Larry Brown, Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan are the gold standard for coaches who have had maximum success in both college and in the NBA. Stevens has taken it to the next level in also becoming one of the best executives in the league. This is largely due to how strongly he adheres to his core principles. Popovich, Belichick, and Bill Walsh were very similar in recruiting, and surrounding themselves with, people who valued character, competitiveness and innovation. Here is the best basketball mind on planet earth explaining his process at Butler. 👇🏼 🎥 @WDWconvo

REALLY well written. I would add: The harsh reality is that if you don’t understand data in 2026, you are a casual. So where does the eye test/instinct meet the data? 👇🏼 Numbers are a compression - meaning something is being deleted with every metric. The nuance to ‘analytics’ is identifying AND problem solving around what is being deleted - we call them BLIND SPOTS. A simple, surface level example is a team going 0/10 from C&S 3’s. A blind spot would be WHO shot them or HOW much time was left on the clock. Innovation through data analysis occurs around problem solving the blind spots, finding your solution and then attaching KPI’s (important data sets to your success) to reinforce them through small habits done daily. Being curious about the data is a foundational quality that is impossible to overlook. The OP discusses this in depth as the ‘process being the data itself’, which misses this integral part. The popular inflection point for this was the Moneyball Athletics identifying the value of runs, and being CURIOUS about the most effective way and the most effective personnel, to generate runs using the cap constraints. Another example is Brad Stevens identifying C&S 3’s + paint touches and being curious about the ideal personnel to maximize this, leading to a championship in 2024. The excel sheet/synergy isn’t your process; the eye test isn’t your process. The blend is using the eye test to solve problems created from the blind spots within your metrics you track. This is INNOVATION.

There is 3 solutions for any HELP defense: - engage the help - remove the help - beat the help Personnel MUST match the coverage solution. This is the connector. Most coaches copy/paste actions they’ve seen at a higher level, which is fine, but they lack the PERSONNEL to accomplish the same SOLUTION to the help/general scheme. Typcially, this is centered around either shooting gravity or raw athleticism deficiencies. 📝 As a general rule, the LOWER the level of play, the MORE ground the help can afford to cover without being punished. This is why full court press, traps, blitzes, etc. are much more effective at the HS/club level vs college and up. The same action Steph Curry and the Warriors ran was only successful because you can’t go under any action involving elite shooting. Similarly, the BLOB from Kansas was only successful because their entire front court all play above the square on the backboard. Critical piece often missed by new or casual coaches.

The Knicks lead the entire playoffs in: • Restricted-area attempts (29.6 per game) • Restricted-area FG% (68.1%) • Points in the paint (53.3 per game) • Second-chance points (17.7 per game, driven by a league-best offensive rebounding rate) Mitchell Robinson is one of the best offensive rebounders in NBA history. With him on the floor the Knicks O Board rate is 39%, absurdly good. Without him it falls to 28%. Everything they do is built around dominance inside. The problem? 👽 With Wemby on the Floor: • Opponents’ rim attempt rate drops from 36.1% to 24.2% • Rim FG% drops from 59.1% to 55% • Teams are forced into more 3s (41.7% rate vs. 33.9%), but shoot worse (30.9% vs. 36.4%) KAT is notoriously always in fouls trouble, which Wemby should compound. The Knicks will likely start OG on Wemby, sprinkle in some matchup zone, and ultimately settle with a ‘hat on hat’ big vs big matchup. Mitchell Robinson has virtually no chance against Wemby on an island, so the dominoes will be dropping in the half court when they bring two/aggressively tag. Unlikely this version of the Knicks will do any better than the 99’ team, but how can you not love Mike Brown and the Nova Trio.

You can’t go small on Wemby. OKC briefly attempted this, and despite being the best equipped team to go small, they got annihilated. This is called ‘ROLLER’S GRAVITY’. Wemby has maximum gravity because you can’t tag and recover or he dunks on your whole team, like the clip below. You have to tag high and double or tag high and peel. This puts shooters in perfect position to attack long closeouts or catch and shoot. When young, inexperienced guards get these kinds of reps (attacking big advantage spots) over 82 games, their development grows through multiplication, not addition. Spurs Delayed 77 | Slip against 2-5 switch. 👇🏼

‼️ Sticky Words Sunday ‼️ The power of YET This one of @BBallImmersion many many 💎’s in terms of development. Subtly, this is one my favorite developmental phrases. There is so much instrinisc value in communicating to a player that they 'arent good at ____ YET'. The alternative is coaching using LIMITING phrasing such as 'that one's out of your range' or 'you're out there for defense and rebounding.' LANGUAGE MATTERS. LANGUAGE IS YOUR CULTURE. '18 minutes a day for 365 days makes you better than than 95% of the people the field you are choosing to develop.' - Rule of 100

Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams, Devin Vassel, Keldon Johnson, Luke Kornet, etc. WCF is littered with examples of this 👇🏼 Basketball is played WITH the basketball 5% of the time. One of my favorites quotes from Billy Donovan is: ‘The other 95% of the time most players spend trying to get the basketball’. Players also can’t conceptualize the amount of time they have the ball in their hands in a game. They think it’s exponentially more than it actually is. The ball is glorified, and rightfully so, but what are we doing with the other 95%? Do be ELITE REQUIRES impacting the game without the basketball. The video below is a MUST WATCH for all players and coaches 👇 🎥 @chicagobulls

The SHOT FAKE is the most important skill to master offensively. Why? - works at all 3 levels - athleticism is neutralized/irrelevant - no risk/all reward (versus putting it on the deck) - most players aren’t defensively disciplined every possession Very few teach this because it’s not proprietary or flashy. Don’t over complicate this: 1. Body has to move with the ball 2. Eyes tell lies The reality is that ‘triple threat’ is dead. On the catch, teach your players to ‘peak’ or shot fake, and then further the advantage or, if neutral, move the ball. This is the 🔑 to connecting 0.5 decision making.

Daigneault continues to put IHart into perfect spots offensively. They went to a step up ball screen virtually every time down the floor during the Wemby minutes. They either start this action with a ram or a stack out, into a green (sprint to screen) ‘empty step up’. This speeds up and pulls Wemby from the hoop, opening up the IHart ‘dive and seal’, and creating a 2 on 1 on the weakside. OKC will either 45 cut or hold space, depending on the got 2 defender. ***Notice the screen angle from IHart, very LOW to force the POA defender OVER the screen. Very intentional detail. 👇🏼

What a difference a year makes. The only substantial change to the Knicks roster was adding Mike Brown. He added his version of modernized Princeton concepts + data driven shot quality metrics. This is from the Point Series out of Princeton, which is initiated from a 2 guard front, through an elbow entry and into an over/under/away action from the PG. Jalen cutting middle 3rd is Point Under, which flows into their flex action or a strong side RIP/Exit action, depending on Brunson’s read. Beautiful spacing and ball movement. 👇🏼 Point | Under | RIP