Slappin' Glass Podcast

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

  1. 5 hr ago

    Pat Juckem on Designing Practices That Transfer, Scoring Winning Habits, and Taking Emotion Out of Shot Selection | WashU

    WashU Head Coach Pat Juckem joins the Slappin’ Glass Podcast to discuss practice design, competitive scoring, team engagement, and transition defense. Juckem breaks down how WashU structures practice through teaching, learning, and competitive segments, why the opening minutes should reveal a team’s identity, and how productive practices often require mistakes, uncertainty, and player-led problem solving. He also explains how scoring systems can reinforce offensive rebounding, defensive activity, and other winning habits, along with how his staff divides responsibilities during live play to keep coaching focused. In Start, Sub, or Sit, Juckem reflects on the difficult season that reshaped his approach to recruiting and program building, how WashU keeps every player engaged, and why shot selection is the first layer of transition defense. The episode closes with WashU’s gold, silver, and bronze shot-quality system, role-based offensive rebounding assignments, and the value of adding experienced veteran coaches to a staff. What You’ll Learn How to structure practice through teaching, learning, and competitive segments.Why the first 10–15 minutes should reveal your team’s identity.How scoring systems can reinforce rebounding, defensive activity, and other winning habits.Why correcting every mistake can limit player ownership and problem-solving.How to give each assistant coach a clear responsibility during live play.How to connect focused film sessions directly to the next practice.Ways to keep players engaged beyond minutes, shots, and starting roles.Why shot selection and finishing decisions are the first layer of transition defense.How WashU uses role-based offensive rebounding and a gold, silver, and bronze shot-quality system.What a 4–21 season taught Juckem about character, recruiting, and program building.To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  2. 31 Jul

    T.J. Otzelberger on Defensive Trade-Offs, In-Game Information, and Competitive Endurance | Iowa State

    Iowa State Head Coach TJ Otzelberger joins the Slappin’ Glass Podcast to discuss building one of college basketball’s most disruptive defensive identities. Coach Otzelberger explains why Iowa State prioritizes mentality over scheme, beginning with its commitment to creating a “collision” on the first dribble, pressuring the ball inside the scoring area, and forcing opponents to play under duress. He details the Cyclones’ “goalie” and “spy” responsibilities, early baseline rotations, and the habits required to sustain an aggressive defense. The conversation also explores the trade-offs Iowa State accepts—including additional three-point attempts, difficult rotation-rebounding situations, and increased physical demands—in exchange for generating turnovers and controlling the possession battle. Coach Otzelberger breaks down their approach to short-roll defense, why they often prefer the opposing five making decisions, and when a skilled big may require a coverage adjustment. He also discusses competitive endurance and designing practices without lulls, using on-the-fly coaching and continuous competition to reflect the program’s identity. In Start, Sub, or Sit, Coach Otzelberger shares the in-game information he values most, how he approaches substitutions and closing lineups, and why a head coach’s primary responsibility is refocusing the team on the next possession. The episode closes with offensive decision-making, how physical defense strengthens offensive habits, adapting identity to different programs, and why the greatest investment a coach can make is being fully present with their players. What You’ll Learn How Iowa State teaches a collision on the first dribble.The responsibilities of the “goalie” and “spy” within its rotations.Why the Cyclones prioritize effort and daily habits over constant adjustments.The defensive trade-offs they accept to create turnovers and win possessions.How they defend the short roll and force opposing bigs to make decisions.Why competitive endurance begins with the design and pace of practice.Which information Coach Otzelberger values most during games.How he approaches substitutions and chooses the five players who finish.Why decision-making is the offensive quality that travels best.How a physical defensive identity improves cutting, driving, and transition offense.Why a program’s identity must fit its players, league, and recruiting environment.Why investing time and presence in players remains the most important part of coaching.To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  3. 24 Jul

    Baldur Ragnarsson on Finding Patterns That Decide Games, Applying Pressure After Free Throws, and In-Season Conditioning | Álftanes

    Coach Baldur Ragnarsson joins Slappin’ Glass to discuss basketball scouting, opponent game planning, defensive strategy, and high-intensity practice design. Ragnarsson explains how he combines full-game film, tagged possessions, and statistical databases to identify player tendencies—particularly passing patterns—and turn a large amount of information into a clear game plan. He also breaks down how his teams practice multiple pick-and-roll coverages, develop basketball-specific conditioning and strength, disrupt dribble handoffs, and apply pressure after made free throws. What You’ll Learn How to combine full-game film, filtered clips, and statistics when preparing an opponent scoutWhy passing patterns can reveal more about a player than traditional scoring tendenciesHow to simplify a detailed scouting report into clear player archetypes and defensive prioritiesWhen to switch, blitz, hedge, ICE, or go under against different ballhandlersHow to adjust the game plan without abandoning the team’s defensive identityHow to introduce more scouting complexity as the season progressesWhy Ragnarsson uses five-minute games to train coverages in a game-like environmentHow to divide high-intensity practice, tactical teaching, and recovery throughout the weekWays to develop basketball-specific strength through box-outs, top locks, and body contactHow to aggressively disrupt dribble handoffs before the offense reaches its preferred actionHow to pressure after made free throws and keep the ball away from a primary ballhandlerEpisode Timestamps 2:16 – Building a detailed opponent scouting process 5:11 – Full-game film versus filtered clips 7:10 – Filtering information into a clear game plan 9:40 – Studying passing patterns and player habits 12:33 – Expanding scouting complexity throughout the season 14:52 – Balancing defensive identity with opponent-specific adjustments 16:41 – Practicing multiple pick-and-roll coverages 19:36 – Using self-scouting to address recurring weaknesses 25:42 – Start, Sub, or Sit: Conditioning, movement, and strength 29:42 – Structuring a high-intensity practice 33:06 – Basketball-specific body-contact training 34:57 – Start, Sub, or Sit: Opportunities for defensive aggression 35:50 – Aggressively defending dribble handoffs 38:02 – Applying pressure after made free throws 41:03 – The best investment Ragnarsson has made in his coaching career 43:00 – Dan and Pat’s key takeaways To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  4. 17 Jul

    Hedge & Plug Solutions, Learning Frameworks, and European Film | SG Deep Dive

    In this SG Deep Dive, Dan Krikorian, Patrick Carney, and Eric Fawcett examine how offenses are attacking the hedge-and-plug pick-and-roll coverage that continues to spread throughout European and modern basketball. The conversation begins with why the coverage has become so effective. Hedge and plug allows the defense to pressure the ball without fully committing two defenders, protect the short roll, and remain compact behind the play. Because many offenses still rely on two quick passes to escape the hedge, defenses have also become increasingly prepared for the rotations that follow. From there, the group explores ways to create an advantage before the defense can settle. They break down rejecting the hedge, using Gortat screens against the recovering big, flipping or hooking the screening angle, “sticking” the plug defender, and flowing into boomerang rescreens that can turn the original hedge into a drop or switch. A central theme is the micro closeout faced by the on-ball defender after disengaging to plug the roll. The discussion covers how offenses can attack that vulnerable footwork, along with defensive teaching points involving stance, handwork, jump timing, and calculated risk. The episode also revisits Dave Collins’ idea of coaching as “informed art.” The group discusses blending cognitive science, ecological dynamics, the constraint-led approach, and predictive processing while still accounting for the players, context, and human feel of coaching. They close with the European teams and playoff series currently filling their film queues.  What You’ll Learn  Why hedge and plug can create ball pressure while keeping the rest of the defense compact.  How advanced defenses are solving the pick-and-roll two-on-two and preparing for the offense’s second pass.  Why rejecting the hedge can expose the on-ball defender’s moment of disengagement.  How to use Gortat screens, flip screens, and boomerang rescreens against the recovering big.  What the group means by a micro closeout, and why it gives the ball handler an immediate advantage.  Teaching considerations for the plug defender’s footwork, hand positioning, and jump timing.  Why offenses need to generate an advantage inside the initial ball-screen action instead of simply accepting the coverage.  How coaches can blend cognitive science, ecological dynamics, and predictive processing without becoming tied to a single framework.  Why good practices and wins deserve the same level of reflection as poor performances.  Teams and playoff series worth studying across the Spanish ACB and European basketball.To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  5. 10 Jul

    Matt Jones on Building Better Shooters, Coaching Voice, and Re-Triggers in Conceptual Offense {International Pro Coach}

    This week on the Slappin’ Glass Podcast, Dan and Pat are joined by International Pro Head Coach and player development specialist Matt Jones for a deep dive into shooting development, coaching communication, and building conceptual offense. The conversation opens with Jones’ approach to evaluating shooters, beginning with one of his core beliefs: watch the player first. Before over-coaching or over-correcting, Jones discusses the value of being a “quiet eye,” identifying inefficiencies, and helping players simplify their shooting movement. From there, he gets into the details of clean catches, loaded wrists, open palms, shot preparation, and how small mechanical improvements can create real gains at higher levels. Jones also shares how he uses player feedback, feel-based cues, and individualized terminology to help shooters self-correct. Rather than flooding players with technical language, he explains how the best cues often come from what the player physically feels, giving coaches a more useful way to teach shooting under pressure. In the show’s Start, Sub, or Sit segment, the conversation shifts to finding your coaching voice as an introvert, where Jones breaks down the importance of preparation, listening, terminology, and getting enough coaching reps to build confidence. The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on conceptual offense, including re-triggers, offensive talk, cutting rules, late-clock structure, and how to help players find the next action without becoming robotic. What You’ll Learn How Matt Jones evaluates shooters before making mechanical correctionsWhy simplifying a player’s shot can improve repeatability and efficiencyThe importance of clean catches, open palms, loaded wrists, and eliminating wasted movementHow to introduce variability into shooting workouts without overwhelming the playerWhy feel-based cues can be more effective than over-teaching techniqueHow analytics can help shape shooting development without damaging a player’s confidenceWhy free throws can be used as a powerful form-shot reset inside a workoutHow introverted coaches can develop their voice through preparation, terminology, and coaching repsWhy “your terminology is your culture” when communicating with playersHow conceptual offense depends on cutting rules, spacing, re-triggers, and offensive talkWhy the player with the ball must think like the point guard in read-based offenseHow random practice environments can help players learn to self-organize late in possessionsTo join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  6. 3 Jul

    Francesco Tabellini on Playing Relentless, Tagging Up Killers, and Attacking the Hedge & Plug

    This week we’re joined in this SG Classics episode by International Head Coach Francesco Tabellini for a deep dive into the concepts behind his team’s relentless style of play. Tabellini opens the conversation by unpacking the idea of “canceling the pauses” in the game — eliminating the dead space between offense and defense, defense and offense, and every small conversion moment in between. From there, he details how Nymburk builds pace through first-three-step urgency, no-catch zones, early outlets, transition cutting, and a constant pressure-on-the-rim mentality. The conversation also explores offensive spacing and cutting principles, including baseline cuts on middle penetration, OKC cuts on baseline drives, shortening the pass, and why player confidence is central to shot selection. Tabellini explains how tagging up not only creates extra possessions, but also supports shooting freedom, transition defense, and full-court pressure. Later, the discussion moves into the defensive side of the floor, including the details of teaching tagging up, evaluating effort, structuring practice to build habits, and using hedge-and-plug coverage as a temporary switch designed to disrupt rhythm, force decisions, and keep opponents uncomfortable. What You’ll Learn  How Tabellini defines “relentless basketball” and why it starts with removing the pauses between phases of the game  Why the first three steps in transition are a major teaching point for Nymburk  How “no-catch zones,” pitch-aheads, and 28-meter cuts create early dynamic advantages  Why aggressive cutting can solve spacing problems rather than create them  How tagging up can become both an offensive rebounding system and a transition defense tool  Why leaving the tag too early can kill the entire purpose of tagging up  How Nymburk structures practice to reinforce tagging up without overloading players  Why Tabellini views hedge-and-plug coverage as a temporary switch  How slips, flips, and re-screens stress aggressive ball screen coverages  Why activity, effort, and mistake-fixing are central to Tabellini’s coaching philosophyTo join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  7. 19 Jun

    Jeremy Shulman on Defensive Tradeoffs, Uniqueness as a Strength, and Attacking the Hedge {UT Martin}

    UT Martin Head Coach Jeremy Shulman joins the Slappin’ Glass podcast for a deep dive into building a defensive system around conviction, trade-offs, and player fit. Shulman discusses the philosophy behind his unique defensive approach, including why his teams lean toward containment, switch heavily, borrow matchup-zone principles without playing zone, and still find ways to generate turnovers without relying on full-court pressure. He also details how he thinks about solving mismatches after switches, layering post coverage, recruiting for basketball IQ, and turning rotations and closeouts into a strength. In the “Start, Sub, or Sit” segment, Shulman breaks down attacking hedge coverage, including flipping the screen, RAM screens, and re-screens, before sharing broader thoughts on pick-and-roll offense, the power of the pass, and studying ideas that genuinely fit who you are as a coach. What you’ll learn  Why defensive identity has to begin with what a coach truly believes in  How Shulman blends man-to-man, switching, and matchup-zone principles  Why switching everything can reduce confusion against slips, ghosts, and misdirection  How UT Martin thinks about post mismatches, doubles, digs, and defensive layers  Why putting two on the ball can create steals without becoming a pressure team  How scouting, film, and player processing shape scramble defense and closeouts  Why trust is the hardest thing to build quickly in the current roster-building era  How agents and NIL have changed the way coaches think about buy-in  The teaching details behind flipping ball screens against hedge coverage  Why Shulman views pick-and-roll as a way to move the ball, not just create downhill scoringTo join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

  8. 12 Jun

    SG Deep Dive: College Basketball’s NIL Economy & Its Impact on the Global Game with Kevin Sweeney

    College basketball’s NIL era has quickly become one of the most disruptive forces in the global basketball market. In this Slappin’ Glass Deep Dive, Eric Fawcett sits down with Kevin Sweeney, college basketball and NBA Draft writer for Sports Illustrated, to unpack what NIL money really looks like inside the modern college game, how schools are building rosters, and why the American college system is now pulling players from Europe and other international markets at a level that is reshaping the sport. Sweeney breaks down the current NIL spending ranges across college basketball, from Final Four contenders operating with payrolls that can reach $20 million-plus, to mid-major programs using targeted spending to compete for league titles and NCAA Tournament bids. He also explains why international recruiting has become such a major part of roster building, how college programs are evaluating European talent, and where the process still has major blind spots. The conversation also gets into the uncertainty around NCAA eligibility rules for international players, the sustainability of NIL spending, and why roster evaluation now requires a deeper understanding of translatable skills, role fit, personality, learning style, and reliable intel. For coaches, scouts, executives, and anyone trying to understand where the basketball talent market is headed, this episode offers a clear look inside one of the most important shifts happening in the game today.  What You’ll Learn  What NIL spending looks like across different levels of college basketball, from Final Four contenders to mid-major programs.  Why European and international players have become such a major target for NCAA programs.  How NIL has changed the global basketball market and put college basketball in direct competition with professional leagues.  Why international recruiting still has major evaluation gaps, especially around player intel, role fit, and translatable skills.  What the NCAA’s recent eligibility guidance could mean for older international players entering college basketball.  Why the best roster builders are looking beyond scoring and placing more value on players who can defend, connect, cut, space, and impact winning without needing the ball.To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 70 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

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About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Slappin' Glass
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    294
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Slappin' Glass Podcast
  • Show Website
    Slappin' Glass Podcast

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