The Basketball Podcast

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Episode 295: Darris Nichols, Invincible Ingredients, Roleplaying, and Coaching Responses Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Darris Nichols, Radford Head Coach

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

Episode 294: Nick Hauselman, The BBALLBREAKDOWN Chase Defense Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Nick Hauselman, BBallbreakdown Founder

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

Episode 293: Andy Kennedy, Best Version of Self, Changing Defenses and Habit Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Andy Kennedy, University of Alabama at Birmingham Head Coach

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

Episode 292: Doshia Woods, Positive Culture, Practice, and Life Circumstance Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Doshia Woods, University of Denver Head Coach

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

15:00 - Green Light Shooter

18:00 - Progressive Coaching

21:00 - High Energy

25:15 - 26:25 - Hoopsalytics New AD

26:25 - Cueing

28:00 - Music at Practice

31:00 - Getting To The Point

33:30 - value of Adaptability

35:30 - Reflecting Back as Assistant

39:00 - Evaluating Feedback

41:30 - Missing Layups

43:00 - Positive Culture

46:30 - University of Denver

48:00 - Conclusion

Doshia Woods’ Bio:

Bio: https://denverpioneers.com/staff-directory/doshia-woods/417

Twitter: https://twitter.com/doshwoods

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

Episode 291: Jim Crutchfield, Inside The Mind of Nova Southeastern Head Coach Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Jim Crutchfield, Nova Southeastern Head Coach

The 2022-23 was a storybook from start to finish for the Sharks and Crutchfield, as Nova Southeastern became the sixth team in NCAA Division II history to finish as undefeated national champions. Crutchfield's Sharks were dominant throughout the season, leading the nation in points-per-game (102.5) and scoring margin (+25.7). Crutchfield was honored as the Sunshine State Conference, Clarance Gaines, and NABC Coach of the Year.

Crutchfield’s combined record at Nova Southeastern and West Liberty is an amazing 495-82 (.858), which remains the highest career winning percentage in college basketball history among all NCAA coaches, including the likes of Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp (3rd all-time), UCLA’s John Wooden (7th) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (21st) who had spent at least 10 seasons as an NCAA head coach.

Crutchfield is known for his pressing, uptempo style of play. During his tenure, he has led the Sharks to a record of 100-21, two NCAA Elite Eight appearances, two NCAA Regional Championships, a Sunshine State Conference regular season title, and an SSC Conference Tournament Championship.

Prior to his arrival at NSU, Crutchfield spent 13 seasons as the head coach at West Liberty University in Wheeling, West Virginia. During his time at West Liberty, Crutchfield led the Hilltoppers to a 359-61 record, which is the highest career-winning percentage in college basketball history among all NCAA coaches who have spent at least 10 seasons as an NCAA head coach. He also led the Hilltoppers to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including a national championship game appearance in 2015.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Coaching While Playing

6:00 - Specific Outcomes

9:00 - Playing in Transition

13:00 - Absolutes on Defense

14:00 - System on Trapping

17:30 - Opportunistic on Offense

20:30 - Offensive Philosophy

24:00 - Perfect Drills on Defense

25:34 - 26:46 - Hoopsalytics New ADS

28:00 - One Hand Passes

30:00 - Constraints for Deep Players

32:00 - Advantage Situations

34:00 - Football Style

36:00 - Shot Selection

38:00 - Offensive Skill Work

41:00 - Off-Season Conditioning

43:00 - New Guys

45:00 - Reflection on the Game

48:00 - Conclusion

Jim Crutchfield’s Bio:

Bio: https://nsusharks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jim-crutchfield/3118

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachCrutchfie1

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

Episode 290: John Beckett, NBA Player Development Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Guest: John Beckett, Denver Nuggets Assistant Coach

Denver Nuggets assistant coach John Beckett shares insights on NBA player development.

John Beckett initially joined the Denver Nuggets franchise during the 2016-17 season as the Director of Player Development. Before his time in Denver, he worked for the Delaware 87ers, where he conducted individual pre-game and pre-practice workouts to help players improve their skills.

Beckett also had a nine-year tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, where he worked as the team’s video coordinator and assisted with player development. His responsibilities included analyzing game footage and providing valuable insights to support the team’s strategies and player growth.

Breakdown

1:00 - Winning an NBA Championship

2:00 - Without Practice Time

4:30 - Stimulating Decisions

8:30 - Shoot Threes vs Close Outs

11:00 - Developing Off the Ball

13:00 - Pre-Game

16:30 - Watching Film

18:00 - Off The Dribble

21:00 - Jamal Murray

22:29 - 23:41 - Hoopsalytics New AD

24:00 - System Coaching Perspective

27:00 - Defense

29:00 - Handling Struggles

30:30 - Ball Handling

32:30 - Working with Jokic

35:30 - Players Preparation

36:30 - Game Speed

39:30 - TV Side

43:00 - Conclusion

John Beckett’s Bio:

Bio: https://nbacoaches.com/john-beckett/

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

Episode 289: Ryan Saunders, NBA Defensive Concepts and Techniques Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Ryan Saunders, Denver Nuggets Assistant Coach

Denver Nuggets assistant coach Ryan Saunders shares insights on NBA defensive concepts and techniques.

In 2009, Ryan Saunders began coaching in the NBA, becoming an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. Starting in 2014, he was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On January 6, 2019, Ryan Saunders was promoted to interim head coach of the Timberwolves, also becoming the youngest head coach in the NBA for the 2018–19 season On January 8, Saunders got his first win in his debut as head coach when the Timberwolves defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, and became the youngest head coach to win in his debut since 1978. At age 33, Saunders became the youngest head coach in the league, despite having over 10 years of NBA experience under his belt 1.

After his tenure with the Timberwolves, his next stop was with the Denver Nuggets who hired Saunders as an assistant coach under Michael Malone. Saunders won an NBA championship in 2023 when the Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Breakdown

1:00 - Made this Team Special

3:00 - Unseen Hours

5:00 - Player vs Coach Led

8:00 - Challenges on One/Two Players

11:00 - Assistant to Head Coach Transition

13:00 - Collaboration with Coach Malone

16:00 - Head Coaching Opportunity

18:30 - Accountability on Defense

21:00 - Preferred Mechanism

25:30 - Personnel

28:00 - To Be Better Defensively

31:00 - Running Zone vs Modern Offense

34:00 - Certain Matchups

37:00 - Newcomers

41:00 - Triple Switches

43:00 - Zone concept of Bumping

Ryan Saunders’ Bio:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ryno_Saunders

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

Episode 288: Dr. Corey Yeager and JD DuBois, Improving Mental Health Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Dr. Corey Yeager and NBA coach JD DuBois

Dr. Corey Yeager and NBA coach JD DuBois share insights on improving mental health.

Dr. Corey Yeager is currently a sports and entertainment life coach and psychotherapist. His most recently worked as a psychotherapist for the Detroit Pistons. Dr. Yeager has been instrumental in helping NBA players with their mental health and has been on a mission to normalize the conversation around mental health in sports. Dr. Yeager believes that mental health is critical to team success and works with coaches to create a supportive environment for players’ mental health. He has also worked with young basketball players and beginners who need an advantage. Dr. Yeager has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Detroit Mercy and is working within the merging of his two passions, athletics, and therapy.

Jarred “JD” DuBois is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined the Lakers in 2022, working under head coach Darvin Ham. Prior to joining the Lakers, DuBois served as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons from 2018 to 2022 and worked with the Toronto Raptors in player development during the 2017-18 season. DuBois is known for his work in improving mental health resources for athletes. He believes that mental health is a critical component of team success and has been on a mission to normalize the conversation around mental health in sports

Breakdown

1:00 - Working Together

3:00 - Sports and Entertainment Life Coach

7:30 - NBA Mental Health

9:30 - Concept of Suffer

14:00 - Counter Concept of Suffer

17:00 - Proactive Conversations

19:00 - Long-Term Problem

23:00 - Liaison

26:41 - 27:43 - Hoopsalytics Ad 3

27:43 - Embedded

31:30 - Bring Conscious Awareness

36:30 - Creating a Space

39:30 - Mental Wellness Problem

47:00 - Actionable Practice Ways

50:30 - Psychological Safety

54:00 - Conclusion

Dr. Corey Yeager and NBA coach JD DuBois’ Bio:

Dr. Corey Yeager

Bio: https://doctorcoreyyeager.com/biography

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drcoreyyeager

JD DuBois

Bio: https://nbacoaches.com/jarred-jd-dubois/

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

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

Episode 287: Marko Barać, KYP, Defensive Strategies, and 5-on-5 is the Only Competitive Drill Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Marko Barać, Mega Basket Head Coach

Mega Basket head coach Marko Barać shares insights on KYP, defensive strategies and 5-on-5 is the only competitive drill.

Marko Barać is a Serbian professional basketball coach who is currently the head coach of Mega Basket of the ABA League.

He started his coaching career in 2009 as an assistant coach in the junior selections of the Superfund and then in Crvena Zvezda, and then in 2013 he became the head coach of the Italian team Orton, after which he was an assistant coach in the Polish team Charny Slupsk. From 2016 to 2018, he was the head coach of Torlak, and then for one season the coach of Mladost Zemun, while for the previous three years, he was the assistant coach in Igokea.

On several occasions, he has been the assistant coach of the youth national teams of Serbia, which won bronze at the U18 European Championship in 2012, silver at the U19 World Cup in 2013, and bronze at the U20 Eurobasket in 2014.

Breakdown

1:00 - Summer League

4:00 - Know Your Personnel

7:00 - PR and DHL Guy

13:00 - Strip Serving Coaching

16:30 - Tactics with the Veteran Team

22:00 - Taking Away Pass

25:07 - 26:09 - Hoopsalytics AD 3

31:00 - Value of Triple Switch

35:30 - Seven Point Game

40:00 - Competetive Drill

44:00 - Rules of the Drill

48:00 - Break Instincts

50:00 - Dribble Handoffs

52:00 - Long and Short Close-Outs

56:00 - Serbian Basketball

59:00 - Conclusion

Marko Barać’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marko_Bara%C4%87

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MBaracc

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

Episode 286: Ganiyat Adeduntan, her Philosophy and the Joys in the Journey Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Guest: Ganiyat Adeduntan, Colgate University Head Coach

Colgate University head coach Ganiyat Adeduntan shares insights on her defend, rebound, and champion plays philosophy and the joys in the journey.

In her second season Ganiyat Adeduntan orchestrated one of the greatest single-season improvements in program history. Colgate increased its win total by 10 games in 2022-23, finishing 16-14 overall and 10-8 in Patriot League play to secure the No. 4 seed in the Patriot League tournament.

One of the greatest factors contributing to last season's success was Adeduntan's defense, which ranked ninth nationally in three-point field goal percentage defense (25.6) and 12th in scoring defense (54.6) – good enough to lead the Patriot League in both categories. Colgate finished over .500 against Patriot League opponents for the third time since 2000.

Breakdown

1:00 - Colgate Women's Basketball

5:00 - Relationship with Players

8:30 - Practice Plan

10:00 - Player Development Philosophy

20:00 - Building Offense and Defense

24:00 - Identity

26:46 - 27:48 - Hoopalytics Ad 3

28:00 - Absolutes

31:00 - Defensive Rebounding

33:00 - Box Out

35:00 - Crash Effort