The Temple of Zones

In All Airness podcast - Don Casey

2017-04-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

High school, college and NBA coaching great, Don Casey.

To say that Don Casey is an important figure to the game of basketball, is to massively undersell his contributions. His head-coaching journey began in 1958, when he was just 21 years old. Almost by accident, Don found basketball; perhaps, basketball found Don. He enjoyed great success, leading Bishop Eustace High School to two state championships (Class B and A in successive seasons) in six years.

We discuss Don’s transition to the college ranks, where he spent nine seasons as the head coach of Temple University. We also chat about his long-time mentor, the legendary Harry Litwack.

The NBA came calling for the 1983 season. Don remained at the highest level (as an assistant and/or head coach) for almost 20 years. We talk about his memories and experiences from that stage of his life. He went from the sleepless nights and frustrations of leading the L.A. Clippers (through 1990), to joining Chris Ford‘s coaching staff on the Boston Celtics (1991). We reflect on Don’s memories of Boston, including his links to the great Jack McCallum, who at one time, lived with Don whilst researching Unfinished Business. Don would move to New Jersey after the 1996 season, to work for John Calipari, before finishing his NBA (coaching) career as head coach of the New Jersey Nets.

The conversation concludes with a brief discussion about Don’s post-NBA interests. People mentioned in this episode, include: Terence Stansbury, Chuck Person, Jim McIlvaine, Kendall Gill, Bob Hill, Jim Lynam, Larry Bird, Red Auerbach, Reggie Miller, Sherman Douglas, Ernie Grunfeld, Gene Shue, Don Chaney & John Bagley.

Show notes: http://inallairness.com/76 | I appreciate all feedback, FB Page 'Likes' and iTunes ratings / reviews.

Editor’s note: sign-up for the monthly newsletter (http://inallairness.com/news) – receive exclusive details on upcoming podcast episodes and future, high-profile guests to appear on the show.

Follow: FB (http://facebook.com/inallairness) | Tweet (http://twitter.com/inallairness)

Subscribe to the podcast: http://inallairness.com/iTunes [Android: http://inallairness.com/Android] |

Website: http://inallairness.com

Feedback: e-mail (audio welcome): inallairness@gmail.com | Voicemail: http://inallairness.com/voice

"Moving Up"

2015-07-30T11:32:00.003-07:00

I would like to invite you to "Moving Up" a one-of-a-kind interactive workshop on August 15th at Duke University. This workshop is designed to help you move up in your career! Instead of the traditional lecture style workshop we will be very interactive and will incorporate many improv activities in order to promote conversation and improve the ability to speak with others! The one skill that is not touched on at other workshops is the ability to communicate effectively. Building relationships is so important, but the only way you can effectively build is through proper communication. This is where your personality and abilities shine through.

During this workshop our speakers will cover the following:

-Longevity in coaching
-Building relationships in your coaching and non coaching role
-First impressions
-How to serve your head coach in the most effective way.
-How to stay in contact with coaches effectively
And more!

Cost: $40 - includes breakfast and lunch

The workshop will take place on August 15 from 9 AM to 4PM. In addition, all are invited to attend an optional coaches roundtable on the morning of August 16th.

I truly believe that you could benefit from this workshop! I have attached the flyer and please contact me to register at hplanells@duaa.duke.edu<mailto:hplanells@duaa.duke.edu> or give me a call at 919-972-9207

Thanks so much and hope to see you there!.

Fundamental Drills video - Coach Aik Ho

2014-08-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

I was going through some Fiba Coaching videos and came across Coach Aik Ho's footage on fundamental drills. He does such a great job in breaking down drills and skills that we all forget to implement as coaches. Coach Ho is known throughout Oceania and has been a integral part of basketball development in New Zealand. In January of last year he was named the head coach for the Supercity Rangers in the NBL (New Zealand Basketball League). Take a look at the Fiba video and im positive that you will be putting some of his drills in your practice and skill development sessions!

Cutthroat Defense Drill - Coach Brett Brown

2014-08-09T09:33:00.002-07:00

When Brett Brown was with the San Antonio Spurs he was considered one of the top assistant coaches in the NBA. He is currently the head coach of the struggling Philadelphia 76ers but is implementing a defensive system that everyone will soon see the benefits. In the video below Coach Brown goes over his "Cutthroat Defense Drill" that forces quick reactions, solid fundamentals and proper rotations that are needed to play defense at a high level.

Coach Peterson's take on Boston Celtics new HC Brad Stevens

2013-07-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130703/brad-stevens-boston-celtics/?sct=hp_t11_a3&eref=sihp>. This is, of course, the story of the day, week, month and summer: the Boston Celtics went against Common Wisdom -- which says NCAA coaches are programmed to fail in the NBA -- and hired 36-year old Brad Stevens, who took Butler University to two NCAA finals in recent years. As this article, by (Northwestern grad) Ian Thomsen says, this time the idea of hiring a college coach might just work. I've been watching ESPN and their experts pretty much second that opinion.

There was a time when the NBA went all out to hire college coaches and many of them had success at the pro level: Dr. Jack Ramsay, Chuck Daly, John McLeod, Dick Motta, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Del Harris, Hubie Brown, Bill Fitch, Jack McKinney, Paul Westhead, Jim Lynam, Don Casey, Fred Schaus, Bill Van Breda Kolff, Joe Mullaney, Bill Musselman, Dick Harter, Eddie Donovan, Jack McMahon, and others. Sure, there were some that didn't work out: Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Ed Jucker, Rolland Todd, and others. But, up until about 1990 or so, the NCAA coaches did pretty well.

So, what about Brad Stevens? He'll probably have success and here's why he has a chance for that: (a) 6-year contract, meaning he has time; (b) out with veterans like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce; (c) imminent departure of constant trouble in Rajon Rondo; (d) young team and he's a teaching coach; (e) he's done as much in the last five years as any NCAA coach, which ups his status with players; (f) he's young and that will help him communicate with today's young players; (g) he'll have the 100% backing of ownership and management, who went all in for this deal.

Will it be easy? No, of course not. But, GM Danny Ainge is determined to rip up the old trees and re-plant new ones. That tells me they have a plan. Ainge had such a plan in 2007 and brought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to go together with Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo. He won a title in 2007-08 doing just that. So, he knows what he is doing. And he and Brad Stevens are on the same page with regard to that plan. So, they'll take a few lumps at the start but, let's see where they are three years from now. Headed up, I'll bet. D

2013-05-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

One of the technical 'innovations' here in Europe is the use of what Scandone Avellino club team coach Cesare Pancotto terms a "Bonsai Center." That is, the short center, around 6'7" tall, give or take an inch, as opposed to the classic seven-foot pivot man. Part of this may be due to finances (not enough money to pay a 7-footer) or necessity (not any good 7-footers to be found). Whatever, creative coaches have found that having a 'short' center is not that much of a handicap. The Phoenix Suns discovered this a few years ago when 6'9" Amare Stoudemire played center for them and hurt teams with his mobility.

The reason for all this is the Pick & Roll. The 7-foot center has trouble defending this play, which is now the staple of every offense in the NBA, NCAA, FIBA, and every club league in Europe. The 7-footer has these problems: (a) he doesn't like to go out on the floor, away from the basket; (b) he doesn't like to switch; (c) he has trouble getting back to the basket if he helps; (d) he is constantly beaten by the smaller player if he switches on to him; (e) he either gives up the outside 'three' or is taken on the drive; (f) he invariably makes some careless fouls; (g) he looks bad no matter what he does.

So, teams have found that the shorter, quicker center does a better job defending the Pick & Roll than the classic center. The perfect example of this came last year when Olympiakos Athens won the European League with 6'5" Kyle Hines playing center most of the time. And, he's taking them back to the Final Four again this year. When he switches out on some point guard, well, that point guard is in for a bad time. Hines can stay with him outside and will not get whipped on the drive. And, he's a horse, so the point guard is outclassed in terms of height, weight, strength and athleticism.

Yes, teams may have a big man or two, as success in the European League, often, comes down to rebounding and 'standing height.' But the modern trend is toward the quicker pivot man, the one that can stop the Pick & Roll, that can step out on a point guard and not look bad, and that can also run the Pick & Roll when he's on offense. A while back, someone asked, "Where has center play gone in basketball?" The answer: "He was a homicide victim; assassinated by the Pick & Roll; an open-and-shut case of premeditated murder." Well, more or less. And, in this case, less is more. D

NCAA opinion from Dan Peterson...

2013-05-07T12:13:00.002-07:00

Dan Peterson is at it again with some great opinion about the NCAA...

http://tracking.si.com/2013/05/02/ncaa-suspends-unlimited-calls-texts-rule/?eref=sihp>. I keep saying the NCAA has to get out of the enforcement business and concentrate on running its sports program. I'd say they have their hands full with that, as we see from the BCS changes and schools jumping from one conference to another like so many butterflies. Next thing you know, we'll have UCLA in the ACC and Duke and the Pac-10. I'm not sure what they can do about all that but, to me, that's their job. Run everything like they do the NCAA Tournament and that's a step in the right direction.

So, as the clip says, they are going to permit coaches unlimited calls and texts to recruiting prospects. Good idea! Let the coaches drive themselves crazy in recruiting. That just kills their image as coaches. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles hired Chip Kelly from Oregon but neither the NFL nor the NBA is ringing the cell phones of NCAA coaches these days. Their coaching has been ripped before. Chuck Daly came down on NCAA coaches in the early 1990s. Let them destroy themselves on the phone and neglect their teams, all the while breaking their own budget. So, good move by the NCAA here!

<http://tracking.si.com/2013/05/02/ncaa-suspends-unlimited-calls-texts-rule/?eref=sihp>. Here we have a real problem: the cooperation (I don't want to use the word 'collusion' because people have lawyers, you know) between agents and AAU coaches with regard to high school basketball players. But, is this the NCAA's problem? I'm willing to guess that these agents and these coaches have violated any number of State and Federal laws in their activities. Like income tax invasion. The NCAA should refer all such cases to the IRS. I don't think those AAU coaches want the IRS on their doorsteps.

They call that 'outsourcing.' You know, turn it over to an outside party. I'd love to see the NCAA do this. As I used to work at the NCAA level, I have a deep-seated love for the NCAA and I don't like seeing them playing catch-up with bad guys. This just leads to trouble, as the NCAA's investigation of Miami (Florida) showed. Save money. Save time. Save stress. Get out of that business. Set up a working agreement with the IRS and the Treasury Department. Turn suspicious cases over to them. Of course, the IRS would have its hands full. Better theirs than the NCAA's. My opinion. D

Syracuse Zone

2013-04-02T06:08:00.001-07:00

With Syracuse's success with their zone defense Italian coach Dan Peterson gives his some insight while giving our own Don Casey some credit!

Don Casey, who receives these e-mails, is what I call a 'lifelong enemy.' You see, he was the assistant coach at Temple, under 'The Chief,' the great Harry Litwack, when I was head coach at Delaware, 1966-71. We played Temple once a year for five years. End result of that: 0-5. They used the 2-3 and 3-2 zones 'Case' had used to win state titles at Bishop Eustace HS in Pennsauken NJ, in addition to their 2-2-1 and 1-2-2 zone presses. Sure, they beat us because they were D-I and we were D-II but you know when you are up against great coaching and they were great coaches.

Well, 'Case' must be enjoying watching Syracuse stop opposing teams cold with their 2-3 zone. I mean, teams not only cannot score, they are having trouble getting off a shot. My sincere compliments to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, a master of the zone defense. But, in truth, he has been 'helped' by opposing teams attacking his defense poorly. One reason for this is the 35" clock at the NCAA level, which puts offenses to sleep: move the ball, reverse the ball, swing the ball, skip pass the ball, overload one side, be patient, take the good shot, etc. The 24" rule makes you ATTACK and attack NOW.

We had great success over here by using SCREENS against zones. My last seven years of coaching in Italy, absolutely no one would zone us. They hated being screened. A zone assumes you won't set screens on them. Especially back screens. And, even today, people use the high pick & roll against zones. Know what? That works. Against the 2-3, we'd pick and roll on the left side, leave a shooter at the right guard spot and stack at the low right. Whatever adjustment they made was a huge mistake. But, forget the scheme. We attacked zones well because our guys ATTACKED the zone.

Against the 3-2, we'd have the two big guys low, one on the left block, one on the right block. They would pin the two low defenders inside the lane. Our big shooter would start at the free throw line, cut to the basket and then out to either corner. Our point guard (Mike D'Antoni) would stick his nose between two front line guys and then hit the shooter in the corner. No low man would get out there. One, he was screened. Two, he didn't want to go out that far. I'm over-simplifying but it is painful to watch teams attack Syracuse with such difficulty. Of course, Syracuse is pretty damned good. D

Was I wrong about the Lakers?

2013-02-22T12:29:00.004-08:00

Several months ago I wrote on here why the D'Antoni hire was a good one for the Lakers, I ranted and raved about the hire and how the wide open attack that he brings will help the Lakers. I wrote that Howard could flourish because of the high p/r action would save his body and the spacing would allow him to roll freely to the basket...

Was I wrong?

The immediate results, the passive aggressive complaints by Gasol and the lack of passion responses from D12 would absolutely point to the direction of being mistaken...

But I don't crumble easily, I still think this combination can work... does that mean they will ultimately sign Dwight... that I don't know but after watching the Lakers more and more, especially after their dismantling of the Celtics, I'm seeing more promise peeking its head.

KOBE THE FACILITATOR

I know that the word Kobe and facilitator don't really mix well, but he is starting to understand how important it is for him to get his teammates involved. Many people consider Kobe is a non passer I on the other hand sees Kobe as a player who passes when necessary. Throughout is career Kobe has averaged close to 5 apg which is tremendous for a scorer. HOFer Reggie Miller averaged less than 3apg and Joe Johnson averages a little over 4apg. I'm not arguing that Kobe takes some ill-advised shots but when your a big-time scorer that is bound to happen!

THE D12 INJURY

We all know that Dwight is hurt, what we don't know if its physically with his shoulder injury or if its his pride which seems damaged because of Kobe's intense drive and the fans constantly bashing him on the radio. Dwight can really help his cause with both by competing in different ways then in the post. What people seem to forget is that when Dwight came into the league his "post" game was almost non existent. He scored on putbacks and beating people down the lane and getting position... he has grown into a solid post player but as Van Gundy said he is a high turnover, low FT shooting big man - which is not a good mix!

D'ANTONI

I know people are knocking him, even Phil Jackson has gotten in the mix ! D'Antoni needs time which the public and the media do not want to give him. He didn't have a training camp to get his system in but more importantly didn't have the time to "sell" his system which is as equally if not more important when taking over a new team. The pieces are getting there, this is still a team that is transitioning from a predominantly half court set team to a more wide open/spacing attack.

I see all the problems that everyone sees but we all have to understand that basketball is a chemistry sport, players need to fill their roles consistently in order for it to be successful and the coaches have make clear and concise strategies that the players understand and will buy in. If you've noticed the Lakers are getting better - you've got to peak at the right time and there is still so much basketball to play.

Was I wrong about the Lakers? Is till say no but only time will tell!

How I "knew" Kobe...

2013-02-13T17:20:00.001-08:00

Italian legendary coach Dan Peterson is a frequent visitor to TOZ and this time he gives us great insight on how he met Kobe Bryant (who went 1-8 shooting the other night!)

I get quite a few questions asking me about Kobe Bryant. You know, what do I think about this or that. I've "known" Kobe for some time, since he was 6 years old and came to Italy, 1984-91, with his family while his father, Joe Bryant, was playing for four Italian teams in A-2: Sebastiani Rieti (1984-86); Viola Reggio Calabria (1986-87); Olympia Pistoia (1987-89); and Reggiana Reggio Emilia (1989-91). So, by the time he was 9, I had retired from coaching but would do A-2 games on TV and he'd be out there, shooting around, before the game and at half-time. And, he could shoot at the age of 9.

Could I have imagined he'd be a super star in the NBA? Well, his father was an outstanding player and 6'9" tall. And his mother, Pam Cox, was the sister of 'Chubby' Cox, a former Villanova and U. San Francisco player who had a 'cup of coffee' in the NBA with the Washington Bullets. So, with basketball in his DNA and his early start in the game, you could have foreseen him doing well. But no one was predicting NBA greatness back in the 1980s. We all thought this way: "Hey, the little kid is pretty good. Maybe we'll hear about him some day! Maybe he'll come back and play here in Italy!"

I did not know this at the time, but he was a fan of our team in Milan, especially our star point guard, Mike D'Antoni, who is now his coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. Mike wore jersey number 8. As we know, Kobe wore that number for years, though he now wears 24. This all came out later, when he was asked why he wore that jersey number. I was the most surprised guy in the world when I read about it. So, I should have factored in the idea that the kid was really interested in basketball. That is crucial for many that become star athletes: It's not only in their DNA, it's also in their 'blood.'

So, did I really 'know' him back then? Not really. I'd see him shooting around and I might have said, "Hey, kid, what's your name?" I'm sure he said "Kobe Bryant." I'm sure I said, "Well, keep up the good work." You know, stuff like that. So, all I did was exchange a few words with him and watch him improve over the years. He was 13 when they left Italy but there was no way I could have predicted that skinny little kid would have made it big in the NBA. Of course, he then grew about a foot and grew into that body and kept right on working and improving. More tomorrow. D

Help and Recover drills

2013-01-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

When I was coaching I would incorporate some type of shell drill in my daily practice, I’m a big believer in consistently drilling the tenants of our defensive pillars. It doesn’t matter if you play man or zone, shell drill reminds payers where they should be, it allows you to work on close outs and also puts your team in a situation where they can meet and bump cutters. There are two videos below

Help and Recover

4 on 4 penetration and pitch

Both videos go over some basic drills where you can build on. Make sure when working on shell that you familiarize your players with "key" words you will use during games. Make sure that your strategies are consistent and that your coaching staff understands and is aligned with your defensive philosophy!

HELP and RECOVER

4 on 4, PENETRATION AND PITCH

Zone Defense rebounding

2012-12-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

To me one of the biggest misconceptions in zone defenses is the lack of rebounding opportunites that are supposedly missed. At a young age we are all drilled on the importance of making contact by boxing out and then going to get the rebound. I can remember being screamed at by my coach and in turn when I was a coach screaming at my players on putting "a body on someone".

When playing a zone defense it becomes more difficult to have that physical box out every time out. In any zone when the offense taks a shot, the defenders usually go to spots, 2 at the elbow and 2 on the blocks, this allows proper coverage and room to go get the ball!

Watch this video from a clinic that Coach Casey gave for Five Star a few years back, you will see the rotations and the coverages that will help you not only play great defense but also secure many rebounds!

60% off TOZ coaching Thanksgiving package

2012-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

This week only we are running our Thanksgiving special on our Temple of Zones basketball packages - for only $10 you will receive.

Baseline out of Bounds Video, Over 50 BOB plays where you can "steal" points Originally $7.00
Temple of Zones IV CD Rom: An interactive study of how to neutralize your opponents Originally $10.00
Explosive basketball Drill Book - Over 50 pages of Drills to help your team get better! Originally $5.00

All this for only $10 - Order today!

(International orders also available)

Is this the end... or just the beginning for Japeth Aguilar

2012-11-19T09:16:00.001-08:00

The Santa Cruz Warriors and Japeth had 2 games this past weekend at a jamboree. Usually D-League stats are hard to find for pre-season games, teams usually keep it "in-house" for their own usage but was able to find the stats for the Warriors 129-126 win over the Texas Legends. Japeth played 11 minutes, the fewest of the nine players that saw action last night. He missed the only shot he took but did manage to grab 3 rebounds, dish out 1 assist and pick up 3 fouls - from the looks of it he was active in his limited time.

INDSIDE THE NUMBERS
Statistical Analysis is a growing trend in NBA basketball, many front office people and coaches like to look at certain stats including Per 48. An NBA game/NBA D-League game is played for 48 minutes and a players effectiveness especially in limited minutes can be projected using the per 48 minute stat - heres the equation

Stat / Number of minutes * 48 minutes = stat per 48

For the sake of argument we will not put a per48 together for his shot attempts but we are going to take a look at his other numbers using the equation which I think are comparable based on his position.

Rebounds

3reb /11 minutes = .272 rebounds per minute * 48 minutes = 13.3 RP 48

Assists

1 asst/11minutes = 0.09 assists per minute * 48 minutes = 4.3 AP 48

Order today - Explosive basketball ebook - Drills from the NBA to make you better!

INSIDE THE ROSTER

Overall I see four players who are on the fence when it comes to who the coaching staff wants to keep. Besides Japeth here are the other three

Justin Johnson - played for the team least year, but had a bad preseason game.

Carlon Brown - athletic wing, played well last night but turned the ball over too much (6)

Daniel Nwaelele - older player because of a military commitment, had solid numbers but didnt shoot it well last night.

In the Warriors win vs the Legends 3 players recored a DNP - Coaches decision, 6'9 Rick Jackson, 6'4 Travis Leslie and 5'8 Stefon Hannah. This leads me to believe that these 3 players are alredy firmly in place on the roster. This means that there are 7 available spots. Usually on a 10 man roster you want to carry four maybe five big men but because of the athleticism of the league most teams keep six perimeter players and four big men. If the Warriors are keeping four and if Rick Jackson is indeed a keeper, then the 3 remaing slots are up for grabs are being battled for by 6'8 Taylor Griffin (LA Clippers Blake Griffins brother), 7'0 Chris Daniels, 6'8 Lance Goulbourne and of course the 6'10 Japeth Aguilar. In this senario, it would be difficult for Japeth to make the roster.

But...

If the Warriors choose to got the five big men route then Japeth has a shot. If I was coaching this team I would be intrigued with what he brings - his athleticism, length, the ability to run the floor are positives. But I would also have to take a look at what we would have to work on and see if we would have the time to develop him while building a winning basketball team.

PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFECT

The Warriors organization fully understand what the benefits are in keeping Japeth. There are so many Filipino's in Northern California including some of my cousins that the team would have immediate fans of the organization. Warriors gear would fly off the shelves and the Philippines who are absolutely basketball crazy would pour out their devotion to the team. "Japethpalooza" would be very different then "Lin-sanity". Jeremy Lin was born and grew up in the US - when Lin was making waves with the Knicks, there were serious debates if Lin would play for China, Taiwan or the US. In Japeth, Filipinos have a player who was born and raised in the Philppines - his effect, publicity and marketing would be huge. Consider these numbers, it is estimated that in 2012 the Philippine population will be over 103,000,000 which is a staggering number in itself! But there are also approximately over 10 miilions Filipinos living abroad, including 3.4 million in the US! That could mean a whole lot of NIKE Japeth Aguilar shots will be sold!

WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO

The Warriors will have to make a decision on their roster here in a few days. The number one reason why the GS Warriors bought the Santa Cruz team is to develop players, period. In meetings between the coaches and the front office they will be going over many different senarios but its going to come down to one question - 1)how quickly can our players develop, 2) can this roster help us win games

3) do we have players on this roster who can play in the NBA.

Make no mistake the D-League is not a league for the fans, yes it is a business and everyone wants to make a profit but for the majority of the D-League it comes down to development and the future for the parent franchise, the Golden State Warriors. A few years ago the LA Lakers were losing 1.5 million a year to run their D-League team, they were worried about losing money, they just wanted to make sure that players like Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, Derrick Character would have a place to develop and rehab.

WILL HE MAKE IT?

I dont know the answer to that question... as I write this he could have been cut by now or he could be signing his contract... I know that he is in a good spot right now, learning and working on his craft...

Do I think he has the ability to play in the D-League? - YES...

Do I think he will survive the cuts?

We'll find out here very shortly!

Email us at: templeofzones@gmail.com

twitter: @hernandojr

More NBA BOB's for you to use!!!

2012-11-16T13:24:00.001-08:00

I know, I know, I just posted our 3 part series on BOB plays but after thinking about it, I feel thta I may have cheated all of our readers on how many I posted on the video... So now on the video below you will over 10 BOB plays that were in the NBA just last week... I took plays from coaches who I really like to study - Doc Rivers, Scott Skiles, Rick Carlisle and Mike Dunlap. These coaches are not only great motivators and teachers that are so important at the professional levels, but they are also very good with the x's and o's. They also do a fantastic job in surrounding themselves with people they feel can help them be successful.

Check out these books below - they are great reads for any coach or teacher!
Own the Zone: Executing and Attacking Zone Defenses
Choice Not Chance: Rules for Building a Fierce Competitor

Japeth Aguilar update - heading to Oakland to continue training camp at the Golden State training facility!

2012-11-14T21:33:00.000-08:00

Spoke with the big man Japeth earlier today - he arrived in Santa Cruz this past weekend and has already gone through 4 workouts with the players and coaches. He told me that he is doing "well" and that everyone has been treating him unbelievably great. He knows the competition is tough but he feels that he is holding his own and that each time he takes the court he is feeling much more confident!
When he called me this morning they were packing up and heading to continue training camp in Oakland at the Golden State Warriors training facility. After tonight's game at home against the Atlanta Hawks the GS Warriors will embark on a 4 day road trip which will give Japeth and the Santa Cruz team the opportunity to workout at the facility. It will also give the front office a chance to watch Japeth and the others. It will be a very intense few days of practice. Training and expectations will continue to build - this is the time where players start getting more comfortable with their surroundings. Competition will continue to get tougher and where you will see the cream rise to the crop. This is an important step for Japeth, he has to continue to prove he belongs, finishing strong at the basket, making plays and being efficiently effective. Japeth will also see more 3 on 3 and 4 on 4 games where the coaches will put the players in challenging basketball IQ situations. This is where I think his defense and shot blocking skills will shine - as a defender he is much more pro-active then re-active. His timing and ability to read the situation will help him in this area. On offense he will be able to use his athleticism and perimeter skills to attack the basket. He cant relax and wait for plays to develop, he has to make things happen and show the coaches that he is more than just an athlete. He can take his man off the dribble, he must box out and grab rebounds and get to his scoring "spots" (spots on the floor he is comfortable scoring from)

I probably wont speak to him for a few more days, want and need him to be focused at the task at hand - before we hung up I told him to stay consistent, be positive and enjoy the moment but to also make it count!

Keep emailing me your questions (hplanells@gmail.com) for Japeth and Ill pass along whatever I can... till next time. Click on the video below to watch a drill we did with Japeth a few months back!

Why D'Antoni is a good hire...

2012-11-13T11:34:00.000-08:00

The last few days I have heard every big name media person talk about the Lakers situation, some love the move many absolutely can’t believe that Phil Jackson isn’t coming back for the third time. I’m going to start off by saying I am NOT a Laker fan... im really not a fan of any team. Coaching in many ways makes you numb to the romance that fans have with teams. I find myself looking at the style of play, the strategies of different coaches, how they fit their "system" to their players and how players and coaches prepare mentally.

I don’t know much about Coach Mike Brown, I do believe he is a very good coach - some will argue that he had LeBron in Cleveland and that’s why he was successful for the most part... but every coach has benefited from having great players on their team at one time. Coach Brown brought in assistants Jon Kuester, European coaching icon Ettore Messina and Quinn Snyder - all who are gone by the way... Last year they installed the "Strong Corner"offense which in many ways has some similarities to the Triangle... the success or lack thereof brought changes to the staff, Kuester was promoted or demoted to advance scout, Messina was itching to be a head coach again and returned to Europe taking Snyder with him. So this year Mike Brown brings in Eddie Jordan to install the Princeton offense which like the Triangle has good spacing and ball movement... the problem I and many other coaches had was that the Lakers roster isn’t built for that type of offense... Kobe played in the Triangle but how many times have we seen him veer off of it and just create. Nash and Howard are products of the pick and roll game... the staple of the NBA.

So this weekend Coach Brown was let go... Phil Jackson was the favorite to come back and when the smoke cleared it was Mike D'Antoni who jumped in! Personally I love the hire... Yes Jackson is a proven Championship coach, there is no disputing that but how long does he have left and the better question is how long will he be with the team were obvious factors. The organization as a whole has to not only look at this year but also the next few years... Howard is a free agent and the uncertainty of how long Coach Jackson would be there could be a issue - With Coach D'Antoni in the mix, they now have a coach they know will be there.. providing of course that he is successful.

BENCH PROBLEMS

Lakers DONT have a bench - in fact they really have 4 tremendous players and the rest are just fillers... but you need your fillers to perform. The Lakers need Jamison, Meeks, Blake and the rest of the group to perform. The up-tempo game gives them more opportunities to do just that. It will help Jamison and Blake shoot hire than 35%, it will allow the younger players such as Morris, Hill and Meeks an opportunity to use their athleticism to get out and run...

LACK OF POST TOUCHES

Heard Coach Rambis go off on this point a few days ago... Coach I loved you when you played and was a big fan of yours in Minnesota but I think your wrong on this one... Does D'Antoni have a traditional post up offense? NO but what he is able to do is adjust his offense to the parts that he has. What you will see from all the bigs, Howard, Gasol and Hill are high pick and rolls WHICH allows the bigs to use their speed and athleticism to roll. Most NBA teams "Hedge or show" hard against the pick and roll, thus allowing the screener more opportunities to roll or slip very effectively. Now if teams "sag" or play underneath the screener then the bigs will still roll (Gasol will more than likely pop) and then post up -

We must remember that Howard is not your traditional post-up player - he is learning how to play in the post - now he is uch better than most but he is a physical specimen that can outrun, outmuscle and out jump any big man in the league - the Lakers must utilize that skill set!

D’ANTONI DOENST BELIEVE IN DEFENSE

He knows the importance of defense, he may not spend as much time on it at practice as many other do but it is still emphasized… lets also not forget that in the NBA there is very little time for practices during the season – The culture in the NBA is to rest legs – there are teams in the league who practice less than 20-30 times during the season. Now they still conduct shoot arounds, video sessions, strength training etc… but full on 2 hour practices in between games… nope they don’t happen as much as we all think they do! To say that a coach doesn’t pay attention to defense is pretty far-fetched – all coaches preach about defense some are effective and some aren’t. Its about getting the guys to “buy in” I heard a story once about how former Pistons coach Chuck Daly asked his players how they wanted to guard the pick and roll – he ultimately was the final decision maker on that but he listened to the players, got their input and was pretty successful with it. Empowering his players to feel that they have a say on how to do things.

DOES THIS MEAN THE LAKERS ARE WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIPS?

No - all this means is that there is more stability with the team now then a few days ago. Right now the players are happy, they know what Coach D'Antoni brings to the table - it all comes down to the coaching staff selling the vision every day, I don’t know if Coach Brown didn’t do a good job of selling it but it does appear that no one, including Kobe was buying into it... and in professional sports that’s so key... There are so many of us coaches who know the game, understand the x's and o's, realize the importance of statistical analysis but there are the few that can sell the vision everyday at a high level. We know that Phil Jackson can do that... we will find out if Mike D'Antoni can do the same...

Below is video that touches on a few things about Coach D’Antoni’s offense – you will see how he was able to use the parts he had in Phoenix and New York and how they apply to todays Lakers!

Keep your questions coming to templeofzones@gmail.com – love the feedback were getting!

The Coaching Manual is now LIVE!

2012-11-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Coaching Manual

Our custom made coaching resumes puts all your accomplishments and vision on paper and electronically. Our service has been used from coaches at all levels from high school to the professionals and overseas levels. We create a package strictly for you to highlight your achievements and most of all, make you look like the professional high impact coach you are!

Click below to view various resume designs
Resume design # 1
Resume design # 2
Resume design # 3

Resume design # 4

Resume design # 5

Resume design # 6

Resume design # 7

Contact us today at templeofzones@gmail.com or at 323.404.4047 for more information and to set up a consultation.

NOTE: Full confidentiality is always guaranteed because of the sensitive nature pertaining to job seeking and personal information.

BOB - the final chapter!

2012-11-12T07:29:00.001-08:00

Here is our third installment on our series on BOB plays - You will see from the video below that running screens closer together causes some problems for the defense. I know that in the past I would run many of my own BOB plays wide so that the defense would chase BUT if you have the personnel to be physical like Utah State then running the mvoement and screens closer may be key.

These plays look simple enough but watch the timing and the details in making sure the screens are set. many of us run drills where we try to accomplish multiple actions. For example I run a screen, seal and score drill... which at times can lead the player only to focus on the scoring part. Watching several practices this week I noticed some college coaches only drilling one thing specific - so if you want your players to be good screeners then sometimes we should just drill the screen... and nothing else!

Keep your emails coming! Our BOB DVD with over 50 BOB plays are going fast... email today at templeofzones@gmail.com to get your order in before its too late!

What to look forward to at a D-League training camp for Japeth Aguilar

2012-11-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

I first met Japeth Aguilar 4 years ago at the NBA D-League tryout camp in Los Angeles. It was there where I met this 6'9 Filipino "jumping jack" who had this raw athletic ability that was intriguing Japeth was quiet and humble, very thankful that he had this unique opportunity to showcase his skills in front of the D-League coaches and personnel. He had a strong tryout, demonstrating the ability to rebound, run the floor and finish at the rim. But you could also see that he needed a little more seasoning, more coaching and training. So he returned to the Philippines and ended up playing for the Smart Gilas team, the National team project that was coached by coach Rajko Toroman who had taken the Iranian National Team to the 2008 Olympics.

I followed his career with the Gilas team, not as closely as I would have liked but I kept track on his progress and development. Earlier this year with the help of Matthew Manotoc of Espiritu Manotoc basketball management I went back to the Philippines, first time in over 20 years, it was there that I was able to visit with my brothers and sisters while conducting player development clinics with college and pro basketball players. Japeth and I was able to reconnect and did a series of workouts where I saw that he had gotten stronger, quicker and his IQ had improved...

Fast forward to a few nights ago where was drafted by the D-League team based out of Santa Cruz who is the affiliate of the Golden State Warriors. He is going to a great organization and a head coach who I have a huge amount of respect for, Nate Bjorkgren.

As Japeth enters some uncharted territory here is some insight to what he has to look forward to during the D-League training camp. When I first started coaching in the D-League I was very surprised how quick training camp was, players are usually drafted on November 1st or 2nd, travel arrangements have to be made and then when players get into town they have to go thru their physicals. This year it looks like that training camp will begin on November 9th and the first game is November 23rd... not a whole lot of time is given to get comfortable!

TRAINING CAMP

Training camp will more than likely open on November 8 or 9, teams must make travel arrangements with their players they drafted from all over the country. Once they get into their respective teams city, they will undergo medical tests and a physical to make sure that they are healthy.

Opening day in the D-League will be November 23rd which means players are in training camp for less then 2 weeks. Players usually come in to training camp very excited and thankful for the opportunity, they are excited to prove what they can do... that is until the first team meeting where the players come to the realization that there are 15-20 guys who are all trying to make the 10 man roster! They will all eat, share rooms and experiences with teammates who may not be there tomorrow... Each player has their own personal story of success and failures and many of them feel that the D-League is their only way to realize their dream of playing in the NBA.

For Japeth he has to attack training camp in a very pro-active and aggressive way. He has to overcome the stereotypes that naturally comes from playing basketball. "Hes not strong enough, he hasn't played big time competition, he hasn't proven himself" - these are all things that are quietly being said and all issues he will have to face in order to fulfill his dream.

Most D-League teams will make their cuts after practicing for 3-4 days, players are given ample time to showcase their skills with two-a-day practices. Players are put in situations where they have to prove that they not only can play but that they have the basketball IQ to recognize situations that will arise during the season. The NBA D-League is a VERY tough league, most players are not use to the travel nor the small cities that the organizations are based in. When I was coaching with the Maine Red Claws, everyone of our road trips besides to Springfield, MA was over 10 hours! On the court the players will have to get used to the terminology - on offense many teams will coach the players how to use "Step up or Hammer screens", defensively they will have to perfect the seven (Yes there are 7!) different ways to defend the pick and roll and how annoying the defensive 3 second rule can become. Playing in the D-League prepares you for the NBA where playbooks could be 3-5 inches thick!

Japeth will have to pick up and process the information very quickly so that there is no hesitation on his part. He will be tested physically and mentally and his production must be consistently growing each practice session. He has to ask questions and before and after practice during the extra workouts he goes through with the coaches. He should also take some time to hear the stories of Vitaly Potapenko a 10 year NBA veteran who grew up in Ukraine, played college ball in the US and had a great professional basketball career. He would give Japeth some great advice on his career and how to navigate through the tough world of basketball.

Teams will cut 3-6 players on the first round, once Japeth gets past those cuts, practice will continue and a pre-season game will occur before the second and likely last cut before the season begins (some teams may cut more then twice in a preseason - all depends on the coaching staff). By then, Japeth should have a good handle on sets and calls such as "Horns", "Zipper", "DHO", "Blue" among others... he would be getting comfortable in a role that fits the team and he should be gaining more confidence everyday in practice...

For both players and coaches the final cuts are always the hardest - coaches dissect every movement of every player wondering if they are making the right decision based on what they have seen in camp or on potential... For players, they are often wondering if they did enough to impress the coaches, they will replay every practice and scrimmage, hoping that the coaches witnessed their hustle play, defensive stop or key basket they made.

Either way - there will be disappointments and there will be joy! Players who are cut will have to face the reality of where to play next... for the ones who made the team, their journey isn't over, its only the beginning where they will have to fight everyday to prove that they belong.

Japeth Aguilar HAS to prove he belongs - he cant take days off - he cant be happy with the experience - he has to attack this opportunity the same way he attacks the basket and finishes with a dunk!

Feel free to email me at hplanells@gmail.com anytime!

BOBS - Big Man Option

2012-11-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we put up a BOB play from Utah State that had tremendous feedback, coaches from all over emailed us questions and suggestions on how to "steal" points during a game. It doesn't matter how talented your team is or if your team isn't very deep, BOB's are a great equalizer during the course of the game.

Here is another BOB play from Utah State there the pass receiver makes a great read and reacts to the defense and is able to score. One of the questions we received from coaches were about the amount of out of bound plays (OOB's) you should have throughout the season. I am a big believer in having a core of 5 - its a number not too high nor low. But also make sure that you have 1 or 2 prepared to draw up during a game. When you need some points get your team organized and draw something up that is tailored to your players strengths!

Every coach who emailed us received an offer for a DVD of OOB plays for only $7 - email us today at templeofzones@gmail.com to place your order!

Reggie Theus... the coaching life takes us everywhere!

2012-10-29T12:41:00.001-07:00

I first met Reggie Theus almost ten years ago while I was coaching Slamball, he was the color commentator with Pat Parnell and the two made a very good duo in the broadcast booth. Before meeting him my only knowledge of him was thru my numerous basketball cards that I had of his... which was usually the one of him in his NJ Nets uniform dribbling up the floor!

After Slamball I continued to follow his career as he jumped into coaching first at Cal State LA, then as an assistant at Louisville and his final college coaching stop as head coach at New Mexico State. From there he moved onto the NBA as head coach with the Kings and assistant with the Timberwolves... and now he is the head coach for the LA D-Fenders, taking over for Eric Musselman who moved on to be a college assistant with Arizona State. In a ten year span Reggie has been able to coach everywhere and at two very high levels!

His new adventure in the D-League will be one where his coaching and people skills will be put to the test... having coached in the D-League I believe that it is one of the toughest leagues to coach in. At the beginning of the season every player believes they will be called up to the NBA, by mid-season they soon realize that the chances are extremely slim. Its tough to build a culture of teamwork and stability, roster moves happen often, salaries are low and teams are in locations where the players aren’t familiar with. But Coach Theus is in a different position, he is in Los Angeles - he is at a place where everyone one wants to be at! Check out the article
below from the NBA D-League website, its all about Reggie Theus coming home back to LA!

New D-Fenders Coach, NBA Legend Theus Talks About Coming Home, Starting Anew

Brand-new L.A. D-Fenders coach Reggie Theus became one of the NBA D-League's highest-profile hirings ever when he signed on last week. Find out his thoughts on his new gig with our exclusive interview.

By Kevin Scheitrum

Reggie Theus has come a long way to get here.

Here being, specifically, the Toyota Sports Center, home of the L.A. D-Fenders and the practice facility of a Lakers team he's loved since he was a kid in nearby Inglewood. Here being, even in the gnashing molars of L.A. traffic, no more than 15 minutes from his house. And here being, for a man who played 13 years in the NBA -- including two All-Star appearances and an 18.5 ppg average -- a chance to do what he's best at (outside of acting in Lil Bow Wow films).

Theus spoke with NBADLeague.com on Tuesday about what lured him to the job, where he'll replace 2011-12 NBA D-League Coach of the Year Eric Musselman and take over a D-Fenders program that turned out arguably the greatest overall season in league history last year.

My wife’s extremely happy. She’s done a great job with the kids. I was home off and on
the past nine years, so she started to dislike me a little bit.

Kevin Scheitrum, NBADLeague.com: You’ve done a lot with your life over the past few years. What brought you to the D-Fenders?

Reggie Theus: I think it works all the way around for me.

I’m about 10 minutes from my house, so when the job came open I said, ‘Well, you know, I was gonna do some TV stuff and I had some offers to go overseas and coach,’ so I had to make a decision and when the D-Fenders job came open, it was TV or coaching. Coaching was what I wanted to do, so coaching is where I am.

My wife’s extremely happy. She’s done a great job with the kids. I was home off and on the past nine years, so she started to dislike me a little bit. So it’s a good time to be home. Especially because my mom and her parents are there. My mom’s gonna be 89 years old, her parents are in their 80’s, my son’s a senior in high school for Fairfax High School and I’ve got a daughter who’s a freshman in high school.

I just realized that so much was missed, and realized the effect that I had on my son.

NBADLeague.com: How tough was it making a life on the road the past decade, as a husband, father and son?

Theus: All those things have made it really difficult. I’ve known my wife since the 10th grade in high school. We’re so close that when I decided to start coaching, I told her it’s gonna be a whirlwind until I got settled.

We decided not to bounce the kids around, because at that time my oldest daughter was in high school and my youngest were in elementary and junior high, so we decided not to bounce the kids around.

In some ways it was great because when you’re from L.A. and you end up in smaller towns, the adjustment’s a lot harder. It’s hard a lot of times for New Yorkers and people from LA to end up somewhere else, especially kids, but blessings come in a lot of different ways. Last year was my first time not working since 2004 – coaching-working, because I did do television for Fox Sports West, doing the Pac12 – but by not working, I got a chance to spend time with my kids and really get back into their lives.

I just realized that so much was missed, and realized my effect that I had on my son -- his maturity and his level of play in basketball, all those things. We all had great relationship, but they were in and out, on the phone, here back and forth, but being home and watching the growth of my kids, watching them mature and the effect I had on them, if I had to do it all over again I’m not sure I’d do it the way I did it.

There was never any time to put down roots, so to speak..

NBADLeague.com: What do you think made you pursue coaching the way you did, where it took you away from the family?

Theus: My wife and I made the decision where we didn’t want to bounce them around, and because I’ve known her so long we had such a great relationship – it wasn’t that tough for us, she and I. She could fly or I could fly and we’d spend time together, but she was used to me being in and out, me going to UNLV and so on and so on

We thought it was the right thing to do at the time, not knowing how it would work out. You always think it’s gonna take a few years and you’ll be settled and it’ll work itself out. But then I was two years at Louisville, two years at New Mexico State. Then I was two years in Sacramento and two years in Minnesota, so there was never any time to put down roots, so to speak.

It was all kind of evolving. Everybody had their own lives. Once your kids get to high school they have their own lives, and it becomes a different scenario, which I learned as a husband and a father in the past year. There were so many lessons I learned from my kids, after the things know I missed with them - catching up and really getting back involved in their lives, and watching them grow, and watching my son’s maturity blossom in one year. He went from being a mid-major player to a high-major prospect in one year. A lot of it had to do with his confidence, his maturity, the language of the game and the time I spent with him on the basketball court.

You do what you have to do, but [how much you gain when you’re at home with your family] was a nice lesson for me. It was a nice learning thing for me.

I jumped right in and became Taxi Dad.

NBADLeague.com: How tough was it when it all hit you about how much you’d missed?

Theus: I realized that I missed a lot – don’t get me wrong when I say that – but I was home, our relationship was great, but I was away working. Our relationships were great, but that’s what made it seem like it was OK until I was home the whole year, then I could see the differences.

But it wasn’t hard for me, because I jumped right in and became Taxi Dad, going to my son’s game and daughter’s games.

I’m a better coach today because of my experience in Sacramento. I learned a lot.

NBADLeague.com: You said that your plan was to just keep working until you got settled. How frustrating was it, then, that Sacramento didn’t work out?

Theus: The interesting aspect about that whole experience, I had turned around a college program from a team that won six games before I got there and in two years we went from 16 wins to 25 wins and winning the conference tournament and going to the NCAA’s. When you’ve changed the entire face of a program and took on a city and you went from 4,000 people in the arena when you got there to over 10,000 in the arena in two years, it was pretty major.

But not many mid-major coaches get a chance to coach in the NBA, to go to the NBA from New Mexico State. Obviously the money was enormously different. To coach at the highest level is something to strive for. In every aspect of our lives -- in the media and corporate world -- you always want to work at the highest level possible, and that was an opportunity for me I couldn’t pass up.

I was very happy at New Mexico State, and even though in Sacramento, we won 38 games my first year and I don’t think Sacramento’s won 38 games since I left, but it didn’t work out for whatever reason, and I was disappointed because I liked it there.

I said [to the organization] if you weren’t committed to me and my situation you could’ve left me where I was. But I’m a better coach today because of my experience in Sacramento. I learned a lot. And I’m a better coach because I could coach as an assistant in the NBA. Being an assistant in college and an assistant in the NBA are very different jobs, and dealing with the college level then going to the NBA level and coaching against the best coaches in the world has made me a better coach and prepped me for my next coaching job.

I’m still obviously trying to strive developmentally to move on to the next job, which could still be a head coaching job [in the NBA], but you have to find your blessings sometimes, and I’m more prepared today to be a head coach. And I’m very happy about that, because along the way I became a better husband and better father.

I was like ‘whoooooaaa my God.’ I’ll be 55 years old soon and I’m still talking about it.

NBADLeague.com: You’re coming into one of the best situations in the NBA D-League, with a team that had a ton of success last year and has some of the best investment from its NBA affiliate. [GM] Mitch Kupchak is always at D-Fenders games. Was this a job that you leapt at when you found out Eric wasn’t returning?

Theus: It’s a thrill for me because as a player, I grew up three miles away from the Forum, so the Lakers at that time back in those days would go to Inglewood High School, where I went, and they’d practice.

As a high school player I used to play in the gym against Gail Goodrich and Pat Riley. They’d come in after their summer workouts, and I’d get a chance to play against them. So, my entire life I’ve been a Laker fan, and I’ve always tried to become a Laker forever.

I’ve had a number of conversations with Jerry Buss along the way about becoming a Laker – not official conversations, but just in passing when I’d run into him – but when the job came open I thought about it, and it was my wife who said ‘Reggie, make the phone call.’

I was a little reluctant, because I had some opportunities in the TV world right in front of me and I was waiting to hear what was gonna happen with those jobs. We had a conversation about where I wanted my future to be, and through that conversation I knew I wanted to be a coach. Broadcasting’s something that’s been in my blood and TV business in general, but what I want do is be a coach, and ultimately that’s why I made the call – because it’s the LA Lakers’ affiliate, and to be at that practice facility and to be involved with the Buss family and Laker organization.

I know so many people in the Laker organization. Mitch, I remember we played against each other years and years ago, and over the years I knew Jerry West. He was an idol of mine. I went to his camp growing up.

There’s a funny story about that. I made a jump shot on Jerry West as a freshman in high school at his camp and never forgot it. It was a profound moment in my life, and I got to tell him about it later as I became a pro.

His camp was called Camp Clutch, and it was an inner-city thing they did for free with the kids. He was doing a defensive demonstration and just happened to pick me as the offensive guy. He was talking about defensive footwork and he said ‘go ahead and take your shot, and I’ll show you guys the defensive positioning.’ And I made an 18-footer in his face.

I was like ‘whoooooaaa my God.’ I’ll be 55 years old soon and I’m still talking about it.

I needed to evolve as a broadcaster, and the only way to evolved as a broadcaster is to become a coach.

NBADLeague.com: With the proliferation of TV networks and RSNs, there are more and more coaches and players going into broadcasting. Some ready. Some not. How did working in TV change your appreciation for the game?

Theus: I think that what you realize that as a broadcaster is that by no means is it the exact same [as playing]. You break down film, you see the game from the broad picture. You analyze the game a coach analyzes a game. As a former player, you can see the game a certain way, but as a coach you see the game a different way and the conversations become different.

My ultimate reason for coaching was because I wanted to have the ultimate credibility as a broadcaster. There was a void there where I’d do a game and I was thinking there’s something missing there, and what I realized later is I wanted to be back on the floor and have my hands involved in the game.

I needed to evolve as a broadcaster, and the only way to evolved as a broadcaster is to become a coach, and that was my first thought as a broadcaster.

Credibility in today’s society is so important, and I think when you have coaches – especially a former player that’s been a coach – the average guy watching the game can understand he’s not only drawing from his playing experience but he’s also called timeouts, he’s coached the game.

NBADLeague.com: Do you think the broadcasting world’s hurting for credibility?

Theus: No, not really, when you see the amount of people involved in it, from TV to the internet.

I have a good story, though. It’s a chance to set the record straight [laughs].

When blogging first became popular, some kid was interviewing me on TV and he asked what do I think about bloggers. It was really new, and I was on TV and said that they’re idiots, they don’t know what they’re talking about.

I was talking about the comments. I didn’t realize the difference! I thought when he said bloggers I was thaining about comments.

An honest mistake on my part but certainly you can imagine what happened.

NBADLeague.com: The blogosphere killed you --

Theus: They killed me! Oh man it was brutal, but it was an honest mistake.

One of the things I’ve always loved about coaching is the teaching element.

NBADLeague.com: So what about coaching in the NBA D-League right now is attractive to you?

Theus: I started as an AAU coach. My background is as a college coach, which is all about development. And the opportunity to get back to coaching and be involved with an organization that’s blended development with winning, it’s exciting for me.

I’ve always been big on mentoring. I’ve taken great pride in my relationship with players, from an AAU level to the pro level in the NBA. To have an effect on players and decisions they want to make in their lives, it’s honorable, and it makes me feel good about the game itself.

One of the things I’ve always loved about coaching is the teaching element, and this is a great segue back into higher-level coaching. Even as a broadcaster I always tried to teach.

Eight years ago they were having trouble getting reporters to come to NBA D-League games.

NBADLeague.com: Have you kept track of the growth of the NBA D-League over the past five years or so?

Theus: I coached in the old ABA for a few minutes with the Las Vegas Slam, so I’ve seen the NBA Development League grow. Eight years ago they were having trouble getting reporters to come to the games. Now they’re assigned.

I think David Stern’s done a great job growing the game internationally and in the Development League, too. Now teams are realizing the league a farm system’s a great opportunity. To have the single-affiliates locked into their teams and taking more pride in their D-League teams, I think that’s great.

I actually wasn’t slated to be in Like Mike, either – Cheryl Miller was supposed to be the reporter, but she couldn’t make it

NBADLeague.com: You worked on the cinema classic Like Mike. Last week, a rapper named Lil B tried out for the Warriors. You gonna recruit Bow Wow?

Theus: [Laughs] Ahhhh that’s funny. Like Mike was a lot of fun. Even doing that show Hang Time was a lot of fun.

Actually, I was looking at it as a business, being the NBA consultant for movies. There was a another movie that came out around then that I was having conversations with at the time. Then I got hired at Louisville. It was for Coach Carter, where I had a chance – we were just starting to have conversations – where I was gonna be just the basketball expert for that movie, too.

I actually wasn’t slated to be in Like Mike, either – Cheryl Miller was supposed to be the reporter, but she couldn’t make it, so I did it.

I think the plan’s coming full-circle for me.

NBADLeague.com: Do you feel like you are where you want to be?

Theus: I’m a firm believer that you are where you’re supposed to be, where God wants you to be.

I think when you coach, when you’re a basketball coach, you’re in sports, that’s really all you can do. Sports people live in a very small box, and if you live outside that box people think you’re not focused on what you need to be focused on.

People ask me all the time you gonna do more broadcasting, and I say no, I’m gonna coach. That’s what I’m gonna do. I love it, it keeps my juices going, it’s the next best thing to actually being out there.

I believe of all the things I’ve been able to do, all the jobs I’ve been able to have in my life, have really prepared me for where I am today. All the setbacks come with the negatives, but all of those have been great life lessons how to deal with people, how to take things in stride, how to be disappointed, how to create, how to plan all at the same time.

All those things have made me a well-rounded coach. All the lessons in your life, you brought up ‘are you where you’re supposed to be,’ and I think the plan’s coming full-circle for me. All those things have brought me full-circle into the ground floor of coaching again. People are like, ‘you’re earning your stripes all over again.’

But I believe you’re never too old where you can’t learn, so this is a great opportunity for me.

Battle at the Midway Basketball Coaching Clinic - San Diego, CA

2012-10-25T17:36:00.002-07:00

On November 8, 2012 will be a tremendous event!

Battle at the Midway Basketball Coaching Clinic - San Diego, CA

Click HERE to register online

Speakers

Jim Boeheim - Syracuse University

Steve Fisher - San Diego State University

Don Casey - Former NBA and College Head Coach

Michael Cage - Former NBA Player

Reggie Theus - Former NBA Player, NBA and College Head Coach and current NBA D-League coach

DONT MISS OUT!!!!

BOBS - a great way to "steal" points - Part.1

2012-10-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

For years Utah State head coach Stew Morrill has been known to generate successful teams that are very well coached. He has built Utah State into a mid-major power that frequently wins league championships and gets into the NCAA tournament.

In the NBA you rarely see baseline out of bound plays (BLOBS or BOBS), maybe 2 -3 a game. When I was in the D-League little time was devoted to that part. But in college and HS basketball BOBS happen well over 5 times per game and it’s a great way for your team to score 10-16 extra points. I get questions all the time on how to improve a team’s efficiency on the offensive end. The first question I always ask is "what do you do on BOBS and SOBS" (sideline out of bounds) Usually the coaches rattle off their 4 or 5 basic plays they use, but I soon notice that many of them don’t take into consideration if they need a 2 or a 3, or if there is less than 5 seconds on the shot clock. These situations are extremely important when finding ways to score. When I was a JUCO coach we were extremely successful in "stealing" points on our BOBS and SOBS, we beat 3 ranked opponents that year and a big part of the game plan was scoring in these types of situations.

Below is a fantastic BOB play from Utah State, they move at full speed, cut hard, timing is tremendous and they find the open space. Email us at templeofzones@gmail.com to order our brand new BOBS and SOBS playbook as you prepare for the upcoming season!

Why you should use the 4 man zone drill!

2012-10-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

The clinic a few weeks ago at Cardinal Gibbons was a huge success! Speakers such as Detroit Pistons advance scout Bill Pope, ESPN's Paul Biancardi, International coaching guru Lason Perkins and others were there speaking on a variety of topics!

A topic was brought up during the clinic on teaching zone defenses... a coach from WIlmington, NC asked what was the best way to teach a zone. Im a big believer in teaching the zone with 4 players - usually a 4 man zone concept. Now I know that your telling yourself that no one plays 4 on 4 during games but by taking one player and keeping 4 players, forces the defense to learn how to cover more ground and teaches the the slides correctly. My mentor former NBA head coach Don Casey (who taught me the zone) always preached to me that you must "drill the zone and not just play it". If you dont pay close attention to how much emphasis you put into teaching the zone then you will find that it will be ineffective. If you teach it and make it a staple in your daily practices, even for 10 minutes you will see that your team will play a much more effective zone then the others...

Watch the video below where Coach Casey is teaching how to play the 4 man zone it is absolutely well worth it!

If you would like to receive coaching notes - feel free to email me personally at hplanells@gmail.com.