Coaching U 2010 Notes Taken by Lason Perkins: Session 1: Kevin Eastman
Coaching U 2010 Notes Taken by Lason Perkins: Session 1: Kevin Eastman
Coaching U 2010 Notes Taken by Lason Perkins: Session 1: Kevin Eastman
Taken by Lason Perkins
Session 1: Kevin Eastman
Time to: Learn, Grow, Stretch ourselves, invest in our success, become more
Worry about becoming more vs. earning more.
Give your team one timeout per practice.
3 keys to defense: Position, awareness, alertness
Teaching emphasis: “Back to the area of attack on screens”, “Ten toes to the rim” (shooting),
“Eyes make layups, feet make jump shots”
Quality of feet = quality of shot
Comments made to players: “If the mental ever meets the physical, you will be a star”
“Once someone can do what you do and one more thing, you are replaceable”
POST PLAY
Bigs should own the middle
Post on mini‐lane (area in front of the rim and in the lane)
Post across the lane, not up the lane.
Establish mini‐goals with players (8 mins. vs. game)
On Roles: It may be what you don’t want, but its what we need to win a championship.
Goals: 1 pass ahead layup, 1 off rebound per half
If you find a niche, you will be on the floor.
Best offensive rebounder gets minutes.
Who own your team fills the energy niche?
There may be bad first shots, but no bad second shots.
Filling lanes/running to the rim requires no skill, but commitment and will.
Mavericks: Goal to get the ball into the lane 60 times a game (post feed, penetration)
Rebounding: The more you go after, the more you get.
Fight to get middle and opposite rim on offensive rebounds
Fist fight to get open ,foot fight to score
Leverage game to get position, balance game to score
Leverage: Lower your shoulders
3 C’s: Catch, Chin, Check (Cutters, Traps, Digs)
Use baseline foot to get into perpendicular post up.
The floor shrinks as you move up to a higher level
Bend knees, get shoulders lower
Feet give you advantage, ball gives you separation
See 90% of the floor on post catch
Give up position for possession
Butt into thigh‐no deny
Spacing: Outside 3, sprint to spacing, face up and see the ball
Play low to high
Sealing: Feet, Butt, Tricep, elbows
Pause for poise on catch
Cutting off post: Cut thru elbow, to the front of the rim, then out to corner. See the ball all the
way to the rim.
Post depth: Get deeper in the lane
Move the deny arm to get open
Get ball in line with target hand vs. getting passing angle. (Great visual teaching point)
Talking on defense gives you a head start vs. the defense
Run rim to rim to rim, not FT line to FT line
Don’t waste a post up. Post late than early.
Feet first, ball second
Shoulders at hips
Read, don’t rush on the catch
Let the post feeders cut, then go to work.
Don’t limit your options on where you post up.
Steve Nash: Have more solutions in your game.
Own the lane, rent the lane line, homeless when posting outside the lane.
Shot fakes, foot fakes, ball fakes, head fakes are cool.
Ball fakes should be violent and tight
Play off 2 feet
On drop step, ankle to middle of rim
Inside‐Outside‐Deeper or Inside‐Outside‐Follow into ball screen (On pass outs from post)
Change speeds on moves
Subtle up or Subtle down on post ups (Gradual changes in position on each possession)
Cut when you see the back of heads
Watch the person guarding you, not the ball.
Screen first, post second vs. zone
Know the floor: Locate the ball past half court, get to front of rim, then get to post up.
Post Areas: Midline, Lane, Second Marker
Shooting Areas: Duck In, Extended Post, Elbow, Trail spots, short corner
6 Post Moves
1. Mid line jump hook
2. Dribble drop
3. Up and Under
4. Quick spin
5. Jump hook off block
6. Free Throw
Log the game (Kobe Bryant): How are you being guarded?
Face up game: Caught low‐pivot high, caught high‐pivot low
Face Up Moves
1. Jumper
2. Jab and go
3. Jab and jumper
4. Jab and crossover
5. Jab, Fake, Go
6. Jab, Fake, Crossover
7. Get fouled, make FT
Anytime you feel forearm on back, spin off.
Work on perpendicular post ups. Get ball to outside shoulder instead of chin.
Screener, then become a scorer
Must screen situations: Get particular player open first
PNR Game: Try to arrive without your defender. Do not screen air.
Pump fakes in traffic are cool. Go thru chest and chin.
Weak side awareness: Timing, post across
Put tape on floor to show penetration areas and post areas
Never let them foul your shooting hand, make them foul non shooting hand.
POST DRILLS
Survivor: Play 1‐1, must make 2 pivots before shooting.
Session 2: Brendan Suhr
Hubie Brown: Second team played 2‐2‐1 trap. Got them engaged, felt valuable.
SOB/BOB are like special teams. Place emphasis on them.
2‐2‐1: Can deny, trap, and match up.
No traps in front court
No layups
On middle penetration, X2 will run and jump.
Same concepts as Pitino match up press.
“Black Out”: X1 and X2 face guard and deny. Good to get into after layup.
2‐3 Zone (Syracuse)
X1 pick up ball and force to side.
X2 yells “Bump”, sends X3 back. X1 sprints to ballside elbow. X5 fronts
Bumping is zone version of closing out.
Anytime ball goes over forwards head: trap it.
Chuck Daley’s best drill: Controlled scrimmage, first team to score twice wins.
Jordan Rules
1. Ball on wing: Force to middle, trap with nearest player.
2. Ball in middle: Force left, trap with closest player.
3. Trap all PNRs. Make him a passer
4. Trap him in post from the top.
Can also run 3‐2 zone and trap star wherever he/she catches the ball.
Offensive Ideas
Double Drag (either half court or off break): Pick and sprint to the rim, best shooter pops.
Set screen on pro lane extended, as high as needed. Put 4 in corner to eliminate help.
On PNR: Who has the ball?, Who is setting the pick?, What angle is the pick?
To be a good offensive coach: Know defensive actions.
Can run from stack set or 1‐2‐2, once ball is on wing and reversed, can run double exit action or have 1
screen.
Session 3: Doc Rivers
Coaches ego: Is it about you or about the team?
The little things matter. Example: Celtics won a game against Cleveland on jump ball.
Important little things: Extra pass, closeouts
Build your staff around the team that you want to have: Loyal, hard working, disciplined.
Sets up staff like a football program: offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator.
Do you trust the people on your staff?
Give them room to do their strengths.
Cannot ask players to fill roles unless you let your staff fulfill their roles.
Players must buy into your system of play.
Have a theme/purpose to the season.
Doc took Big 3 on parade route they would ride for winning the championship. (same route Patriots and
Red Socks used)
Ask players “Do you want to win? “ Most say yes, but only if it’s comfortable for them.
Fight for your system/culture every day.
Wants character vs. characters
Eliminate the S’s in your program: Selfish, Stubborn, etc.
Cannot let a talented player effect your thinking.
Talking to players after the draft: “You only have a number for one day. After that, it is all up to you”
If you steal something from someone, make it your own.
Similar to 4 Up Play used by Coach Daley. Just changed location of 2 and 3.
Runs angle PNR for Rondo. Idea is to get him to beat his defender to the rim since they go under.
Try to have 3 shooters on floor when running PNR
Have multiple actions. 2nd and 3rd picks are better than the first.
Don’t pick air. See who you are picking.
Pick back half, make them go over the top.
Have AFT (After Free Throw) Sets. Try to score in first 6 seconds.
First big: Rum straight line to rim.
Transition off missed shot: If big is behind the ball, go pick on the ball.
Stress execution on ATO plays.
In practice, gives players clipboard and lets them draw up plays.
Know who takes the ball out during late game situations.
Likes to disguise plays to get into PNR.
On PNR: Ball handler must pull it over, pull it over, then turn the corner. You may not score off it, but
you create scoring opportunities for teammates.
Likes to run DHO for Rondo
Like to run post entry, then kick out and follow into PNR.
Suggested running more 1‐3 PNR.
Likes to run actions early to determine what he wants to run late in game. (Similar to scripting plays)
Shoulder to shoulder double ball screen. Can get into from a variety of sets/actions. Use same rules as
usual ( Shooter pops, non shooter sprints to rim).
Staggered PNR action.
Can run as half court set or off SOB. On stagger, 3 curls, then 2 pops off 5’s pin down.
Best player must be coachable. Must be able to have a relationship with them.
KG: Would not come out of practice. Doc had to make him sit in order to rest him.
Overtime Session
Success leaves footprints.
Seek wisdom from those who came before you.
Put defense in first.
Set standards before first practice.
The first message you send out needs to be important.
Which players do you forget when you are putting together your practice plan? That tells you
something.
Idea: On game schedule, put your team vs. your team.
‐ Biggest opponent is yourself
‐ Enemy cannot be in your own locker room.
Must deal with truth. What they need to hear.
Give them hope, not hype.
3 Fights Teams Face
1. Division from within
2. Competition you face
3. Outside influences (friends, parents, etc.)
Captains/Mini‐Captains: Who are the players following?
Watch out for the complainers. Best recruiters to get more players on their side.
You can modify behavior, but you cannot rehabilitate character.
Assistant Coaches
1. You have to bring energy/enthusiasm
2. Get players off the fence, work hard
3. Add value
4. Enforce the culture, confront the players who are not following the core values
5. Positive body language
6. Be ready to speak when the coach needs you.
7. It’s not your team, it is the head coaches
8. Emotion vs. Evaluation
9. Give solutions to problems you see
10. Read your head coach
First Bus Session: Fran Fraschilla
Give shooter 2 directions to choose from
Start preparing for shot clock at all levels
Practice Organization
1. Practice is sacred
2. Fight for your culture in practice
3. What do you stand for?
Prepare practice as if (name a famous coach) were coming to watch you.
Show your players that you are organized.
Rehearse your defense in 3 man drills
Evaluate your drills with your staff. Do your drills fit into your philosophy?
Make pressure situation decisions in non‐pressure situations (pre‐season staff meetings)
Practice pre game warm up and time out organization
Do you have a comeback game? Know who, when, how to foul
What is your halftime organization?
Do you have a small lineup offense
Emphasize shot fake as well as rip and go on offense
Triangle/2 vs. DDM (Tim Floyd)
If passer throws to inside shoulder: Open. If passers throws to outside shoulder: Not Open
Lawrence Frank: Defense
Belief, Trust, Faith (3 keys to a team)
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you don’t believe it or bleed it, they won’t buy it.
Have to have their heads and heart before you get their execution.
Write down your thoughts/philosophy.
From Jeff Van Gundy: Know what we are about, how we play, our core values, our culture
Last 10 years in NBA: Only 1 team did not make playoffs that were in top 5 FG % defense.
13 of last 20 NBA Champions: Top 5 FG % Defense
8 of last 9 champions: Top 10 both offense FG % and defensive FG %
It’s not what you do, but how you do it.
Got to believe in what you do. Stand for something or fall for anything.
Must drill actions daily.
Must have a defensive system.
Put together a notebook that covers all offensive situations you will encounter.
Stan Van Gundy: There are no easy answers. Great defense comes from commitment and trust.
In order to get playing time: Have to be a good individual and/or good team defender.
Why no commitment to Defense?
1. Offensive commitment
2. Small team
3. Lack of athletes
4. Low IQ
5. No consequences for not playing defense
Non‐negotiable’s on Defense
1. Sprint back and get set on defense
2. Protect the paint
3. Closeout hard and contest shot
4. Play aggressive without fouling
5. All 5 block out and rebound
No layups, No FT’s, No Open 3’s
Defense is all about multiple efforts
Daily Drills
1. Closeouts/1‐1 defense
2. Transition defense
3. PNR defense
4. Post up defense
5. Catch and shoot
6. Rebounding
7. Scramble/Disadvantage situations
Pick 2‐3 daily to emphasis
Good defense starts with good offense
‐ Balance and spacing
‐ Shot selection
‐ Pace
‐ No turnovers
Transition Defense: What shots can you live with? Ok with contested 2’s
No
1. Layups
2. FT’s
3. Middle drives
4. Open 3’s
5. Uncontested shots
6. Buddy running
7. Ball watching
Goal: Contest 60% or higher shots during a game
On Closeout: Contest high and hard. Impact the shot. Buy time for your teammates to get into help
spots.
Must have paint consequences
1. Charge
2. Steal
3. Deflection
4. Block
5. Hard foul
Why talk?
1. Necessary
2. Intimidating
3. Head start (calling out sets and sprint out ball screens)
4. Confidence for person guarding the ball
5. Wakes up disengaged defender
6. Catch mistake before it occurs
7. Energize the team
How to talk?
1. ELO: Early, Loud, Often
2. 1 Word, repeated 3 times
Trust the talk, trust the coverage (Especially on PNRs)
Defensive Philosophy
1. Commitment by all 5 players
2. Communication by all 5 players
3. Trust by all 5 players
4. Be in help spots
5. Aware
6. Alert
7. Multiple effort
8. Resolve
Basic Principles
1. On ball defense
2. Off ball defense
3. Actions
On Ball
1. Pick up ¾ court, get 2 turns
2. 3 back on shot motion
3. Must be up helping on ball defender
Ball at wing
1. Nose in chest
2. No middle stance
3. Influence to baseline
4. Hand is flicking up or on top of ball.
5. Ball is dribbled: Hands go out, get wide
Ball at top
1. Contain and push to weak hand
If beat on middle drive
1. Get back in front
2. Help cannot get beat. Put chest in driving line
On any penetration: Help and rotate
On a flat drive: Stunt and recover
Help spots: Elbows and block
Finish the defense
Enjoy the contact: Charges, first to floor, block out
Catch the first move, contain the second move
Ball above heard: Swarm the ball.
In closeout drills: Switch between ball above head, ball down.
When ball comes down, jump back and get gap.
Adjust hands/feet on pivot, sweeps, ball location changes.
Hands level with ball, never below.
Slide and chest when guarding the dribble. Use body to slow ball down, not hands.
If beaten off dribble, still pursue the ball from behind.
Sprint to help spots.
Transition Defense
1. No layups, deep post, open 3’s, needless fouls
2. Get ahead of ball and see the ball
3. Stop the ball above the arc, get it to a side
4. Load to the ball
5. Point and talk, may not be your assignment
6. No one should make 1 pass and hit open jump shot
Open shots beat you in transition. Mismatches rarely do.
Make them throw 2 passes
Defend the team, not a man.
Find and recover to shooters
Drill: 5‐4 Scramble/4‐3 Scramble
Put 5th defender anywhere you want. 5 passes on offense, 3 dribble limit. Defense must guard the ball
and get into help. Cannot guard 2 passes in a row. Do not take ball out on makes. First big back will
kick out guard to perimeter. Come back down 5‐5
Validate drills with FT. Have them line up like live FT, work on box outs.
5 Passes to deny
1. Post entry
2. Flashes to elbow from weak side
3. Pass back to wing on reversal when fronting post.
4. Flash to elbow (Pinch post)
5. Big catches above the arc, deny reversal pass to wing.
On post front, drive offense back
Anytime corner is filled and there is a post up, post defender slides to ¾ front and denies
On all drives:
1. Shrink
2. Stunt
3. Step up and stop the ball
Make offense throw passes with air under it. Buy time for teammate to recover.
On Blitz (trap) against the PNR:
1. Trap (no splits, no dribble around)
2. Protection (Alert and aware)
3. Rotation (Sprint and talk)
Big recovers to big
Spencer Wood: Mental Toughness
Mental toughness does not guarantee a championship.
Research on Top Athletes
1. Competitiveness
2. Ability to work hard and sustain intensity
3. Sport Specific skills
4. SAQ
5. Clutch performance (poise, focus, confidence)
6. Sacrifice to be part of larger team
7. Coping with failure, success, criticism
8. Ability to execute game strategy
9. Passion for the game
How do you react to your mistakes?
Sport at highest level is 50% mental. If that is the case, why do we not work at mental skills half the
time?
Incorporate mental skills into drills.
Be proactive in developing mental skills.
4 C’s of Mental Toughness
1. Composure
2. Confidence
3. Concentration
4. Commitment
Brain Under Stress
1. Fight or flight reaction
2. Breathing changes
3. Heart rate changes
4. Digestive system shuts down
5. Muscular tension increases
Skills learned typically in stress free setting.
Common Responses
1. Practice More (Cannot fully mimic game conditions)
2. Coach admonishment/Self admonishment (“Don’t screw up”, etc.)
Emotion/Intensity (E/I) needed
Each player has a different E/I level they perform at.
Once you are hyped, nothing should take you out of it.
1. Recognize/get to your E/I number
2. How to you stay there?
The best performers play at a 5 on E/I level consistently. You do not want them too low or too high.
Individual Internal Check for E/I Level
1. Coming off the bus
2. In Locker room
3. During Warm Ups
4. Before tip in huddle
Mistake Management: You will never out perform your own self‐belief system.
Great athletes are great because of how they react to mistakes vs. actual mistakes that occurred.
Reaction: Above and below the surface.
We have to teach more than “Keep your head, chin, and eyes up”.
Athletes need a mental toughness routine
1. Take out the trash
a. Remove the mistake from the mind
b. Don’t let them pile up
c. No natural method to remove mental thoughts that clutter up
d. Create a visual in the mind of mistake/action being tossed out
e. Replace with positive image
Two views in mind: Inside‐Out and Outside‐In
Mirror situation to simulate conditions (Inside‐Out view, involve all senses)
Most athletes use Outside‐In view when visualizing
Self Talk
1. Best friend or worst enemy
2. What would show up if your self talk was projected onto a big screen for all to see?
3. Positive statements in your mental script
Law of Dominant Thought: Brain/body does not distinguish between do/don’t (Example: Don’t think of
an pink elephant)
Talk about what you will do. Have 1‐2 statements you use every day/game
‐ Examples: “I am at my best when it counts”. “I love shooting clutch FT’s”
Clutch Attitude: We cannot know what is going on inside a players mind.
Choking: An absence of 1 or more of the 4 C’s of mental toughness
Focus on the present, not the outcome
Create a team culture of steeping up
‐ Concept of arête
‐ Remove fear of failure
Three questions to ask yourself:
1. Where am I now?
2. Where am I going?
3. How do I get there?
Conduct individual assessments in pre‐season. Have coaches do one for each player and compare
results.
Coach ability: Level of response, attention, execution.
Knowledge is not the key. Knowledge plus application is key.
“Every day of my career, I improved in one area”‐ Mark Spitz
www.iceboxathlete.com
Kevin Eastman: NBA Drills and Thoughts
Celtic Standards
1. Respectful communication
2. No excuses
3. Commit to personal accountability
4. Will do our job every day
5. Always put team first
6. Care for one another
7. No pacing ourselves
8. Eliminate jealousy
9. Emotional poise under pressure
10. Collective Responsibility
11. Pride
12. Positive enthusiasm
13. Be on time
14. Trust
Building A Team
1. Talent
2. Character
3. Work Ethic
4. Focus
Today’s Players
1. Battle for mind space
2. Battle for hear space
3. Route to the head is through the heart
Have an open mind, ears, and heart, not just an open door.
Commit to building a relationship with your players
4 Types of Relationships
1. Players like, respect, trust other players
2. Players like, respect, trust coaches
3. Coaches like, respect, trust players
4. Coaches like, respect, trust coaches
Use ego to enhance, not advance
6 Ways to Create Buy In
1. Study the game. Knowledge leads to respect
2. Study your system
3. Catch them doing something right
4. Educate them on their label
5. Tell the truth verbally, with stats, and with video
6. What you bring vs. what you know
Give them the answers before they ask the question.
Let players know you believe in them.
Big ears‐small mouth
Listen/Look‐ You will learn
The best indicator of future behavior is past actions.
Twice a year: Sit down and list out areas of individual improvement.
Write a letter to your child/young adult and tell them what they need to be successful as a coach and as
a person in life.
Herm Edwards: What we do in the dark will come to light.
Pain of discipline vs. Pain of Regret
Do you want to leave a job or a legacy?
Offense: Multiple actions
Defense: Multiple efforts
Drills
Dog Drill: Defense must stay arms length away.
Action Series: Can work on a variety of actions in this 3‐3 setting.
4‐4 Defend Floppy Action: Good drill to also work on double exit action. Use coach as passer up top and
put second perimeter player on FT line to react to 2’s cut.
One More Shooting: Pass and sprint to the spot you passed to. Shooter rebounds their shot, gets back
in line in corner.
Continuous DHO: Speed/Turn the corner on DHO. Add 5 count and shoot at 1 second to simulate shot
clock.
Pinball: Cones are extra players. Offense can go anywhere to get open. Defense must get through
screens and cover the ball.
4‐3 Contest Drill: Same defender cannot guard 2 passes in a row. 4 pass limit.
Circle Rebounding: Can play 3‐3, 4‐4, or 5‐5. Coach can shoot it or pass to a player who shoots it. Can
also transition down and back.
One on One to Three on Three: Can run at both ends of the floor. Mix in varity of actions. Keep on one
side of the floor.
Closeout‐Direct‐Charge: Defense s tarts under rim, closeout. Coach with ball simulates pass to top,
defense sprints to help spot. Coach at top simulates pass to corner, sprint to help and take charge
outside lane. Coach in corner simulates drive to basket. Have manager/extra player with towel on
baseline ready to clean up spots.
Brendan Suhr: Career Development
Just because you have a title does not make you leader. At the same time, you do not need a title to be
a leader.
Leaders define reality
Create hope and optimism
Inspire, influence, encourage
It’s about your relationships. Listen to your players
You don’t get a job with a resume, you get a job from your relationships.
Managing: Putting talent together
‐ Lots of talent evaluation
‐ Personnel decisions are usually 50/50
You are a brand
Build trust
Innovate
Does your talent let you take them where they can’t take themselves?
Brendan always asks two questions to players and coaches he works with:
1. Are you coachable?
2. May I tell you the truth?