the helm, leading the program to a 21-15 overall record, including a 12-6 mark in Big South play, during the 2022-23 campaign. Radford came one point away from playing in the conference championship, but still earned a bid to the College Basketball Invitational.

With wins over Tarleton State and San Jose State in the CBI, the Highlanders won multiple postseason contests in the same season for the first time in program history.

Nichols began his coaching career at his alma mater West Virginia as a graduate assistant in 2010. He was named an assistant at Northern Kentucky in 2011 and spent two seasons with the team before spending a season each with Wofford and Louisiana Tech. He joined the coaching staff at Florida in 2015 as an assistant on former Louisiana Tech head coach Mike White’s staff. Nichols was named the head coach at Radford in April 2021. In year two, Radford went 21-15, finishing tied for second in the Big South Conference and advanced to post-season play.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Accumulate Talent

6:00 - Unique Teaching

11:00 - Coaching Responses

15:00 - Ball Screen Continuity

20:00 - Importance of Invisible Ingredients

22:00 - Unseen Hours

24:00 - Play Different Ways

26:30 - Types of Concept

29:00 - Defensive System and Philosophy

31:00 - Teaching Points

34:00 - Making Shots

36:30 - Flow of the Game

38:30 - Walking Through It

42:00 - Acting Background

46:00 - Going Overseas

47:00 - Officials in Asia

Darris Nichols’ Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darris_Nichols

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarrisNichols

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

BBallbreakdown Founder Nick Hauselman joins the Basketball Podcast to share and discuss the Chase Defense.

Coach Nick, whose real name is Nick Hauselman, is the founder of BBALLBREAKDOWN, a popular online channel devoted to NBA analysis. He has been breaking down NBA games with slow motion, freeze frames, arrows, and voice-overs for over 8 years. Coach Nick has over 20 years of experience coaching players at every level, using the most cutting-edge techniques that ensure maximum output and efficiency.

Coach Nick is also a regular contributor to The Athletic and has been featured on various podcasts and media outlets. He welcomes guests from all facets of basketball for in-depth discussions on everything from how your favorite team is running their offense to the latest trade rumors, to cutting-edge training techniques and new fundamentals of basketball being developed.

BBALLBREAKDOWN is devoted to deep-dive analysis of NBA basketball gameplay. If you’re a coach or a player, check out the monthly membership - filled with an ever-growing library of on-court demos designed to help you improve your play and your coaching! Giving fans a taste of a pro coach’s film session, Coach Nick breaks down fundamentals, play-calling, offense, defense, shooting form, officiating, and everything else in basketball. In addition, see exclusive interviews with NBA players and coaches, from active superstars to retired legends.

After seeing offensive ratings continue to rise year over year, it became clear the step slides and choppy step closeouts and everything else simply wasn’t working. Something radical needed to be done. For 100 years, we taught defense that limited athletic ability with sliding and choppy steps, etc. Now, we can unlock all athletic potential by unleashing them to run around the court at full speed. Get ready to learn about the Chase Defense.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Developing Creative and Free Players

6:00 - The Chase Defense

8:30 - Philosophy of Taking Away Pick and Roll

11:30 - Defense Giving Up

15:00 - Zone Alignment

17:30 - Challenge Traditional Norms

21:30 - Disruption

26:30 - The Goalie Defense

29:00 - Closed Stance

29:58 - 31:10 - Hoopsalytics New Ads

34:30 - Contest Shot From Behind

36:30 - Scouting Report

39:30 - Rebounding Responsibilities

44:30 - New Defense

49:00 - Situational Defense

51:00 - General Feedback

53:30 - Malaysia Shot Clocks

54:00 - Conclusion

Nick Hauselman’s Bio:

Bio: https://theathletic.com/author/coach-nick/

BBALLBREAKDOWN Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpvjDk06HLxBaw8sZw7SkA

BBALLBREAKDOWN Website: https://www.bballbreakdown.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballbreakdown

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

University of Alabama at Birmingham head coach Andy Kennedy joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on best helping players be the best version of themselves, changing defenses and habits. 

Andy Kennedy began his coaching career as an assistant for South Alabama during the 1994–95 season. Since then, he has also served as an assistant coach at UAB from 1996 to 2001 and Cincinnati from 2001 to 2005. He was named interim head coach for Cincinnati during the 2005–06 season after Bob Huggins resigned. He served as head men’s basketball coach at Ole Miss from 2006 to 2018, where he was a two-time SEC Coach of the Year and winningest coach in Ole Miss history.

After working with ESPN for two years, Kennedy was hired as the head coach at UAB on March 20, 2020. In his first year with UAB, Kennedy led the Blazers to a program-record of most wins by a first-year head coach in NCAA and most wins for UAB since 2016. In his third season at UAB, Kennedy led the Blazers to a program-record of most wins marking their third-straight season of 20+ wins.

Andy Kennedy played college basketball at UAB, where he was a two-time all-conference performer that led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring at 21.8 points per game in 1991. After graduation, he played briefly for Charlotte Hornets before beginning his three-year professional career abroad.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Transient Nature of the Game

6:30 - Secret Opponent

9:00 - Becoming The Best Version

12:30 - Be Consistent

14:00 - Be Grateful

15:30 - Defensible

18:00 - Adaptions on Defense

21:00 - Best Players

24:00 - Counter Move

25:41 - Empower Other Player

25:09 - 26:21 - Hoopsalytics ADS

27:00 - Multiple Systems

32:00 - Influence Coaching

33:00 - Evaluating Talent

35:30 - Eye Opener

38:30 - Love of Coaching

44:00 - Players Accountability

47:00 - Advice for Youngsters

48:00 - Conclusion

Andy Kennedy’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kennedy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachAK13

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

University of Denver head coach Doshia Woods joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on creating a positive culture, practice, and life circumstances. 

Doshia Woods is the head coach of the University of Denver women’s basketball team. Woods has spent 20 years on the sidelines at various institutions, including 10 years as an assistant coach at Tulane University. She is known for her positive coaching style and her ability to create a winning culture within her team. Woods is the first-ever African American head coach for the University of Denver women’s team and is currently the only Black Division I women’s basketball head coach in Colorado. Under her leadership, the University of Denver women’s basketball team has shown significant progress and growth.

The Topeka, Kansas, native has been a guest on various podcasts about leadership and team culture. A featured speaker for the 2021 The Power of Positive Summit presented by Jon Gordon, Woods discussed her transition from assistant to head coach. Additionally, Woods serves on various committees including the University of Denver athletics department DEI, DU’s Black Community Advisory Board, and Tulane University Alumni Council for the school of professional advancement. 

An active member of the WBCA (Women’s Basketball Coaches Association) she has participated as a speaker for multiple roundtables and panels at the national convention, while also serving on committees within the WBCA.

Breakdown

1:00 - The Act of Discovery

3:30 - Two Quotes

5:00 - Successful Winning on the Court

9:00 - Three-Point Philosophy

12:30 - Game Conditions