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This Week’s Hoop Heads Podcast Episodes
CALEB SOUTH – TROY (OH) HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACH & FOUNDER OF CPS TRAINING – EPISODE 1217
Caleb South is currently the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach at Troy High School in the state of Ohio. He also is the founder of CPS Training where he has trained more than 50 D1 and D2 athletes.
THE BIGGEST WEAKNESS FOR EACH EASTERN CONFERNCE CONTENDER, WEMBY VS JOKIC, & WHO CAN WIN THE WEST? – EPISODE 1218
On this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the the biggest weaknesses for each of the four Eastern Conference Contenders: the Cavs, Pistons, Knicks, and Celtics. Next they breakdown the possibility that Wemby’s career could surpass that of Nikola Jokic before looking at the Spurs chances of reaching this year’s NBA Finals. They wrap up the pod with a quick discussion of which teams could realistically win the West.
MIKE JAGACKI – SUNY NEW PALTZ MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACH & FOUNDER OF LOCKDOWN DEFENSE – EPISODE 1219
Mike Jagacki is a Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at SUNY New Paltz where he helped lead the Hawks to the NCAA D3 Tournament in 2024 and to the SUNYAC Tournament in each of his 4 seasons. On this episode Mike & Mike discuss the importance of disruptive defensive strategies, particularly in the context of preparing for postseason play. Jagacki emphasizes the necessity for coaches to instill a strong foundational understanding of core defensive principles within their teams. As the playoffs approach, he advocates for a balanced approach that combines maintaining present focus, reinforcing established fundamentals, and developing tactical adjustments to counter opponents effectively. The conversation highlights the significance of designing turnovers and creating pressure, which can significantly alter the course of a game, particularly in post-season situations.
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This Week’s Coaching Articles
This article explains the pick-and-roll as a fundamental basketball action in which a player sets a screen for the ball handler and then rolls to the basket, creating space and forcing defensive decisions that give the offense an advantage. It outlines the responsibilities of both the screener and ball handler, emphasizing timing, spacing, proper screen angles, and reading the defense to choose the best option - shoot, drive, or pass. The guide also details advanced concepts, practice methods, and strategies for attacking different defensive coverages, highlighting the pick-and-roll as a cornerstone of effective offensive systems at all levels of basketball.
This article explains that the end of a basketball season often brings strong emotions for coaches, such as sadness, relief, or reflection and emphasizes the importance of allowing time to process those feelings rather than immediately planning for the next season. It recommends intentional reflection practices like journaling about the season, identifying what was lost or learned, and discussing experiences with trusted coaching peers to gain perspective and emotional clarity. Thoughtful processing and reflection help coaches grow, reset effectively, and carry meaningful lessons into the future.
This article explains the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to coaching, outlining five key principles: representative learning design, manipulation of constraints, external focus of attention, task simplification, and functional variability, to help players develop game-transferable skills. It emphasizes designing practice environments that mirror real game conditions, guiding player behavior through rules and constraints, and encouraging adaptability by focusing on outcomes rather than rigid technique. The CLA promotes coupling perception and action so athletes learn to read the game and develop effective movement solutions suited to real competition.
This Week’s NBA Articles
This article evaluates every NBA team’s starting lineup by assigning grades based on factors such as talent, chemistry, production, and overall fit. It analyzes each unit’s strengths and weaknesses, highlighting lineups with strong scoring balance, defensive impact, or star power while pointing out issues like lack of depth, poor spacing, or inconsistent performance. The report card provides a league-wide comparison of how effective each team’s starting five is and how their performance influences team success.
This article reveals how the “Black Mamba” concept was originally developed by Nike in the early 2000s as part of a marketing campaign for Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan 19 shoe, but the idea was abandoned after Jordan’s hidden fear of snakes made him uncomfortable with the branding. Years later, Kobe Bryant independently adopted the “Black Mamba” persona after being inspired by the snake’s deadly traits and during a difficult period in his life, using it to represent focus, intensity, and mental separation on the court. The article brings to light the surprising connection between two NBA legends and shows how Bryant ultimately built a global identity and brand around a concept originally intended for Jordan.
This article argues that the NBA under commissioner Adam Silver is facing mounting challenges including tanking, gambling scandals, salary cap controversies, and questions about league credibility, despite strong financial success and global growth. It highlights concerns about teams intentionally losing for draft position, investigations involving players and coaches connected to illegal gambling, and broader issues that threaten competitive integrity and public trust. The article suggests that Silver’s legacy may depend on how effectively he addresses these crises and protects the league’s long-term credibility.
This Week’s College Basketball Articles
This article goes behind the scenes inside the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s process, showing how committee members evaluate teams, debate seeding and placement, and use data and discussions to build the 68-team bracket. It highlights the criteria considered such as quality wins, metrics, and conference strength, as well as the challenges and subjectivity that come with decisions about which teams make the field and how they’re seeded. The article is an inside look at how the bracket is assembled and why certain teams land where they do.
This article introduces “Relative Ratings,” an advanced college basketball metric that predicts which teams would win head-to-head matchups by considering contextual factors like opponent strength, pace, and consistency, helping fans make smarter NCAA Tournament bracket picks. It explains that teams with ratings close to the top-ranked team are the most likely championship contenders, while teams whose ratings are much stronger than their seed are often under-seeded and tend to outperform expectations in the tournament. Using Relative Ratings provides a statistical edge in identifying title winners and potential bracket upsets.
This article explains how Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler’s rapid rise from an overlooked recruit to a potential top NBA draft prospect reflects both his unique talent and the imperfect nature of modern basketball recruiting. It details how Wagler was widely seen by college coaches but lacked recruiting momentum due to factors like limited exposure with a smaller AAU program, causing many programs to overlook his high-level skill, feel for the game, and winning traits. Wagler’s success is not a surprise but the result of elite ability, strong development, and a recruiting system that sometimes misses top talent
This Week’s YouTube Coaching Videos
This video breaks down 4 game-proven drills that championship coaches use to prepare players for end-of-game situations. Special situations win and lose games and they’re one of the biggest ways coaches are evaluated. In this video, you’ll learn how to train poise, teach late-game decision-making, and build the basketball IQ your players need when the clock is ticking.
This video breaks down 10 proven ways to fix that straight from elite basketball coaching education principles. Learn how to treat practice as your edge and turn every minute on the court into a competitive advantage. You’ll discover why you don’t need more drills, you need more identity, and how to structure your sessions for maximum transfer to game situations.
This video breaks down an unusual offensive tactic on drives: How the Memphis Grizzlies driving game worked, and how their principles are spreading throughout the NBA.
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