When faced with a choice between a book about Crime and Punishment and another about screening and rolling, perhaps only the mentally ill would choose the book about ball. Coaches and players can get stuck in the details like they are the lightning sand. Although he could write an essay on the subject, Bill Bradley only needed a sense of where he was to succeed on the court.
Recently I was coaching during crunch time of a game and I made things too difficult for the team. Basketball should be simple. In the final minute of overtime, I wanted to use a timeout and fouls to go two-for-one. In retrospect, I should have called timeout and diagrammed a three point play and told the players to play defence.
I was counting on too many variables to work out in my team’s favour. Had I relied on less, it would have been easier for the team to succeed.
Although I have an entire bookcase full of basketball coaching books, it still doesn’t read a screen and roll any better than the Chris Bosh and T.J. Ford bobbleheads on the coffee table.