A Pen And A Napkin

Regardless of what defense you run, you have to have great closeouts. If you're consistently having to send help on dribble penetration, your defense is going to be in a lot of trouble. In this episode, we discuss different philosophies of closeouts, what you should be doing in practice to emphasize closeouts, and how working on closeouts will also benefit your offense. In addition, don't forget that there will be an APAAN Drill Video on "The Opening Tip" newsletter! In addition to closeouts, we discuss a great quote from Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Sutton, as well as a study of one of the great college basketball coaches of today, Matt Painter.

A great way to get your team moving in the direction that you'd like for it to move in during the preseason is doing team readings and discussions! In today's podcast, we discuss the parameters that you should use in figuring out what readings you should use, how you should convey the information to your team and some my recommendations for great preseason readings. In addition, we've got a great quote today, along with a coach study of one of the must underrated women's basketball coaches in the history of the game!

One way of winning on the margins is having outstanding execution out of timeouts and quarter breaks, so today we dive into what your mentality should be and how you can build your team's ATO repertoire. We talk about offense and defense, including free throws and how you can or should prepare for each game. We also have (another) great quote from Kevin Eastman, and a deep dive on legendary Virginia WBB HC Debbie Ryan!

If you really want to lead your team, you first, to the best of your ability, must be able to master yourself and know what YOU stand for. In today's podcast, we discuss the concept of core values, both personally and what your core values for your program are and why you need to have them in place for not only the good of your program, but for your own good as well. In addition, we've got a great quote and a discussion on one of my personal influences and a man I consider a friend, Bill Fennelly.

Really excited to have Blake Sandquist, the head men's basketball coach at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) on the podcast this week! Coach has had a great run these last three years with the Bears, including an undefeated conference season last year, and he's looking to do more this year! In this pod, we discuss his influences, how he has grown the last three years, offensive transition, 1/2 court offense, player development and much more!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! Hoops 365Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! The Last of the CowboysGet your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! Kings Of Their CourtWant to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

As we've talked about numerous times during this series, there is a minimal amount of variables that we can control once the ball is thrown up on game night, but sideline out of bounds situations (SLOBS) are one of those things. In today's pod, we discuss strategies for both sides of the ball, both during the flow of the game and how to attack late game situations! In addition, we've got a great quote from Michael Hyatt and a study of the guy whom the "Princeton" offense is named after!!!

We all want to have a team that thrives on both talent and cohesion, and a great way to build trust between your players is to take them on a team retreat! In today's episode, we take a look at the process that it takes to bring your team on a retreat, it's benefits and risks, and why you should consider engaging in a retreat. In addition, we discuss the always fascinating Buzz Williams and a great coach from the legendary Chuck Daly.

Shell Drill is one of the most basic drills in our game, but if you are going to "Win The Season", you've got to be able to change up your Shell Drill to match what your team needs! In this podcast, we discuss the importance of Shell, how to change up your Shell Drill to keep your players engagement up and how you can position yourself on the floor to make yourself a better Shell coach. In addtion, we have a great quote from one of basketball's greatest defensive coaches in Adolph Rupp, and we discuss one of America's best kept secrets in coaching . . . and he'd like to keep it that way.

Efficient language is necessary in high stress situations, so why shouldn't you create your own language within your own program? In today's "Win The Season" podcast, we dive into creating a program language, the elimination of confusion and I throw out some examples of my coaching career where we tried to use a common language. In addition, we've got a great quote from Steven Bartlett, and a study of perhaps the greatest modern college basketball coach, the one they call "K" . . .

Bobby Knight once said that "Basketball is the most overcoached and undertaught game in the world", and in many ways, Coach Knight was exactly right. In today's podcast, we talk about the warning signs of overcoaching, ways you can not overcoach and practices that will help you and your team grow! In addition, we've got a great quote from Marcus Aurelius (again) and a study of the "Zen Master" himself, Phil Jackson. Enjoy!

If you don't know what you stand for, you don't know what you're going to emphasize, right? In today's episode, we discuss your defensive pillars, the non-negotiable, always enforced rules of your team or program on the defensive end. Directly inspired by Jim Boone, we discuss why it is important to clearly define your pillars, how to implement and I share my seven defensive pillars with you. In addition, we have another great quote from Kevin Eastman, while we discuss one of the all time great coaches (and former APAAN guest) Roy Williams.

I was at Snow Valley Basketball School a couple of weeks ago, and while there, I got the chance to sit down with Karen Self (of "The Karen Self A Pen And A Napkin Moment"), Cam Schuknecht, the new Midland University Women's Basketball Coach and Joel Lincoln, the director of "Game Shots 3 on 3" out of Charlotte, North Carolina to discuss a variety of topics, including Snow Valley and why it works! We also discuss the importance of 3 on 3, improving as a coach and much more!

One of the greatest examples of basketball's "Special Teams" is your baseline out of bounds philosophy and execution on both sides of the ball. In today's podcast, we discuss goals that you should have for your playbook, who the ball should go to, formations, counters and selling the importance of baseline out of bounds to your team! We also have a great quote from USA Basketball, and we also discuss today in our Coaches Study one of my friends in the business who made his name nationally via USA Basketball!

We are 1/4th of the way through this crazy idea! Around a week ago, we discussed the struggles of handling success, so today, we flip that on its head and discuss what to do and how to handle failure. Our lives are not linear; life (and basketball) will trip us up, so today is all about why failure is necessary for growth, how to react to it and the mental approach we need to take even before the season starts. In addition, we have a great quote from Marcus Aurelius and a discussion on perhaps the greatest coach in NBA history, Gregg Popovich.

One of the great skills of the game (which, in my opinion, is the most important skill) that we often push off in practice is shooting, and it's a huge mistake! In today's podcast, we talk about the importance of getting shots up in practice, HOW to get more shots up and tips to help develop shooters. We also have a video with my favorite shooting drills, but you'll have to go to "The Opening Tip" newsletter to get that . . . In addition, we got a great quote to help with shooting, and a study of one of my favorite people that I've ever talked to on "A Pen And A Napkin", Coach Mike Neighbors!

We can't do this job (or any job) for a long time without knowing WHY we're doing the job, and coaching basketball is no different. With its long hours, intense nights and tough days, coaching basketball is a mission, but you have to know why you're doing it. What do you enjoy? That's what we want you to answer in today's podcast, while also discussing a little Leo Tolstoy and pushing you to research and learn about one of the great coaches of the 1980s and 1990s, Dale Brown.

Every second counts on game day, and organizing your bench is one way to save those precious seconds. In today's podcast, we breakdown thoughts on game day management of your bench, how to practice it before games even start and tips on be as efficient as possible during timeouts and quarter breaks. In addition, we've got a great quote from John Maxwell, while we discuss one of the great early coaches of the game, Clair Bee! Enjoy today's podcast!

As we get closer to the start of the season, what are ways that you can get your team into optimal shape before your first practice? That's the topic of discussion in today's podcast, where we break down various options, both on and off the floor, to help build toughness, chemistry, camaraderie and skill before your first day of practice. In addition, we've got a great quote from Jerry Rice and some research points of interest for one of our best modern coaches, Billy Donovan. Enjoy!

It was a blast to have on three great coaches for this month's Zoom roundtable! Rob Brost, John Carrier and Jake Nannen jumped on the pod to discuss how to be a great teacher of the game, what their focus is on for this fall to improve upon, things that they've learned this summer and one favorite drill of each coach! This was a blast to do, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it!

We love X's and O's. I mean, we really love them, right????? One of the biggest draws for coaches to the game is drawing up plays, and watching our team run a set to perfection is extremely gratifying for most of us. In today's podcast, we discuss what we should and should not be doing with our set plays, suggestions on how to install them, the ideal number you should have in your portfolio and other tips! In addition, we've got a very appropriate quote from Mike Neighbors, and a study of one of our most popular and successful coaches of the last decade.

For most high school programs, the players that you have in your program are going to be pulled in multiple directions, whether that be by other sports, school activities or family activities. You have to show your human side and have some understanding, but you also have to hold players and families accountable for their non-emergency absences. In this pod, we discuss how to create a positive absence policy and how to clearly define repercussions, In addition, we have a quote from one of our Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, and a discussion of the predecessor to Dean Smith at North Carolina . . .

Ball handling and passing are two of the three ball skills of the Holy Trinity of player development, but they need to be emphasized DAILY this upcoming season. In this podcast, we discuss how you should implement ball handling and passing in your practices, ball handling techniques that you should be working on, and the difference between in-season and off-season development of these skills. In addition, we have a great quote from Coach Wooden and a study of one of the more underrated modern coaches who people often forget that he won a national championship!

As humans, most of us bounce back fairly quickly and strongly from failure, but where many of us get tripped up is when we experience too much success. In today's podcast, we discuss stories from my career of how success took off the edge, creating adversity in your team, anticipating adversity and more! In addition, we've got a great quote from the Roman philosopher Pliny the Younger, all while discussing the man who had more success than anyone else, yet remained grounded as a teacher his entire life . . .

Preparation is key for everything we do as coaches, but pregame scouting report information and implementation are vital to your team's success! In today's podcast, we discuss putting together scouting reports, what you should and should not include, how to present that information to your team and how to implement it in your practices! In addition, we've got a discussion on one of the great coaches and basketball influences of the last 50 years!

Each and everyone of us have our shortcomings, both as human beings and as coaches. Some of these shortcomings we are aware of, while many of these things we are not. In today's episode, we discuss our personal and professional "Blind Spots", what we can do to both diagnose them and make them a better part of our personality. In addition, we've got a great quote and a discussion of one of the all time greats, Adolph Rupp!

Newly minted as the women's head coach at Texas State, Chris Kielsmeier comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of topics, including program building, learning from tough times (including an early Covid-19 diagnosis), entering a new conference, fundamentals, building chemistry and much more! We also throw in a little Harry Caray for old times sake as well, so enjoy the conversation!

If someone is going to pressure you, you can't just break that pressure; you must ATTACK IT! In today's podcast, we discuss various ways that you can attack pressure defenses and make them pay for being overtly aggressive with you, things you should be implementing in practice to attack pressure and late game thoughts. In addition, there will be an "Attacking. Pressure" drill list and press breakers video on the next edition of "The Opening Tip" newsletter on Substack, so be sure to check that out to supplement today's pod! In addtion, we've got a great quote from Coach Meyer and a discussion of one of our great modern coaches in Tom Izzo!

One of the golden rules of coaching is to not allow non-basketball things to trip up your career, and not taking care of your program's inventory is one of those things that you can control with simplicity. In today's episode, we talk about how to take care of your inventory, some important things that you should want and the importance of collecting inventory quickly. In addition, we have a great qoute, and we discuss one of the greatest (short) careers in coaching w/ Pete Newell.

As we wind down the summer and we give our players some time off from either AAU or our program (or both), we need to start planning ahead to when our players come back for individual workouts and how we're going to work with our players. In this pod, we discuss strategies for individual workouts, how to structure them and what you should be working on. We also have a great quote from workout guru Alan Stein and a re-examination of a legendary coach whose legacy is both confusing and also deceiving . . .

Especially when you are builing a program, you need to identify the teams that you NEED to beat, and this season will be true for every team. Who are the teams that you need to put in a little extra preparation and emphasis for tactically? What team is standing in the way of your team getting to where you want to go? Here are some thoughts on how to go about this process, including a great quote from Wayne Dyer and some reason why you should study Norm Sloan, one of the great forgotten coaches in our game!

Every program, in this day and age, has to do some modicum of fundraising to afford what was once considered extras that have now become mandatory expenses in a quality program. In today's pod, we discuss what to do and what not to do when it comes to the structure of your fundraiser, how to distribute those funds and what you, as a coach, should and should not be doing! In addition, we've got a great quote from Coach Meyer and a discussion on the "40 Minutes of Hell"!

Your "Improvement Season" progress needs to be measured and have an analytical component, so how do you do it? Not only do you need to have analytics, you also need to make sure that you're working on the right things, building culture and keeping things fresh for your program. In today's podcast, we talk about all of these things and more, including a great quote from James Clear ("Atomic Habits") and one of America's most underrated coaches (with a personal connection)!

Scott Gullion, the head boys basketball coach at Scottsbluff (NE) HS, comes on the podcast this week! Coach has a great story of coming back to his home region after his apprenticeship with Nebraska basketball and how he worked his way up the ranks, taking over the helm of the Bearcats 10 years ago. We discuss his influences, how he's grown as a coach, failures before success, reloading this season, scouting, program and player development and much more! This was a really fun conversation with an up and coming coach in Nebraska!

As Coach Meyer would say, it's not called "Zone Offense", it's called "Zone Attack"! In today's episode, we discuss various plans of attack that you should be implementing into your zone offesne, regardless of what you run. We also discuss one of my favorite drills that you can run to prepare for any zone defense in practice. In addition, we also break down a great quote by Robert Greene, and we discuss one of the greatest coaches that was at the same school for over four decades!

For most coaches, perhaps the most difficult relationship(s) that we navigate in our career is our relationship with our players parents. In this episide, we discuss ideas for a preseason parent social, the benefits of it, different ideas for running a social gathering and some outside the box suggestions for the coaching staff. In addition, we've got a great quote from James Clear, along with suggestions for studying one of our great modern coaches, Tara VanDerveer.

Rebounding is one of the two major ways in which you can create more opportunities on offense (the other is forcing turnovers), so today we're talking about one of the most important, yet one of the most primal skills of the game! We'll talk about different philosophies, along with the discussion of how to implement rebounding into practices. In addition, we've got drills for you to use, but you can't get those drills here . . . We've also got a great quote about rebounding and a coach to study!

One of the hardest things for any head coach to do, especially newer head coaches, is to delegate tasks and manage a staff. In today's podast, we discuss some tips on how to delegate authority on your staff, what you can do as an assistant coach to make your head coaches job easier and a discussion on a couple of mistakes that I made when I was not as "seasoned and experienced". We also have a great coach to study today that is one of the legends in the game and a great quote to help with today's topic!

In order to be successful at anything, let alone coaching basketball, you have to become organized! In this podcast, we talk about the importance of organization, how to get organized, what to prioritize and how to eliminate distractions. In addition, we have a great quote from Philip Dormer Stanhope and a coach study on a forgotten but absolutely terrific coach!

One of the most important things that you can do as a coach is to look back on your past experiences, both positive and negative, and adapt them to your upcoming team. In today's podcast, we're going to discuss some of the things that you should look back upon from last season and how you can apply it to your upcoming team. In addtion, we've got a GREAT quote and an underrated coach to learn about!

Hunter Price's first book, "Care to Compete", is a winner! In this episode, we discuss the origins of the book, its structure, the four different types of players that you usually have in your program, and how to build a culture in your program where everyone buys in and cares about what you're doing! This was alot of fun to break down this book with Coach Price, and I encourage you to go out and get a copy of it for yourself!Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

There wasn't alot of major planning on arranging topics with Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO, but one thing that was planned was that "Defensive Transition" was going to be the first X's and O's topic that we would cover, and that is the same for the "Win The Season" podcast! In this pod, we talk about strategies to build your defensive transition, why it's so important & how to implement it! In addition, we've got a great quote from Shane Parrish and a discussion on one of the best modern coaches of our time period!

Life is far too short to not enjoy what we do, so as you prepare for the upcoming season, are you still enjoying coaching your team and your program? Do you get excited to go to the gym? When inevitable obstacles get in the way of your program, do you have the necessary energy to fight for the good of the program? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself as you prepare for the upcoming season!In addition, we've got a great quote to think about, along with all the reasons why you should study "The Godfather of Modern Basketball Coaches" . . . enjoy the "Win The Season" Podcast!

The highly successful girls basketball out of Centralia, Kansas, Dusty Thompson joins the pod this week. Coach Thompson has built a highly successful small school program in Northeastern Kansas, and in this episode, he tells us about his program building philosophy, along with discussions on pressure defense, influences on his career, preparation, scouting and alot more! This was alot of fun to break down the game with Coach Thompson, so enjoy!

In our second consecutive Zoom roundtable, I whole-heartedly welcome back to the pod two of my dear Snow Valley Basketball School friends, Liz Kay and Nichole Dixon!! In addition to all of our inside jokes (including our newest "sponsor"), we discuss our favorite drills, advice that you would give to your younger self, what you're working on to make yourself better and important coaches that you've studied to make yourself better! Hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed recording it!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

The first of two June roundtable Zoom chats features Matt Thomas, the boys basketball coach at Highland (MO), Tom Stannard, the boys HC from Brownell-Talbot (NE) and Brandon Schwab, the girls HC at Algona Garrigan (IA). In this pod, we discuss building a culture, summer development philosophy, organizing a youth camp, favorite quotes and sayings and much more! We had a lot of fun recording this pod, and we hope that you enjoy listening!

Perhaps the greatest team ever to not win the championship at the end of their season, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors have numerous buzzwords and phrases that bring you right back to a decade ago; 24-0, 73-9, "The Death Lineup" and "The Splash Brothers" amongst others, It was Steph Curry as unanimous MVP and close to his apex as a player who broke one of the great records in team sports; the Chicago Bulls 72-10 record. Without a doubt, this was a great team, but how great were they? Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I had our opinions, but you tell us . . .

I'm really excited to have on Tim Strauser, the head girls basketball coach at Gothenburg (NE) High School for Episode #330! Coach Strauser's program is known for pressure defense and fast paced offense, and he gets into both topics on this podcast. We also touch on his day job as a funeral director and how that helps him with his coaching, influences on his career, community service and connecting with the community, taking the next step and much more! Hope you enjoy this fun conversation!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

Harvard Men's Basketball Associate HC Mike Sotsky comes on the podcast this week to discuss a bunch of different topics, including his experiences with Duke basketball, winning a national championship in 2015, what he's learned from Coach K and Tommy Amaker, growing as a coach, defensive transition, favorite drills, game day procedures and more! This conversation was a lot of fun with one of America's up and coming coaches who is destined to have a great career!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

This bonus pod features the 2016-17 South Carolina Gamecocks, Dawn Staley's first national championship team! Staley had been knocking on the door of greatness, but she finally gets over the hump with this team, led by future WNBA super-duper star A'ja Wilson and a slew of terrific role players. The first team other than UConn to win a national championship in half a decade, Staley's squad got the job done in Dallas. Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down this team; it was a championship team, but was it a great team? You tell us . . .Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

Ryan Stanley is the new WBB HC at Union Commonwealth (KY) University, and he jumps on the pod to discuss his unique basketball journey, going through the interview process, melding AAU experiences with his new job, networking, player development, special situations, statistical analysis and a lot more! Coach Stanley has already made inroads in kickstart the Union program, so enjoy our conversation!

It's the day after Memorial Day, and we are officially into summer, so I thought it would be a good time to do a short, one-off pod on some things that are changing and things that are coming from APAAN, including:*No more napkins! (But we're still sending stuff out there daily)*Send me stuff so we can send it out to other people!*"Win The Season" Podcast starting July 7th!*The importance of daily improvement and "Hoops 365"*Six goals that you should have for the summerHope you like it; enjoy!