Slappin' Glass Podcast

Slappin' Glass

Exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches from around the world.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    John Andrzejek on Scrambling vs. Anti-Scrambling Defensive Systems, Doubling the Post, and PNR Cutting Actions {Campbell}

    In this episode of Slappin’ Glass, we’re joined by John Andrzejek, Head Coach at Campbell and former defensive coordinator for Florida’s national championship team, for a deep dive into the real trade-offs that shape elite defensive systems. Coach Andrzejek walks us through how his defensive philosophy has evolved across stops at St. Mary’s, Columbia, Washington State, Florida, and now Campbell—highlighting the tension every staff must navigate between precision and pragmatism, technique and energy, and staying out of trouble versus thriving inside the scramble. We explore the decision-making behind scrambling vs. anti-scrambling defenses, how and why he blends principles from St. Mary’s, Houston, and Iowa State, and what it truly takes to guard the modern, spacing-driven game. The conversation gets deep into the weeds on no-middle principles, switching high and low, tagging schemes in middle pick-and-roll, and organizing rotations when things inevitably break down. Offensively, Coach Andrzejek shares how he teaches cutting around the pick-and-roll through a mix of rules and reads, why simplicity drives better decision-making, and how repetition of core situations builds true situational awareness. We also tackle post-doubling philosophies, personnel adjustments, practice design, and the balance between scouting detail and playing fast. As always, we close with a Start, Sub, or Sit that dives into cutting around the pick-and-roll and post-doubling strategies, plus Coach Andrzejek’s thoughts on the best investment he’s made in his coaching career. This is a clinic-level conversation on defensive problem-solving, offensive clarity, and building systems that hold up against elite talent. What You’ll Learn The strategic trade-offs between scrambling vs. anti-scrambling defensive systemsHow elite programs blend no-middle principles with modern spacing realitiesWhy playing really hard often matters more than perfect techniqueHow to organize rotations and tags when the ball gets to the middleSwitching high and low to keep the ball out of the paintTeaching cutting around the pick-and-roll using rules that unlock readsWhy offensive simplicity leads to better decision-makingDifferent philosophies for doubling the post and protecting the rimHow practice design, film, and repetition build defensive awarenessThe long-term value of film study and coaching mentorshipTo join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    1h 1m
  2. 05/12/2025

    Evan Miyakawa on Preventing the "Kill Shot", Useful vs. Interesting Analytics, and Deciphering Lineup Data

    This week on Slappin’ Glass, we’re joined by data scientist and creator of the rapidly growing college basketball analytics platform EvanMiya.com, Evan Miyakawa. Evan’s work has become a trusted resource for coaches at every level—particularly those looking to cut through the noise of early-season statistics and understand which metrics actually matter. In this conversation, Evan shares how coaches can separate interesting numbers from useful ones, why certain teams have unique statistical fingerprints that predict success, and how lineup data can be leveraged far more effectively than most programs currently use it. We also unpack defensive priority stats (threes, rim, free throws), halftime box score interpretation, and the origins of Evan’s “kill shot” metric—his way of measuring and predicting momentum swings across a season. Whether you’re analytics-comfortable or analytically curious, Evan offers a clear, practical roadmap for applying data without drowning in it.  What You’ll Learn 1. How to Separate Useful Analytics from Interesting Noise Evan explains why the highest-value decisions come from combining your coaching intuition with clean, adjusted data—not relying fully on either side. He details how to weigh early-season sample sizes, refine priors, and avoid overreacting to statistical outliers.   2. Identifying the 2–3 Metrics That Predict Your Team’s Success Teams often win and lose in repeatable ways. Evan breaks down how programs can identify their own “keys to victory,” giving coaches clarity on what to prioritize in practice, scouting, and game planning.   3. Making Better Lineup Decisions (and Avoiding the Small-Sample Trap) Learn why 30 possessions can reveal a spark worth exploring, why 100+ possessions create real confidence, and how lineup data—properly adjusted for opponent strength—helps avoid misleading results.   4. How to Read a Halftime Box Score with Meaningful Purpose Evan shows which stat pairings matter most and how to judge whether a discrepancy is signaling a real problem or simply reflecting tempo and game context.   5. Prioritizing Defensive Outcomes: Threes, Rim, Free Throws A clear breakdown of how these three areas interact, and why understanding your opponent’s tendencies can simplify what your defense should take away.   6. The “Kill Shot”: Understanding and Predicting Momentum Runs Evan’s 10–0 run metric reveals why preventing opponent runs is more predictive of elite performance than generating them—and why the duration of a run often tells the real story. 7. Coaching the Moments Around Runs From smart timeout usage to identifying schematic breakdowns, you’ll learn how to stop a slide early or create momentum without burning resources unnecessarily. To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    1h 12m
  3. 21/11/2025

    Dwaine Osborne on Elite Shot Selection, ATO Construction, and Grading the "Tagging Up" System {Youngstown State}

    Episode Summary In this episode, Slappin’ Glass sits down with Youngstown State Associate Head Coach Dwaine Osborne, one of the most consistently efficient offensive coaches in college basketball. Osborne — an eight-time Coach of the Year with a track record of leading the nation in effective field-goal percentage and offensive efficiency — opens the doors to his philosophy on building highly disciplined, analytically driven teams. Across a wide-ranging conversation, Coach Osborne unpacks how he teaches elite shot selection, builds paint efficiency, and uses clarity-based concepts to help players make decisive first-touch decisions. He details why “life is math,” how he leverages PPP values to communicate shot quality, and why playing off two feet may be the most under-taught skill in modern offense. The episode digs deeply into layup packages, Villanova footwork, decision-making progressions, and the balance between analytics and empowering confident, aggressive scorers. Coach Osborne also breaks down how he thinks about ATOs, why fewer plays lead to better execution, and how his program blends tagging-up rules, offensive rebounding, and transition defense into one integrated system. Throughout, he brings humility, candor, and clear teaching language — making this an episode loaded with transferable concepts for coaches at every level. What You’ll Learn How to Teach and Enforce Shot Selection Practical ways Osborne uses analytics (PPP numbers, film pauses, peer accountability) to build a team-wide understanding of shot value.Why Efficient Offense Starts With Player Strengths How defining each player’s “best value actions” leads to higher-percentage possessions and clearer roles.Developing First-Touch Decisions (FTDs) Methods to help players make decisive reads on the catch — not predetermined, but anticipated through clarity and structure.Building Paint Efficiency Why all layups are not created equal, how Osborne categorizes finishing packages, and how playing off two feet mirrors traditional post play.Using Concepts, Not Just Plays How his teams layer the same concepts (Denver, Flash, Laker, Wyoming, etc.) out of multiple alignments to stay unpredictable and comfortable in late-game moments.ATO Construction and Why Less Is More The philosophy behind keeping the ATO menu small, emphasizing execution, and choosing between attacking defensive tendencies or preventing them.The Tagging-Up System: Four Simple Rules A clear explanation of the “touch, top, no reckless crash, no advance” framework — and how it improves both offensive rebounding and transition defense.How to Balance Analytics With Player Confidence His approach to ensuring players feel empowered, not restricted, while still understanding efficiency and role clarity.Culture, Trust, and Prioritizing People Why recruiting for character and building meaningful relationships is foundational to executing an analytical system.This episode is a masterclass in clarity-driven coaching, teaching with precision, and building efficient offense without sacrificing player confidence or freedom. To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    1h 20m
  4. 07/11/2025

    Justin Bokmeyer on Structures for High Performance Environments, the Value of Pre-Mortems, and Systems Thinking {Brooklyn Nets}

    This week on Slappin’ Glass, we sit down with Justin Bokmeyer, Director of Basketball Operations for the Brooklyn Nets, to explore how great teams build sustainable, high-performance environments. With a background spanning West Point, MLS Next, and the NBA Academy, Justin shares powerful lessons on leadership, systems thinking, and developing people-first organizations that thrive under pressure. 🧠 What You’ll Learn People Over Hardware: Why elite performance starts with hiring, aligning, and empowering the right people.Systems Thinking: How to connect decisions across departments to reduce silos and improve trust.Onboarding and Role Clarity: The overlooked key to alignment and long-term success.Decision-Making Frameworks: How Justin uses pre-mortems, decision journaling, and pushing decisions to the lowest level to build accountability and clarity.Military Leadership Lessons: Applying principles like shared mission, healthy ego, and accountability from West Point to professional sports.🔁 Key Quote “High performance is a people-first business. Get the right people in the right roles, and everything else follows.” Tune in to learn how the Brooklyn Nets’ Justin Bokmeyer blends leadership, decision science, and culture-building to create environments where teams can grow, compete, and sustain excellence. To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    48 min
  5. 31/10/2025

    Ken Pomeroy and Jordan Sperber on Analytical Tradeoffs, Fouling Up 3?, and the Nuances of Shot Selection Metrics

    In this episode, Slappin’ Glass is joined by Ken Pomeroy and Jordan Sperber, creators of the course Basketball Analytics for Coaches. They dive into how data can sharpen decision-making, refine strategy, and help coaches think more clearly about how they play and teach the game. 🧠 What You’ll Learn: 1. Rethinking Pace Why pace isn’t just about speed — it’s about possession quality and efficiency. Learn how teams like UConn and Alabama succeed with drastically different tempos, and why coaches should focus on avoiding late-clock possessions instead of simply playing faster. 2. Offense, Defense, and What Really Wins Is “defense wins championships” still true? Ken and Jordan explain why elite offense has become slightly more predictive of winning in today’s spacing-heavy game and the connection between pace and defensive quality. 3. The Real Story Behind Shot Selection Discover why the best teams don’t always take the “best” shots — and how marginal gains, like trading a few long twos for threes or cutting out floaters, can create meaningful offensive improvement without overhauling your roster. 4. Using Analytics in Late-Game Decisions From quick two vs. three, to foul or defend up three, to playing stars in foul trouble — learn how data can help coaches define their philosophy ahead of emotional, high-pressure moments. 5. What Stats Actually Matter Ken and Jordan reveal which numbers predict success: two-point percentage and shot selection stability — not three-point streaks or halftime box scores. Coaches will learn what to track, what to ignore, and how to use numbers to reinforce team values. 🏀 Key Takeaway: Analytics isn’t about replacing instincts — it’s about creating a framework to think better. Whether it’s pace, shot selection, or in-game strategy, data helps you coach with clarity and confidence. To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    1h 3m
  6. 17/10/2025

    Matt Wise on Creativity, Defense as Science, and the “Blue Zone” {Samford}

    Samford women’s basketball head coach Matt Wise joins Slappin’ Glass to dig into creative problem-solving in coaching, why clarity must precede accountability, and how he recruits around an “IT Factor” of Intelligence + Toughness. Wise shares the frameworks he uses to build confident decision-makers—on the court and between the ears—from ball-screen pedagogy and vocabulary design to mental-state training (green/blue/red) that helps players arrive amped but focused. The conversation hits next-play tools (external communication > self-talk > breath work), defensive non-negotiables (positioning as “science,” offense as “jazz”), and a recruiting rubric that sorts prospects into spicy / medium / mild to focus resources. He also explains how to teach reads (anchoring screens, contact over, tags and lifts), why he’ll live with aggressive fouls but not undisciplined ones, and how cultural language (Ubuntu, Mudita) and a shared glossary create stickiness across the program.  Highlights / Takeaways Creativity = problem-solving: Be an “idea merchant”—steal widely, connect dots, and sharpen the axe before swinging. Recruiting filter: “IT Factor” (Intelligence + Toughness) plus role skills, then allocate effort via spicy / medium / mild tiers. Ball-screen pedagogy: Teach reads in layers—angles, contact point, guard “anchoring,” and coverage counters—before adding sides and randomness. Vocabulary → accountability: Shared definitions for basketball and culture (e.g., Ubuntu, Mudita); “clear is kind” guides feedback. Mental performance zones: Train athletes to compete in the blue zone—not flat (green) or flooded (red)—using tools like journaling, music, and breath work. Defense as science: Hard rules on positioning (weak-side “Hulk”), embrace aggressive fouls born from sound positioning; avoid bailout and late-recovery fouls. Next-play stack: Start with external communication, sub self-talk, sit breath work (in-game constraints).  Creativity with guardrails—Wise shows how clear language, layered teaching, and mental-zone training turn confidence into consistent decision-making. To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

    1h 8m

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Exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches from around the world.

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