Coaching Resource: Kevin Eastman Coaching Nuggets

Don’t just network, build relationships
1 full year of giving before you ask a favor of someone
Ends all his correspondence with “if you ever need anything from me don’t hesitate to ask and I will do everything I can to help”
Read 2 hours every day, no matter what
Opportunity is everywhere, its just that you are not
“Must have knowledge of the old school, antennas up for the new school, and the ability to blend the 2 together”
Your advantage comes from your growth, your growth comes from learning, learning comes from your antennas
Its not what you know, its what you bring
Cant motivate all the time, must find ways to inspire them as well
Fools Gold Transition Defense
- Team gets back but not set
  - Set means in stance, below the ball, seeing man
- If 1 man back it’s a dunk
- 2 men back it’s a layup
- 3 men back it’s a contested 2
- 4 men back = game on
11 Tenets of transition defense
- The raise of the shot starts our transition defense – 1,2,3 get back unless they are in the key
- First 3 steps must be sprint steps
- Get below the ball as fast as you can
- No buddy running
- Get to shrink (help) spots quick as you can
- Make the offense throw at least 2 passes
- You are not guarding a man, you are guarding their team
- Need communication in 2 ways – with voice and with finger
- Must take away the early strike – first 6 seconds
- Find and COVER shooters
- In order to work you must have a transition mindset
8 Must haves in your transition defense
- MINDSET
- Sprint back to be back – no jogging
- Dominate first 6 seconds
- 2 passes fine, 3 passes will win the possession
- Guard theirs, not just ours
- About the team, not the match up
- Losing teams use voices, winning teams use fingers
5 things must eliminate in transition defense
- Players complaining to official
- Player missing shot
- Celebrating shot
- Instincts go to the glass – coaching philosophy
- Gambles and misses
Ideal Possession
- No penetration
- No shot off pass from penetration
- No shot off first 3 passes
Consecutive stops – 2 in row
Multiple stops – 3 in row
7 must haves
- Communication
  - Intimidates
  - Gives head start
  - Gives man on ball more confidence
  - Wakes up a disengaged defender
  - Catch mistake before it happens
  - Energizes your team
- Trust
  - Teams that don’t trust foul more
- Positioning, awareness, alertness
- All about multiple efforts
- Resolve
- Communication system
  - Early, Loud, Continuous
- Adjustment System
Trust on D is never having to turn around
Best coaches have the answers before the players ask the questions
Adjustment philosophy
- 1x do it harder
- 2x do it better
- 3x take out game
- 4x change coverage
Truism – doesn’t matter what D you want to play, just matters if you’ll commit enough to make it work
5 things must do to win on the road
- must defend
- must take away transition baskets
- must rebound – especially defensive end
- must have defensive resolve
- must eliminate turnovers
Must have passion to succeed, but knowledge and skills must catch up with passion
4 game-changers
- 50/50 game – want to win 70% of these
- Win the first to the floor game
- Win the take charge game – 1 per quarter
- Deflections – 6 per quarter
Games are won strong-side, championships are won weak side
If I were blind?? What would you hear in our practice
Shoulders game
Win last step
Know No’s
- No middle
- No layups
- No uncontested shots
- No ball watching
- No buddy running
Mismatches don’t beat you, open shots do
Ball hits paint, we hit body
Fouling negates hustle
Sprint to help. Sprint to rotations
Crowd shooters, cushion drivers
Fight instincts late in game, stick to basics
Pressure ball, shrink behind ball