Hoop Commitment

Episode 124: Last month I shared that I helped co-author a book called, There's More Than 1 Way to Skin A Cat.  We've got 2 NBA, 3 Division 1 and  5 European Basketball performance coaches contributing to chapters on mobility, stability, power, agility, periodization and recovery.  I received my copies of the book last month and they turned out awesome.  For anyone wanting to buy a copy, make sure you reach out to @silk_man on Instagram, and Luka will take care of you.   And so Today's episode is another sneak peak into our book, where I interview the 9 coaches and ask, “what's your thought process on reducing ankle sprains.”  And then you get to hear exactly how the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Kansas Jayhawks and Louisville Cardinals do it here in the states.  And you'll also get to hear how professional teams in Istanbul, Brescia, Jerusalem, Slovan and Maccabi do it in the European Leagues.  My goal for this episode is to prove that there really is more than one way to train & condition basketball players. Here's a list of contributors:  Luka Svilar has a PhD in Sport Science with a master's in Kinesiology and brings a wealth of experience from working with esteemed teams such as Bayern, Baskonia, Turk Telekom and Croatia's NTs. Ramsey Nijem is the Director of Performance for the University of Kansas Men's Basketball Program.  He holds a Doctorate of Science in Human and Sport Performance and a Master of Science in Kinesiology.  Before joining the Jayhawks, he spent 5 season s with the NBA's Sacramento Kings.  Jure Drakslar is the Head Strength & Conditioning coach and rehabilitation specialist at BC Zenit Saint Petersburg.  He has over two decades of experience in professional basketball and hold's a masters degree in sports science.   He's also a personal off-season strength & conditioning coach for many top-level basketball players, including my son's favorite NBA player, Luka Doncic, who he worked with for 3 off-seasons.  Matt Comer is currently working on his PhD in Health & Human Performance while holding a master's degree in biomechanics and a bachelors in athletic training.  He began his basketball  strength & conditioning career working in the G-League before getting promoted to the NBA.  Roberto Iezzi holds a master's degree in sport science and has almost 20 years of experience in basketball.  He's currently the head of performance at Brescia Basketball, responsible for the players performance and rehabilitation.  Kostas Chatzichristos is the Head of Performance at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul,  He holds a masters degree from the University of Texas at Austin and is a current PhD candidate at Democritus University.  Kostas also serves as the director of the Euroleague Strength & conditioning Coaches association.  Adam Petway is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Louisville basketball and leverages extensive NBA experience with the 76ers and wizards.  He holds an MBA in sport management and earned bachelors and PhD degrees in Sport Science.  Reggie Fanan is a graduate of the Zinman School of Coaches at Wingate and has served as Maccabi's Head Strength & Conditioning coach for over a decade.  He is a former Euroleague player, which gives him a unique perspective as a basketball performance coach. Claus Souza, He holds a master's degree in applied sciences, a bachelors degree in physical education, and is an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets.   He has over 15 years of strength & conditioning experience, working with the NCAA, WNBA and private sector.   Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter 

Episode 123: Today's episode is a sneak peak into our new book, There Is More Than One Way To Skin A Cat, where I interview nine basketball strength coaches and ask, “What's your approach to testing and what's the most common test you use?  And then you get to hear exactly how the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Kansas Jayhawks and Louisville Cardinals do it here in the states.  And you'll also get to hear how professional teams in Istanbul, Brescia, Jerusalem, Slovan and Maccabi do it in the European Leagues.  My goal for this episode is to prove that there really is more than one way to train & condition a basketball player.  Here's an overview of the nine basketball performance coaches I interviewed:Luka Svilar has a PhD in Sport Science with a master's degree in Kinesiology.  He brings a wealth of experience from working with esteemed teams such as Bayern, Baskonia, Turk Telekom, Unics and Croatia's NTs.  Ramsey Nijem is the Director of Performance for the University of Kansas Men's Basketball Program.  He holds a Doctorate of Science in Human and Sport Performance and a Master of Science in Kinesiology.  Before joining the Jayhawks, he spent 5 seasons with the NBA's Sacramento Kings.  Jure Drakslar is the Head S&C Coach and Rehabilitation Specialist at BC Zenit Saint Petersburg and has over two decades of experience in professional basketball.  He hold's a masters degree in sports science and has got to train my son's favorite NBA player, Luka Doncic, for 3 off-seasons.  Matt Comer is currently working on his PhD in Health & Human Performance while holding a master's degree in biomechanics and a bachelors in athletic training.  He began his basketball  strength & conditioning career working in the G-League before getting promoted to the NBA.  Roberto Iezzi holds a master's degree in sport science and has almost 20 years of experience in basketball.  He's currently the head of performance at Brescia Basketball, responsible for the players performance and rehabilitation. Kostas Chatzichristos is the Head of Performance at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.  He holds a masters degree from the University of Texas at Austin and is a current PhD candidate at Democritus University of Thrace.  Kostas also serves as the director of the Euroleague Strength & conditioning Coaches association.   Adam Petway is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Louisville basketball and leverages extensive NBA experience with the 76ers and wizards.  He holds an MBA in sport management and earned bachelors and PhD degrees in Sport Science.  He's also author to the latest book I'm reading right now titled, Basketball Mechanics.  Reggie Fanan is a graduate of the Zinman School of Coaches at Wingate and has served as Maccabi's Head Strength & Conditioning coach for over a decade.  Reggie is a former Euroleague player, which gives him a unique perspective as a basketball performance coach.  Claus Souza holds a master's degree in applied sciences, a bachelors degree in physical education, and  is an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets.   He has over 15 years of strength & conditioning experience, working with the NCAA, WNBA and private sector.  Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 122:  Learn everything you need to know about basketball pre-game meals from one of the best in the business.  Jessica Isaacs, RD, CSSD is a Los Angeles-based Sports Dietitian with an eclectic career working with elite-level athletes, creating engaging social media content, and is a highly sought-after speaker and mentor.She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Purdue University and is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. In her career working as a Sports Dietitian, she has supported thousands of athletes from youth to professional level, serving as the Sports Dietitian at Kobe Bryant's MAMBA Sports Academy, the Basketball Performance Dietitian at UCLA, and spent two seasons as the Lead Sports Dietitian for the LA Clippers.To learn more about Jessica, check her out on social media @jessicathesportsrdInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 121: Dr Andy Galpin has his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Linfield college, a masters degree in human movement science from the university of Memphis and his PhD in human bioenergetics.  He considers himself a scientist, teacher and coach, with his full-time job being a professor at Cal State Fullerton..  As a scientist, he's the co-Director of the Center for Sports Performance where he conducts research on anything that is relevant to human performance.  He's also the founder and director of the Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presentations.  As a teacher, he's written countless articles, created an awesome YouTube page and teaches grad classes in strength & conditioning, program design, muscle physiology and nutrition at Cal State Fullerton.  And as a coach, he's worked with professional athletes for over 15 years that include NBA All-stars and Hall of Famers in multiple sports.  So with a resume like this, I thought Dr Galpin would be the perfect person to share the big picture principles of designing a year long training program while also providing actionable specifics that we can apply starting next week Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 120: Tyler Whitmer oversees the Olympic Sports Performance department at Boise State, works with their men's basketball program, and started an athlete mentorship group for their athletic department.  Prior to joining the Broncos, He earned his masters of science in Education with a concentration in Exercise Physiology from the University of Kansas and coached at Treasure Valley & Oral Roberts.  Boise State was in town last month and I was lucky enough to reconnect with Tyler.  We hung out for almost an hour and the funny thing is, we talked about almost everything BUT strength & conditioning.  When I asked him what he was passionate about, he started telling about a mentorship group that he helped create for male athletes.  As he was explaining his mentorship program, Get Reps, I knew the Hoop Commitment community needed to hear about it.  For anyone who has lost faith in high level athletics, it will warm your heart to know there are programs investing in areas that really matter. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 119: Ben Greenfield is a New York Times best-selling author, health & fitness biohacker, and fellow podcaster who is extreme about practicing what he preaches.  I don't know anyone who pursues mental, physical and spiritual health more passionately than Ben.  His book, Boundless, is a health encyclopedia that combines timeless wisdom with up-to-date science and then he wraps it with a nice bow by giving simple, actionable solutions for the reader to implement.  Today I chose two chapters in his book to focus on that don't require any complicated technology or expensive supplementation to improve on.  Everyone listening to this podcast sleeps and breathes every day, and with Ben's help, we can optimize the way we do it. Check out Ben on social media @BenGreenfieldFitness and his website www.bengreenfieldlife.comInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 118:  Lifestyle Performance with Portlands Bryant Ferate.  Bryant is the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at the University of Portland and works with their women's basketball program.  We've had some awesome battles over the last few years, going back & forth during the regular season and WCC tournament championships.  And so this podcast was a great excuse to reach out to him and build our friendship. Bryant's mission is to cultivate curiosity through performance coaching, writing and podcasting.  Before joining the Portland Pilot's staff, he had experience at Washington state, Kentucky, Iowa, UT Arlington and the Minnesota Twins.  Outside of coaching, Bryant writes a weekly newsletter, the Ferate 5, where he explores and shares something he's curious about in less than 5 minutes.  He also has a podcast that focuses on health, sport and lifestyle performance… which is what we're going to dive into today. I hadn't heard the term lifestyle performance, but it makes total sense that our lifestyle habits drive our performance.  And so today, I got to pick Bryant's brain on how he helps athletes improve the way they eat, sleep, study and have fun.  Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 117: There is huge value in doing hard things.  A challenging task can make normal, everyday life seem easier.  If you paddle boarded for 8 hours straight in the ocean, it makes going to the gym for a 30-minute run seem like a walk in the park.  It also raises your pain threshold and gives you confidence that you can try new things.  So many of us focus on how we can do less and less, how we can make our life more convenient, to a point that when difficult times arise, we're unsure if we can make it through.  While I see tremendous value in doing hard things, my current passion is finding out how people continue to do the easy thing, every day.  It's not that I'm against doing the hard thing, it's just that I believe most people, including me, would benefit way more from consistently doing the easy thing, day in and day out.  Instead of spending a massive amount of energy on doing a 5k underwater with a 70-pound boulder, it would be more beneficial for our conditioning and health to commit to 5 minutes of cardio work every day.  Instead of planning and spending a massive amount of money on a 1 time extravagant get-away with our spouse, most of our relationships would benefit way more from committing to giving our partner a compliment and asking them a good question every day.  Check out this episode if you want to learn the power of small, easy, daily commitments. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 116: Today's guest needs no introduction.  Anyone listening to the Hoop commitment podcast knows who Jay Bilas is.  And I feel so lucky that I was able to pick his brain on what it means to be tough.  If you're like me, you read his legendary ESPN article and immediately shared it with your players and coaches.  It was the first time that someone defined toughness in a way that inspired me.  Toughness isn't about pounding your chest after a routine play or getting in an opponent's face.  It isn't about being physically intimidating.  Jay defined toughness as setting good screens, running to a teammate when they need help up and talking on defense. I loved the article so much that I bought his book, and in preparation for this interview, I just read it again.  It is full of amazing stories from when he played at Duke, when got drafted in the NBA, when coached alongside Coach K, and when got his law degree.  There's very few people that are more qualified to write a book on toughness than Jay Bilas.  He lives it every day with the amount of preparation he does as an ESPN announcer and the humility he shows as he lifts up those around him.  If you want to learn what it means to be tough on & off the court, you'll love this interview. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 115: And now to part 3 of the Dr. Dave Tiberio Trilogy! I've been excited for this interview because I'm learning how important training fascia is, but I'm not sure I've been optimizing it with my players.  As always, DT does an amazing job of taking the complicated and making it understandable.  Click here if you want to watch the 22-part Fascia Series on Youtube  Keep listening if you want to learn what fascia is, why it is important, and how to optimize it during your training. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 114: This is part 2 with Dr. David Tiberio and he spends the entire episode talking about proprioceptors… what they are, where they're located, how they communicate with the body, and how we can tweak exercises to improve  performance on the court.  You're going to love learning the science behind activating specific proprioceptors by training in different ranges, at different speeds, and in different environments.  Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 113: Dr. David Tiberio is the dean of the Gray Institute's 40-week mentorship program, which is known for training, treating and conditioning athletes in all 3 planes of motion.  Dr. Tiberio has published numerous articles in scholarly journals and is professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut.  In 2007, Dr. Tiberio  received the Kendall Award from the American Physical Therapy Association for "outstanding and enduring contributions to the practice of physical therapy."  Dr. Tiberio was kind enough to come on the podcast to answer the seemingly simple question, how do you activate muscles?  As a strength coach, I've always been confused on how to effectively cue athletes without telling them to, "squeeze their glutes" or, "focus on their core."  And what started as a simple question not only turned into an hour long episode, but Dr. Tiberio was nice enough to come on the show again to record parts 2 and 3 and talk about proprioception and fascia.   If you're a trainer or coach that wants to effectively train athletes to perform better on the court, Dr. Tiberio is going to give you a combination of timeless wisdom and the latest in scientific findings on how to activate muscles. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 112: Now I'll admit that I'm a little biased, but I don't remember ever seeing a college basketball player with better footwork than Drew Timme.  He is unguardable in a 1-on-1 scenario because of his creativity and endless moves.  Last year Drew was named the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and this year became Gonzaga's All-Time Leading Scorer. Every ESPN announcer that has ever covered the Zags is in awe of his footwork and feel for the game.  And so I decided to dedicate this entire episode to finding out how he does it.  I asked Timme about the set-up work he does before even receiving the entry pass, how he uses his eyes and hips to feel the defense, how he decides what move to use and what drills he did to become such a great finisher.  If you want to learn more about Drew, follow him online at @drew_timme2Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 111: This interview is about finding better ways of having your practice time transfer to game success.  As a strength coach, I'm always thinking about how the exercises we do in the weight room impact my player's ability to move and handle contact on the court.  Just because someone can add more weight onto a barbell, doesn't mean  they've become a better basketball player.  And what today's guest shares is that just because your ball handling or shooting has improved in a drill, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to do it during a game.    Tyler Leclerc is a gym owner and player development coach located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Tyler uses the constraints-led approach and small-sided games to get results that transfer for players of all ages. Today I got to pick his brain on why a games-based approach to training produces superior results and is more fun than doing traditional 1-on-0 drills.  If you're looking for new training ideas that are based in motor learning science, you'll love what Tyler has to share.  You can find Tyler on social media @tjltrainingInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 110: Now this month's podcast is a little unusual, since my guest is the host of another basketball performance podcast, and in this episode, he actually interviewed me.  We hit it off and so I wanted to share our episode and encourage you to check him out online.  Justin Ochoa is the owner of PACE Fitness Academy located in Indianapolis, working with basketball players from youth to pros in the weight room and on the court. We connected through his Gem sessions podcast, which bridges the gap between trainers, coaches, athletes and families in the basketball community.  Today he was kind enough to interview me about the 3 levels on basketball nutrition, 3 levels of basketball training, and the 3 levels of basketball leadership. For anyone who enjoys a systems approach to training, I think you'll enjoy the conversation!You can find Justin on social media at @justinochoa317Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 109: Tyler Lesher the Head Athletic Trainer for UCLA men's basketball program.  He's a certified orthopedic physician extender and certified strength & conditioning specialist.  Before joining UCLA's staff, he worked in the NBA and G League.  Tyler earned his doctorate in Health Science and exercise leadership, focusing on reducing systemic inflammation through nutrition & exercise.  With his extensive basketball & medical experience at the college and pro level, I thought he would be the perfect person to chat with about reducing knee pain & inflammation.   

Episode 108:   Cliff Spiller is the Director of Strength & Conditioning for Men's Basketball at the University of Oregon.  Prior to joining the Duck's staff, he was an assistant with the NBA's Utah Jazz.  We became friends through the Gray Institute's 40-week Fellowship in Applied Functional Science, so I couldn't think of anyone better to talk about functional training for hoops.  In this episode, Cliff shares how he designs programs in the spectrum between traditional and functional, the importance of variability, and how he's preparing his college players for the next level.  Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 107: TJ Conley is the Head of Sports Performance for EWU Men's & Women's Basketball.  He's a former NFL player turned strength & conditioning coach who joined me on the podcast to talk about the importance of speed in basketball.I've had the pleasure of working alongside TJ Conley for years at U-District PT and Gonzaga, and I don't know if I've seen a coach pay more attention to detail.  He is meticulous with his coaching cues and creates a motivating, high energy environment for his players to learn and train in.   With his extensive football background, I wanted to pick TJ's brain on how he incorporates speed training with his basketball players.  And so in this episode, we chat about why basketball players need speed, the best exercises and drills to use and how to avoid common mistakes that coaches make in the weight room.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 106: The Hooptown Youth League will launch in Spokane, WA in the fall of 2022.  Our schools, private businesses, coaches and basketball experts have all come together to create the best youth basketball league on planet Earth.  If you want to learn more, go to hooptownusa.com.  Our website will be updated with information by mid-July.If you want to help or have suggestions to improve the league, please email me at mike@hoopcommitment.comInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 105: Brandon Davis is a mental performance consultant at U-District PT and holds a masters degree in Sport & Performance Psychology.  In addition to his formal education, he also has real life experience playing collegiate and professional basketball.Brandon joined me on the show today to talk about pre-game routines.  He shares how to use tools like visualization, meditation and neutral thinking to be your best on the court. You can learn more about Brandon on Instagram @bdsportpsychInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 104:  Author & keynote speaker, Alan Stein, joined me on the podcast to share ways to manage stress, beat stagnation and avoid burnout.  Alan started his career as a basketball performance coach, working with NBA greats like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Kobie Bryant.  He now works in the corporate world, taking the lessons he learned in sports and applying them to business.If you want to sustain your game, you'll love this episode!

Episode 103: Luka Svilar is an author, lecturer and the Head of Physical Performance at FC Bayern Basketball in Germany.  He has a masters degree in kinesiology and in 2018, he successfully defended his PhD project called, Load Monitoring and Management in Elite Basketball.  Luka was kind enough to share his basketball textbook with me, The Essentials of Physical Performance in Elite Basketball, and I was blown away with how complete of a training guide it is.  The book covers testing, training, periodization, recovery and more , but today I picked his brain on creating a basketball-specific movement preparation routine.  

Episode 102:  Brian St. Pierre is the director of nutrition at Precision Nutrition, the coauthor of PN's Level 1 Certification textbook, and the mastermind behind the Precision Nutrition Calculator. He holds a master's degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Maine.He's also a Registered Dietitian (RD), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN). During his time at Precision Nutrition, Brian has provided nutrition coaching and performance meal planning to professional and Olympic athletes and also served as a nutrition consultant for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and Brooklyn Nets.Today I got to pick his brain on Precision Nutrition's latest certification on Sleep, Stress Management & recovery coaching that I'm in the process of completing.  And Brian was kind enough to give our athletes some ideas on how to keep their bodies feeling right.  

Episode 101: Will Lo is a basketball strength & conditioning coach, business owner and basketball podcaster in Hong Kong.  He joined me on the podcast to talk about building better basketball players through the 4 Pillars of Performance. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 100: Gonzaga Men's Basketball Head Coach, Mark Few, shares his definition of success on and off the court.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 099: Carl Bergstrom is the Director of Performance for the Golden State Warriors.  Today he shared essential physical qualities for basketball players and how he trains them in the weight room. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 098: Hooptown USA's Hoopcast.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 097: Amy Yeoman is a registered dietician and came on the show to discuss intermittent fasting for basketball athletes.  

Episode 096: Gonzaga Men's Basketball new Assistant Coach, Stephen Gentry

Episode 095: Cem Eren is an entrepreneur and gym owner who also trains Damian Lillard in boxing during the off-season.  

Episode 094:  Gonzaga has had some unbelievable point guards over the last few decades, with John Stockton being the most notable player.  But John isn't the all-time leader in assists at GU… It's actually Josh Perkins.  In the history of Gonzaga Basketball, no one has assisted their teammates more than Josh.  And so today, I wanted to pick his brain on the mindset of a pass-first player, and learn the drills and tricks he's added to his toolbox over his playing career.  I asked about how he uses his eyes to talk to teammates and how he balances taking chances, with taking care of the ball.  And my favorite thing about Josh is that he's not only great at assisting people on the court, he also serves his friends, family and community off the court. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 093

Episode 92: Memphis Grizzlies's strength & conditioning coach shares how he uses basketball plyometrics to improve the explosiveness of his athletes.  

Episode 091:  Former Gonzaga star, Eric Mclellan, joined me on the podcast to give us insights into the mindset of a professional basketball player. 

Episode 090: Now today's interview was bitter sweet because although Rem Bakamus is a Zag at heart, he was part of the Baylor Men's basketball team that beat us in the National Championship game.  Rem played for the Zags and was part of our 2017 Final Four team that played North Carolina in the National Championship game.  I thought it would be fun to learn the common success traits that both teams shared, and hear some of the differences in their strength & conditioning program and practice design.  And I'm so happy for Rem because he just joined Tommy Lloyd's staff at the University of Arizona!Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 089: Rick Betts is the founder of Hoopfest, the world's largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament.  Today we explores what it takes to create a successful basketball tournament and why sports are so important for our youth. Hoopfest was started in 1989 and had 512 teams participate. Now, around 7,000 teams signup to play in the famous tournament held on the streets of downtown Spokane. Hoopfest gives people of all ages and skill level an opportunity to have fun and compete.In this episode I asked Rick:The origins of HoopfestHow to make a successful tournamentThe importance of youth sportsWhat it takes to succeed in HoopfestIf you liked this episode check out How to be resilient Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 88: Basketball Off Season Training with South Carolina's Molly Binetti

Episode 087: Gonzaga Women's Basketball coach, Craig Fortier, shares his personal story and how to be resilient.  From being cut from his high school team, to failing at his Guinness Book Of Wold Records attempt, Craig always found a way to dust himself off and get back up.In today's interview, Craig shared:That you can't know what "enough" is until you've done too muchHow he became an all-league player without being a starterWhy being resilient is one of the most important skillsWhat he wants to pass on to his playersIf you want to learn more about being resilient and prepared for setbacks, check out: Making It Through The Dip. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 086: Pat McCloskey is the Director of Training Development at 1 to 1 Fitness in Washington D.C. and helped create the Gray Institute's Certification in Applied Functional Science.  Applied Functional Science was created by converging the principles of the physical, biological and behavioral sciences.  I became a Fellow of Applied Functional Science in 2009 and it has been the impactful part of my education.Today I got to sit down with Pat and find out:What are the big rocks to consider when designing training programs?When should coaches apply the principle of 3D?How can trainers create optimal training environments for basketball players?What are the biggest myths of training? If you want to learn more about Applied Functional Science, check out Basketball Movement w/ Doug Gray.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 085: Collin Henderson is an author, speaker, podcast host and mental skills trainer and he joined me on the podcast to talk about mental toughness.As you might know, I take my teams through an 18-week leadership program every year. They’re going to be with their teammates almost every day in all sorts of environments, so giving them leadership skills to practice during the season allows so many opportunities to practice them.  But years ago, when I first started coaching my son’s AAU team, I asked coach Mark Few some advice on being a good coach.  His response was, "If you want to be a good coach, get good players."  A team of great players working together will always beat a team of average players. And so that’s why I’ve been implementing mindset training with my kids during the off-season.  When they’re alone in the gym, working on their physical skills, it’s the perfect time to improve their mental skills.  And so when season rolls around and they’re back with their squad, they’ll bring to the team a better version of themself. If you want to learn more about mindset for basketball, check out my interview with Dr. Kamphoff, Finding Flow On The Basketball Court.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 084: Boise State Men's Basketball Coach, R-Jay Barsh, joined me on the podcast to share the basketball recruiting process.  Starting in 7th grade, boys become recruitable athletes and are able to communicate with Division 1 programs.How is it possible to tell how good a 13-year old will be in college?  Do kids really need to travel to exposure camps and tournaments?  Can student athletes get discovered just by playing for their high school?  Instead of just wondering, I reached out to my long time friend, Coach Barsh.Prior to arriving in Boise, R-Jay spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach at Southeastern University, leading them to three National Tournament appearances. In his second season, SEU reached the NAIA Fab Four, ultimately earning R-Jay a nod as a finalist for the Don Meyer National Coach of the Year Award.But my favorite thing about R-Jay is his heart for developing and mentoring players.  You’ll hear in the interview how much thought goes into leading his players on and off the court.  Learning how they run their program will restore your faith in the importance of athletics.Here are some of the questions I ask R-Jay:When does the basketball recruiting begin?At what age is it appropriate to go to an exposure tournament?What qualities do you look for when recruiting?Does a bad attitude prohibit you from giving a player a scholarship?If you want to learn more about basketball recruiting, check out How To Get Recruited To Play College Basketball w/ Brant MinorInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 083: Sports Illustrated Senior Sports Writer, Greg Bishop, joins me on the show to talk about success in basketball.Greg's feature subjects have ranged from Ricky Williams to Adrian Peterson to Aaron Rodgers. He spent time as the Jets beat writer for the New York Times and the Seahawks beat writer for the Seattle Times.I became friends with Greg while he was researching for his cover stories on Gonzaga Basketball.  I found him to be a thoughtful and kind person and we immediately hit it off.  Since Greg has interviewed some of the top performers in the world, I wanted to pick his brain on common threads of successful athletes.  Here are some of the questions I asked:How do you find the story in the story?What's unique about Gonzaga basketball?What are the common threads of successful athletes?How can players prepare for success and fame?What is the most impactful story you've covered?If you want to learn more about success in basketball, check out the article Personal Growth w/ Brett LedbetterInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 085: Today I lined out a sample day of eating for basketball players.  There's so much confusion about the best way to fuel your body on the court, and so I simplified things by sharing sample breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options to optimize performance.Click here to get your FREE Copy of the Basketball Nutrition GameInstagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 081: Even if you're don't end up being a coach or going pro, you can still enjoy basketball for a lifetime.  In today's interview, Jess Walter shares how his love of hoops has helped him as a writer.Jess Walter is the author of nine books, most recently the national bestseller The Cold Millions and #1 New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Ruins.  His book, The Zero, was a finalist for the National Book Award; and Citizen Vince, was the winner of the Edgar Award. His work has been published in 32 languages and his short fiction has appeared three times in Best American Short Stories.And I think you’ll love this interview because Jess shares how the same principles that helped him create a successful writing career, things like preparation, routine and hard work, are the same valuable traits he still uses to this day on the basketball court.In addition to exploring what it looks like to play basketball for a lifetime, I asked Jess these questions:How did playing basketball help your writing career?How has writing helped you on the court?What is your writing process like?Do you believe in early specialization?Why are you still playing hoops after all these years?If you want to learn more ways to play basketball for a lifetime, check out my interview with John Stockton, where he shares his Sunday basketball routine.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 080: Bill Robinson is the president emeritus of Whitworth University and has written multiple books on leadership. We became friends when he was doing consulting with the Hoopfest Board and he was invaluable in helping me at my first ever stint as board chair.  Bill was kind enough to join me today to talk about leading from the middle on and off the court.  If you want to be more impactful as a player, coach or parent, you’ll love his message. Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 079: Jeremy Jones was a member of Gonzaga's 2017 Final Four team and is now a professional basketball player.  He joined me on the podcast to talk about eating clean and taking care of your body.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 078: Physical therapist, Brian Cronin, shares how basketball players can reduce injuries with prehab training.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 077: Brett Ledbetter, Lisa Fortier and Travis Knight join me to talk about personal growth for basketball.Instagram  @HoopCommitmentTwitter  @HoopCommitmentFacebook  HoopCommitmentWebsite  HoopCommitment.com

Episode 076: Do you want to know learn more about NBA basketball conditioning and getting your players in optimal shape on the court? Conditioning is a lot more than just running until you're tired. There's an art and science to getting players ready for a long season and keeping them in shape through playoffs. Willie Cruz is the Director of Performance for the Houston Rockets and joined me on the podcast to share how he gets and keeps his players in peak shape. Prior to joining the Rockets, Willie spent two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder as an Athletic Performance Coach and two years at Fordham University as their Director of strength and conditioning for mens basketball. He is certified as a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.Willie has a M.S. in Exercise Science from Edith Cowan University, M.S in Media Management from Fordham University, and completed his bachelor’s degree at Eastern Kentucky University majoring in Sports Management.He also earned a full-ride scholarship to play Division 1 basketball at Eastern Kentucky University. In addition to being a great basketball strength coach, he's also a baller. In his free time, Willie is committed to serving his community, empowering the next generation, and impacting lives through performance coaching. We sat down and discussed NBA basketball conditioning and how to best get players in shape for a long season. Here are some of the questions I asked:Do your players get most of their conditioning through playing basketball?How much running do you do during season?Are bench players performing extra conditioning work after games?What do you do for mental conditioning?How do you handle players that aren't motivated?If you want to learn more about basketball conditioning, listen to Episode 008: Basketball Conditioning w/ Joel JamiesonInstagram @HoopCommitmentTwitter @HoopCommitmentFacebook HoopCommitmentWebsite HoopCommitment.com

Episode 075: Dan Dickau joined me on the podcast to talk about coaching youth basketball. When I speak at summer camps, I always use Dan as an example of someone who held his dreams close to his heart and put in work.Holding your dreams tight and putting in work are two qualities I want to teach my kids. I tell them to hold your dreams tight because there will always be people telling you that you’re not tall enough, not talented enough or not good enough. If you’re not holding yourr dream tight, you might actually start believing them.But dreaming isn’t enough, you also have to put in work. And that’s what Dan did such an incredible job of. He was always the first to the gym and the last to leave.If you don’t know much about Dan, he was a First Team All-American at Gonzaga University and played six years in the NBA. After he finished his playing career, the Portland Trailblazers hired him as a player development assistant. Dan is currently an on-air broadcaster and the host of multiple basketball podcasts.Since we’re both parents to kids who love hoops, I wanted to see how he’s handling the balance between helping his kids with sports vs. just being a fan. In this interview I asked how his parents helped him on the court, his take on coaching youth basketball and what he’s specifically doing to help his kids become their best.Here are some of the questions I asked Dan:How important is winning in youth basketball?Where do you find balance between being a dad and a coach to your kids?Do you focus on skill training or running plays in practice?What's realistic to expect of your kid's when it comes to practicing on their own?How do you handle sport-specialization in your house?If you want to learn more about coaching youth basketball, check out Episode 007: Basketball Player, Coach, Parent w/ Matt SantangeloInstagram @HoopCommitmentTwitter @HoopCommitmentFacebook HoopCommitmentWebsite HoopCommitment.com

Episode 074: I'm almost back! Thanks to everyone who called, texted, DM'd me on social media, and kept me in their prayers. This is just a short episode to give you heart updates and let you know I've got 4 great episodes lined up at the end of the month. I'll see you in a couple weeks!Mike