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As a coach, when you step away from practice, what happens? Today, Sam and TJ dig into how coaches can build real rather than performative habits, resist over-coaching, and over time develop a mentality of ownership within their team. They discuss how often to stop practice as the season progresses and how to hand leadership to your players step by step. They also share simple ways to measure intangibles like effort and culture without an analytics department. They close with why simple, sound, and solid beats complicated, and why the goal is to be the icing on the cake. Show Notes: Prepare the player for the pathWould your culture survive without you?What are we actually measuring?Sam’s “no curfew” parenting goalTeaching versus over-coachingAlways teach the whyGames approach versus structured practiceSet desired outcomes for every practicePlayers must believe, not just obeyStop play less each weekPlay, coach, then pass to leadersTeacher talk versus coach speakSimple ways to track effortAsk questions so players own itBuild habits, not band-aidsCrock-pot approach, not microwaveSimple, sound, and solidPick three core pillarsAim to be the icingSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

In Episode 674, Sam and TJ sit down with Duane Jourdeans, a 27-year coaching veteran and emotional intelligence speaker, to talk about how coaches show up for their players. Duane walks through six emotional intelligence skills, from self-awareness to inspiring performance, and explains why "okay" leaders move the needle so little. They tackle the tension between high-intensity coaching and authenticity, the difference between demanding and demeaning, and why EI is not soft. Duane also shares practical tools like charting your feelings, knowing your triggers, and building systems for micro moments with players. To learn more about Duane Jourdeans and his offering of workshops, keynotes, culture surveys, and assessments, go to https://www.duanejourdeans.com/. Show notes (no timestamps) Defining emotional intelligence for coachesThe six EI competenciesBest versus worst coach exerciseDiscretionary effort and why it mattersThe "okay" leader problemPositive states and faster learningHow self-aware are most coaches?Demanding versus demeaningPassion isn't anger; EI isn't softStaying authentic while coaching with intensityReading your team's heartbeatNeutral thinking versus positive psychologyHelping a struggling free throw shooterCharting feelings and knowing triggersSleep and self-managementPause, respond, don't reactMicro moments that move relationships forwardBuilding systems to stay intentionalSystems don't make you inauthenticDuane's "moment that matters" challengeMore on Duane: Duane Jourdeans is a speaker, trainer, and consultant who has spent nearly three decades blending emotional intelligence, positive psychology, and performance strategies to help teams and organizations maximize their potential. He is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner through Genos International and a Positive Coaching Alliance trainer. With 30+ years in education as a teacher, coach, and counselor, he is a two-time state championship football coach and former head football and basketball coach. He is also a multi-sport college athlete and state champion high school athlete. Duane and his wife, Heather, founded Upward Spiral Consulting, which has worked with professional sports organizations (including the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx), schools, and businesses. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

In this episode, Sam interviews TJ and takes us behind the curtain of his college program's preseason, organized around the Key 5 framework. TJ explains how he reverse engineers the season from the first game, why leadership looks different every year, and how to spread its weight across players and staff. He makes the case for an 80/20 approach that puts habits like effort, competitiveness, and fundamentals ahead of X's and O's. They also cover developing basketball IQ by helping players live in their strengths, setting roles by pairing every "no" with a "yes," and being honest with players about playing time early. Whether you're in preseason now or planning ahead, you'll leave with practical ideas for your own team. Show Notes Preseason through the Key 5 lensMaximizing limited four-hour gym windowsReverse engineering from the first gameLeadership changes every single yearSpreading the weight of leadershipHanding off without skipping preparationThe 80/20 of systemsPracticing to beat the best opponentOnboarding freshmen: standards with supportBuilding IQ by living in strengthsAnticipation, angles, and off-ball answersRoles: pair every no with yesThe 200-minute playing time exerciseKey 5 rapid-fire takeawaysSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

In this episode, TJ and Sam tackle pace and tempo. They define tempo as possessions per game and use real examples, from Virginia and Iowa's slow, disciplined success to Nova Southeastern's up-tempo pressure, to show there's no single "right" pace. They discuss how your style should fit your personality, your players, and what you can genuinely teach every day in practice, An aggressive system, must also be a mindset for your program. TJ then lays out a quantity, quality, and margin framework, using Gannon's D2 title and Michigan's D1 championship to show how winning the possession battle can outweigh a small shooting-percentage edge. It's a practical, numbers-backed look at how to choose the style that gives your team the best chance to win. Show notes Who plus why equals what + howPossessions per gameEnforcing your will on opponentsYou can't dabble in itStyle must fit your personalityMore talent wants more possessionsToughness beats athleticism for pacePlaying fast develops players fasterDownsides of constant blowoutsQuantity, quality, and marginGannon's title through possessionsMichigan's size and shootingReverse engineer possession goalsSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Are your players afraid to make mistakes? In Episode 671, Sam and TJ tackle "the permission problem" and the fine line between playing fearless and playing responsible. They work through real coaching moments — the freshman who over-helps and gives up a layup, the star who turns passive, the point guard afraid to look selfish — and how to respond to each without killing their confidence. Along the way they cover the difference between a bad decision and a bad outcome, why staying "not attached to outcome" matters, and how a coach's own reactions set the emotional tone for the team. At the end of the day, whatever you decide in the air-conditioned room, you have to actually live out in the heated gym. Show notes The permission problemBelieve strongly, hold looselyMistakes vs good decisionsCelebrate aggression, coach the adjustmentSaban's disciplined aggression lessonWhy stars turn passiveAttach to shot selectionDefine a great shotRoles ebb and flowSay it to everyoneKeep the message factualNATO: not attached to outcomeHubert Davis stays even-keelCourage requires real fearLetting players disagree respectfullyThe emotional regulation conversationAir-conditioned room, heated gym Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Chris Kreider returns to Georgia Tech 19 years after his first stint there, now an assistant coach under Scott Cross, and joins the show to talk about the craft of being a great assistant coach. Drawing on 20-plus years working for eight head coaches, Chris explains how staffs create alignment through clear roles and organization, how ambitious assistants can grow , and the specific leadership traits he's absorbed from mentors like Scott Cross, Ben Lanier, Dan Earl, Charlton Young, and Paul Hewitt. He lays out the three things every high school coach should develop in players — how to work, how to play, and how to win — and shares how players can win the margins by controlling the controllables. The guys also run a rapid-fire "tier ranking" on culture, continuity, best-player-as-best-leader, and conceptual basketball in today's game. Chris closes with hard-won wisdom on staying a lifelong learner, keeping perspective, and lifting up the next generation of coaches. Show Notes: Entering a new staff rightFaith and family drive decisionsClear lanes and responsibility matrixAdvice for ambitious assistantsAvoiding staff role jockeyingLeadership lessons from eight coachesWork, play, win: player developmentWinning the margins: control controllablesTeaching competitiveness through daily detailsTier-ranking culture and continuitySimplifying amid heavy roster turnoverClosing wisdom for coachesSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Every culture has problems — what separates the good ones is how they work through discomfort and adversity together. In part 2 with J.P. Nerbun, author of The Culture Captain, we explore how to lead yourself first, how to give and receive feedback, and why responsibility and self-awareness are the foundation of any healthy team. J.P. shares why authenticity is harder than it sounds, how to fill your own leadership gaps, and what it really looks like to pour into a leadership group day by day. Along the way TJ and Sam share their insights both the the value of a mirror-holding mentor, and the balance between coaching standards and team-created standards. Shift your coaching from transactional to transformational with culture and leadership tips from this episode. Show notes Task conflict vs. relational conflictBeliefs drive behaviors, not vice versaThree types of team standardsCulture is cultivation, not constructionFeedback loops that start with selfNot getting rocked by feedbackNo followers means no leadersRadical responsibility and player awarenessTraining leaders to see the floorShifting focus from self to othersStart with self-awareness and mirrorsYou can't just copy WoodenFilling gaps: the Joey Votto story"Coach me" vs. "me me"Daily huddles over weekly meetingsWorking with your leadership groupWhere to find J.P.'s booksSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

In this episode, J.P. Nerbun joins TJ and Sam to talk leadership development from the inside out, built around his new book for athletes, The Culture Captain. J.P. explains why knowing yourself is deeper than a personality assessment, and shares his "peel the onion" exercise for helping a diverse roster uncover the shared values that hold a team together. The conversation touches on practical aspects of coaching such as captain selection, and how you can build player to player accountability. J.P. and Sam also draw the line between the "curious challenge" and the "direct challenge," making the case that transformational coaching needs more truth paired with genuine care. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation — don't miss the next episode as they go deeper. Go to https://tocculture.com/ to learn more about J.P.'s books and programs. [More on J.P. below]. Show Notes: Why The Culture CaptainThe four levels of leadershipKnowing yourself beyond personality testsAbove the line vs. belowThe "peel the onion" exerciseFinding and identifying shared valuesHow to choose team captainsOne or two players steer everythingPlayer-led vs. coach-led teamsCoach as culture facilitator, not controllerNever ask what you won't doDon't wait for natural-born leadersTeaching players to follow firstThe "stamp": affirmation and gratitudeResponsibility means action, not excusesCoach approval vs. peer approvalWorking through fearCurious challenge vs. direct challengeEmpathy without accountability relieves nothingPopovich and Tim Duncan modelThe note-card feedback drillFeedback as conversation, sometimes directiveBuilding trust through real vulnerabilityBe brave, not just safeWhere to find J.P.More on J.P. Nerbun: J.P. Nerbun is an ICF certified PCC Executive Coach (trained at Georgetown University), Growth Edge Coach, Facilitator, and author of The Culture System. He partners with leaders and teams across sports, education, business, and healthcare to intentionally create strong team cultures that drive results. Leveraging a practical and systematic approach developed through his background as a professional basketball coach and educator, J.P. enables organizations to achieve higher performance by focusing on shared vision, growing trust, building cohesion, and raising standards. He is the founder of the specialized coaching firm, TOC, and hosts The Coach Culture Podcast. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Every coach obsesses over their offensive and defensive systems, but TJ and Sam argue the real edges live in the details most teams neglect. Starting from an old Billy Donovan stat — that players hold the ball only 5-8% of the time they're on the court — they break down how to teach, celebrate, and measure the game away from the ball, from off-ball actions to making defensive plays that quietly save your team points. They make the case for having an intentional rebounding identity and treating passing as a trainable skill instead of an assumption. Show Notes: Why the game happens without ballThe Billy Donovan touch-time statFive off-ball offensive actionsDefensive plays that save pointsSelling players on enjoying defenseBuilding your eye for off-ballCelebrate, measure, then trackDean Smith's three-part mottoSpot-measuring crash and cut rateRebounding as a season-changerDeciding your rebounding identityDefensive philosophy shapes your reboundingPassing as a trainable skillThe three T's of passingKilling the "maybe pass"Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

TJ and Sam open the mailbag for a three-part conversation on the issues coaches wrestle with most. First, they explore self-improvement and blind spots — why identifying trusted voices, dropping the ego, and getting out of the weeds are essential to your leadership. Next, they get into parent culture: communicating expectations, consistent communication, and relationships built on trust rather than avoidance. Finally, they deliver a recruiting update for a landscape reshaped by NIL, the transfer portal, eligibility rulings, and roster crunches — landing on the truths that still hold: if you're good enough you'll get found, fit matters more than the destination, and real connections still open doors. It's a wide-ranging episode with something for coaches at every level. Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

A strong season starts with an intentional preseason, and this week Sam and TJ  lay out the framework for getting it right. The most critical areas of coaching aren't mastered in silos — every workout, every meal, every interaction is a chance to sharpen your culture for success. They share how to develop leaders, improve your player development, and why you have to start every season from zero every season. Show notes Five pillars, not five bucketsWhere leadership startsMentoring 2-3 playersWhy it mattersGiving players space to leadWeekly check-ins and honest feedbackMatch player development to strategyThe LeBron and Reddick exampleGrowth-oriented far from gamesMission-oriented close to gamesBuild a team habits documentDon't chase the shiny thingDefense is player development tooCulture is measured by interactionsGratitude, standards, and the McDonald's testSet standards you'll fight forStart every season from zeroCreate ownership in your valuesAdversity reveals where culture really isThe "old crap" meeting explainedBuild better people, better cultureSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Staff leadership might be the most overlooked skill in coaching, and one of the toughest. TJ, Sam, and Lisa explore what it takes for an assistant coach to bring value and grow, and what head coaches owe their staffs in return. Along the way they tackle why communication sits at the root of nearly every staff breakdown, why you should hire people you can "do life with," and how to correct a coach mid-practice without undermining them. They get candid about moody staffs, owning your mistakes, and the relational deposits that carry a group through the peaks and valleys of every season. Show notes Staff leadership has no blueprintCommunication needsGet alignmentValues over talentEveryday keys to successDifferences from leading your playersEQ over Xs and OsThe right way to correctOwning your mistakesCompete, serve, humilityStay out of the weedsOffering your gifts and talentsSwallow the frogSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Most coaches are wired to compete, and that ambition can either fuel a career or quietly hijack it. In this episode, TJ and Sam explore how to honor your drive without losing sight of the impact you're making today. Using Dusty May's recent press conference as a jumping-off point, they work through the difference between contentment and complacency, and how gratitude eventually opens the next door. They share from their own coaching journeys and life changes reshape priorities over time. It's a conversation to catch yourself when you're thinking more about what's next than what's in front of you. Show Notes: Ambition helps or hindersDusty May's telling press conferenceImpact over climbing laddersWhich economy are you focused onWrong ladder, wrong roofContent is not complacentBe great where you're atGratitudeShifting prioritiesExperience and humilityLiving the dreamToday's opportunitiesHigh standards fuel transformationGetting the next door to openSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

What if your practices could build basketball IQ, sharpen habits, and raise engagement all at once? In this episode, Sam and TJ break down how to use a games-based and constraints-led approach to make sure what your team works on in practice actually transfers to games. They share specific games you can steal — from five-point plays and golden guns to weak-hand assist rules — plus the coaching framework behind them. TJ also unpacks the master-teaching skill of "loading and unloading" constraints so players are challenged without being overwhelmed. Whether you coach seventh graders or college players, this conversation will change how you design your next practice. Show Notes Why practice design builds cultureTJ's freshman year shaped his philosophyCoaching today's "epic learner"Fun and winning aren't oppositesEngagement drives retention and improvementFilter every idea through your teamKirby Smart's lesson on evolving practicesBeware the copycat coaching trapPick three habits to be elite atGames that check multiple boxesLet players choose the five-point playEmpowering players builds basketball IQThe whistle is the teacherDon't remove yourself from the gameTie games to the Key 5 BlueprintBuild habits like the "peek" ruleLoading and unloading constraints properlyRight dosage beats more rulesUse point values to create gravityCoaches should be learning, tooSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!

Every coach preaches toughness and confidence — but how do we actually define and teach them? In this episode, TJ and Sam dig into the five mental components of a player's mindset: approach, confidence, composure, toughness, and competitive greatness. You'll hear the lion vs. sparrow mentality, the NATO principle (not attached to outcome), and a simple 30-year coaching test for spotting your toughest players. If you want a real edge that 80% of teams ignore, give this one a listen. Show Notes: Why mindset separates special teamsFive mental components coaches must teachHabits drive a consistent approachResponses vs. reactions: decide aheadLion vs. sparrow mentality explainedPreparation plus quality thinking equals confidenceStop tying identity to made shotsComposure starts with the coachNATO: not attached to outcomeTransition defense reveals true toughnessDefine toughness, don't just preach itCompetitive greatness starts in unseen hoursSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info. After analyzing over 100 million shots, basketball data scientists at Noah Basketball have uncovered the formula of the perfect shot, helping players on 28 of 30 NBA teams improve their accuracy faster than ever before. This same patented shot-tracking technology is now available to you in the Noah Backboard for a fraction of the cost. Learn more today at noahbasketball.com. Inquire while supplies last!