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This Week’s Hoop Heads Podcast Episodes
DYAMI STARKS – SIX PRIORITY CATEGORIES THAT COLLEGE COACHES VALUE – EPISODE 1244
Dyami Starks is one of the Midwest’s premier basketball trainers. His approach to training combines professional-level insights with data-driven development strategies. Starks also serves as the player development coach for All Iowa Attack, the director of Starks Elite AAU program, and as an assistant women’s basketball coach at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.
THE WACKADOO EAST & SPURS/THUNDER ON A COLLISION COURSE OUT WEST – EPISODE 1245
On this episode Mike and Jason discuss the unpredictable Eastern Conference including the Celtics Game 5 loss to Joel Embiid and the Sixers, the Knicks up 3-2 on Atlanta, the Magic on the brink of eliminating the #1 seed Pistons, and the Cavs recurring playoff nightmares. Next, they quicky break down the Spurs and Thunder first round wins before discussing Denver’s chances for a 3-1 comeback against the Wolves without Ant and DiVincenzo. The episode ends with Mike’s prediction of a 3-0 comeback for the Houston Rockets!
GEORGE MICHALOWSKI - PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE PORTAL REPORT - EPISODE 1246
George Michalowski is the President and Co-Founder of The Portal Report which was started 2022 with the goal of creating a media outlet completely focused on the transfer portal recruiting scene. Michalowski has worked directly with more than 150 college basketball staffs in their transfer portal recruiting process. The Portal Report strives to present the most complete and comprehensive coverage of the college basketball transfer portal recruiting world.
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AI has everyone talking. Not everyone has answers. At Gladly Connect Live, CX leaders from Condé Nast, Smith Optics, and more share exactly how they moved AI from pilot to production, the timeline, the systems, the QA loops. 13+ sessions built for the moment we're all in. For CX and ecommerce leaders. Atlanta, May 4–6. Space is limited, secure your spot now.
This Week’s Coaching Articles
This article explains that coaching is fundamentally about solving complex, multifaceted problems, requiring an understanding of biomechanics, psychology, skill development, and more, because no single solution fits every player or team. The author argues that while modern coaching has shifted toward specialization, this has led to siloed thinking and a loss of the broad, adaptable perspective that once defined great coaches. The article advocates for a return to generalist coaching, where integrating knowledge across disciplines leads to better problem-solving and more effective player development.
This article emphasizes that summer improvement comes down to what players do on their own, highlighting the importance of commitment, concentration, and consistent effort when no coaches are watching. It encourages coaches to give players clear, specific goals focusing on strengths to maintain and a few key weaknesses to improve, along with detailed guidance on how to work on them. The article reinforces that purposeful summer work and structured pickup habits can significantly impact a player’s development and determine their success when the season arrives.
This article explains that beating a 3-2 zone defense comes down to creating gaps, forcing defensive movement, and attacking vulnerable areas like the corners and high post. It emphasizes key strategies such as quick ball movement, penetration, skip passes, and putting skilled playmakers in decision-making spots to collapse the defense and generate open shots. Success against a 3-2 zone requires a mix of smart spacing, constant player movement, and the ability to make shots while also taking advantage of transition opportunities before the defense gets set.
This Week’s NBA Articles
This article highlights how the 2026 NBA playoffs have seen a dramatic drop in scoring, driven by slower pace, tougher defenses, and fewer efficient shots compared to the regular season. It also points out key storylines, including Detroit’s offensive struggles, Rudy Gobert disrupting Nikola Jokic, and the continued dominance and longevity of LeBron James in the postseason. The article suggests that defensive impact, shooting ability, and favorable playoff paths are shaping the early outcomes of a chaotic first round.
This article explains how the NBA’s proposed “3-2-1” draft lottery system aims to reduce tanking by flattening odds, giving the worst teams fewer chances at the No. 1 pick while increasing opportunities for middle-tier and Play-In teams. It also introduces major changes like drawing all 16 lottery picks, limiting repeat top selections, and granting the commissioner more power to penalize suspected tanking. While the system may discourage teams from finishing at the very bottom, it could simply shift incentives toward barely missing the playoffs, meaning tanking may change form rather than disappear entirely.
This article highlights a major trend in the 2026 NBA playoffs: a dramatic drop in scoring driven by slower pace, tougher defenses, and declining shot quality compared to the regular season. It also spotlights key storylines, including Rudy Gobert’s defensive dominance against Nikola Jokic, the surprising run of the Orlando Magic, and the strong return of Jayson Tatum. However, the postseason has also been heavily impacted by injuries to star players, which continues to shape outcomes and limit the overall level of competition.
This Week’s College Basketball Articles
This article explains that the NCAA is likely expanding both men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments to 76 teams starting in 2027, primarily to increase revenue despite concerns about diminishing the tournament’s quality and regular-season importance. It outlines how the new format would replace the “First Four” with a larger opening round featuring 24 teams playing 12 games, making the bracket more complex and adding more at-large bids for lower-ranked teams. The move reflects the NCAA’s financial pressures and belief that expansion will generate more income, even as critics argue it could dilute one of sports’ most popular events.
This article explains that fewer players are entering the NBA Draft due to NIL and revenue-sharing opportunities, making “stay-or-go” decisions more impactful for both the draft and the upcoming college season. It highlights a group of borderline prospects whose choices will hinge on NBA combine feedback, balancing draft position against the financial and developmental benefits of returning to school. These decisions could significantly shape the competitive landscape of the 2026–27 college basketball season.
This article breaks down why the NCAA is moving toward a new transfer tampering enforcement framework that could allow schools to restrict when athletes enter the transfer portal if tied to revenue-sharing or settlement agreements. It highlights concerns that these rules may limit player mobility and earning potential, potentially triggering legal challenges similar to recent cases where courts have sided with athletes. Ultimately, the proposal signals a shift toward more contractual control in college sports, but one that could increasingly be tested, and decided, in courtrooms rather than within NCAA governance.
This Week’s YouTube Coaching Videos
This video breaks down the three main types of BLOB defense: Lock and trail, switch, and zone. There are 11 baseline out of bounds plays per game in the average college basketball game. As a result, coaches put a ton of planning and strategy into both BLOB offense and defense. This video looks at that chess match between teams and coaches.
This video breaks down why a ball screen is a decision-maker, not a play, and how it collapses the zone fast. If you coach against 2-3, 3-2, or matchup zones, this breakdown will give you a simple framework to create advantages without needing a dozen set plays. The video shows on-court examples of how ball screens create space, force two on the ball, expose gaps, generate numbers advantages, and distort the shape of the zone until it breaks.
This video breaks down the New York Knicks' recurring flex screen play that continues to challenge the Atlanta Hawks' defense. The breakdown examines how specific personnel matchups and tactical adjustments impact the effectiveness of this action, exploring potential defensive solutions the Hawks could deploy to disrupt the play as the series progresses.
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