As the football season winds down, the coaching carousel predictably began to spin. Coordinators are elevated, former head coaches re-enter the assistant ranks, and résumés are reframed around specialized roles. In a matter of months, basketball coaches will find themselves entering a similar hiring cycle—but with a key difference. Unlike football staffs, basketball benches rarely offer clearly defined titles such as coordinator or position coach, making the path to head coaching a little less linear.
Because of this structure, basketball assistants are often tasked with articulating their value through broad team success rather than clearly labeled responsibilities. While larger staffs can afford more defined roles, programs operating with limited resources tend to adopt a more utilitarian approach. Coaches become Swiss-Army knives—expected to scout, develop all positional players, break down film, and contribute on both sides of the ball—often simultaneously.
That reality raises an important question for aspiring head coaches: what, exactly, is your expertise? Are you defined by defensive acumen? Offensive structure? Player development? Program management? There’s no correct answer—but there is an expectation that you can clearly identify and articulate the area where you add the most value.
Before I accepted my first head coaching position, I would have described myself as an offensive-minded coach. In hindsight, however, much of my energy during those five years was poured into the defensive end of the floor. Not because offense mattered less, but because defense ultimately gave our program the most consistent chance to compete year after year.
Before being handed the keys to a basketball program today, could you answer the following?
OFFENSIVE STYLE OF PLAY
The 2 core principles that would pillar my offensive system is pace and Princeton. My coaching background has afforded me an opportunity to learn from multiple programs using Princeton concepts and what I’ve found that appeals to me most is the flexibility of integrating actions that can seamlessly connect style of play with personnel. If in full control of the roster at the collegiate level I’m looking to identify athletes that can put a ton of pressure on the defense from break to rim. The pace isn’t necessarily a demand to play fast rather than with clarity and connectivity. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
DEFENSIVE STYLE OF PLAY
Never been a defense wins guy, but certainly know that it can lose you a ton of games. Any effective defensive strategy blends discipline, disruption, and giving a damn. Similar to the offensive style of play discipline often reflects clarity of expectations using an understood language to consistently communicate how to stay connected. Ideal circumstances allows us to incorporate full-court elements merely for clock management purposes: less time to operate is less room for error on our end, or more impatience of an opponent. Disruption comes from prioritizing ball-pressure and a hopeful stubborn disposition of a group finding satisfaction in getting stops. My off-ball principles are not as set in stone. There are parts of me that have entertained more aggressive efforts to get in passing lanes or sprinkle trapping opportunities from if/then scenarios. On the flip side I’ve been part of really good defensive teams that are built on the stay solid limit the scramble. Only thing that matters is if giving a damn on defense is high-priority because again, let’s run!
FOCAL POINT OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
This is a collaborative player investment plan. It’s my opinion that development compounds when the individual takes ownership of their trajectory. That being said, as a coach it’s our responsibility to communicate with the players how we as a staff perceive their strengths and where players could potentially find the most success if concentrating on particular areas to improve. Therefore, all practices, individual workouts, and off-season plans cater to each individual enhancing their own unique skillset within the scope of our program’s style of play.
TALENT RECRUITMENT OR CULTIVATATION
I will continue to stand on Brad Steven’s reference to competitive character as the number one ingredient for any prospective student-athlete considered for my program. That definition would include:
- Showcasing A Winning Skillset
- An Unbothered Demeanor
- Goal-Oriented
Not every kid that will end up in my program will fit the prototype. But if the roster is comprised of talented players with a combination of maturity and motivation to win as a team – good things will likely play out. Once players are part of the program it is our responsibility as a staff to shape skill development, team chemistry, and individual growth plans. These are all people that have put stock into our program and institutional values to help them learn how to be better versions of themselves year over year.
OVERALL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
I look at program management in a similar capacity to operating a small-business, and each team is my passion project for the year. There will be constant standards that are fundamental for success year over year starting with an emphasis on authenticity which fosters trust necessary to build strong relationships. Second to none is accountability, communicating the importance of being aware of our actions or inaction. Next is a willingness to compete. I’ve always appreciated the line that as soon as you join our program the expectation is that you want to be coached under the presumption this is what you want to do – compete.
Our objective year over year is to figure out how to put ourselves in the best possible positions to succeed. Businesses all have their intentions , but none can be impactful without sustaining solvency. So how do we ensure that our program turns a profit, thus giving all stakeholders a return on their investment?
Prioritize people. When relationships, standards, and shared purpose are strong, the culture sustains the system—and the system gives us a chance to compete year after year.
Coach's Climb 