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This Week’s Hoop Heads Podcast Episodes
FREDDIE OWENS – AUTHOR OF THE BOOK “ECHOES OF STARK PARK” AND FORMER COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER & COACH – EPISODE 1235
Freddie Owens is the author of the book “Echoes of Stark Park” which tells his story of basketball, community, and faith. Owens takes readers from the heart of Milwaukee’s north side to the pressure of the Big Ten and the isolation of professional basketball overseas, revealing the lessons that shaped him far beyond the game. Freddie is a veteran NCAA Division I coach with over 20 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience, including stints at Oregon State, Iowa State, Montana and Holy Cross. As a player at Wisconsin, Owens delivered one of the most iconic shots in Badger history, a game-winning three-pointer against Tulsa to propel Wisconsin to the 2003 Sweet 16. Freddie is a 4-time NCAA Tournament Player (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004) A 4-time NCAA Tournament Coach (2010, 2012, 2013, 2016)
TALKING NBA WITH COACH ERIK BUEHLER – EPISODE 1236
On this episode Mike is joined by Arapahoe (CO) High School Assistant Coach Erik Buehler to talk about the Nuggets’ Playoff chances, why Jokic should win the MVP, and the improvement in the Nugget’s bench this season. Next, they look at all the potential playoff matchups in the West. The conversation covers the Eastern Conference playoff picture including the impact of James Harden on the Cavs, the potential of the Boston Celtics, Joel Embiid’s health and the importance of coaching in the playoffs.
AUSTEN HURLEY - HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' BASKETBALL HEAD COACH IN SOUTH DAKOTA - EPISODE 1237
Austen Hurley is a high school basketball coach in South Dakota. Austen has served as a head coach at Parker (SD) High School and as an assistant coach at Tea (SD) High where he helped the team make three consecutive South Dakota State Basketball Championship Appearances and win 2 South Dakota State Championships. He was named assistant coach of the year in 2019. At the time of this episode Austen is currently searching for a new head coaching position.
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This Week’s Coaching Articles
This article explains that managing parents is one of the most important and overlooked skills in coaching, often determining whether a coach succeeds long-term or burns out. By front-loading expectations, setting clear boundaries, and controlling when and how conversations happen, coaches can prevent most conflicts before they escalate. The best coaches aren’t just strong tacticians, they master communication, build relationships with parents, and manage the people side of the game effectively.
This article is about demanding more from yourself in every area of life and refusing to settle for average. It requires consistent effort, discipline, and attention to the small daily habits that reflect your standards. By holding yourself to a higher level at home, work, and in relationships, you create a life built on growth, purpose, and intentional action.
This article explains why the postseason is a critical window for coaches to celebrate the season, reflect honestly, and lay the foundation for future success. By prioritizing player feedback, program evaluation, staff development, and offseason planning, coaches can turn lessons from the past season into actionable improvements. The most effective coaches use this time intentionally, balancing appreciation, growth, and preparation, to build a stronger program for the year ahead.
This Week’s NBA Articles
This article highlights an exceptionally tight MVP race featuring historic seasons from Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama, with no clear-cut winner. It argues that Jokić’s all-around production and unique impact still set him apart, even as Shai’s efficiency and winning and Wemby’s two-way dominance make strong cases. Ultimately, the MVP debate comes down to differing interpretations of value, stats, team success, and narrative, all colliding in one of the most competitive races in years.
This article explains that despite the NBA’s emphasis on playing faster, this season has revealed that faster pace often correlates with worse offensive efficiency, while slower teams are producing better results. The key reason is that speed alone doesn’t create good offense—decision-making, shot quality, turnovers, rebounding, and especially star talent matter far more. As a result, the trend suggests that successful teams adapt their style to their personnel, and the playoffs will likely feature a slower, more half-court-focused brand of basketball.
This article lays out the top offseason priority for each non-playoff NBA team, focusing on the biggest roster, coaching, contract, or organizational issue they must address before next season. Some teams need clarity on star players and finances, while others must make structural decisions about coaches, extensions, or roster fit to establish a clear direction. Overall, the article argues that even before the draft lottery shapes their options, these franchises already know the core problems they need to solve to move forward.
This Week’s College Basketball Articles
This article explains how the transfer portal has fundamentally changed Division III college basketball, eliminating the idea of long-term “windows” and making success more immediate and unpredictable. Programs can no longer rely on player development over multiple years, as top performers may leave at any time for higher levels, forcing coaches to constantly adapt. As a result, teams must treat every season as their opportunity to win while balancing development, retention, and roster turnover in a rapidly shifting landscape.
This article highlights emerging and established coaches expected to influence the future of college basketball. It emphasizes innovation in style of play, player development, and adaptability in the transfer portal era. These coaches are positioned as leaders who will define the next phase of the sport.
This article argues that criticism of modern college basketball is largely driven by nostalgia, as NIL and the transfer portal have actually improved the quality of play by creating more experienced, competitive teams. While the current system empowers players with mobility and financial opportunities, it also creates challenges like talent concentration at top programs and reduced continuity for smaller schools. To sustain long-term balance, the author առաջարկs structural changes, such as development fees, new divisions, and promotion/relegation, to ensure lower-level programs can still grow, compete, and benefit.
This Week’s YouTube Coaching Videos
This video breaks down how to use your data to develop an offseason strategy around fixing problem areas on your team. Mark Cascio and Tyler Coston cover how to use the spreadsheet plus 3 steps to affect change this offseason using the data within it.
This video breaks down the most sophisticated tactical sets from the opening round of the tournament. From Ohio State's deceptive backdoor cuts to Michigan State’s "Pistol" action, this video analyzes how the nation’s top teams are manipulating modern defenses. You will see how Howard executes the Hammer screen to perfection and why Nebraska’s sideline out-of-bounds "special sauce" is a nightmare to guard.
This video breaks down how tagging works, and then you get to watch 8 possessions where a ballscreen is set - and you get to identify the tag defender.
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