Sam Mitchell Interview -B Robson Parts one and two(pg 4)

[Monster]

I do wonder how many of these guys grow up playing basketball running plays and then they don't know how to play in a flow system that's more read and react than the simplicity of running a play. When he says things like 3 guys end up in the same spot on offense that has me believe that they could easily just be used to running actual plays instead of having to consider multiple options at all times to be in the right spot or make the right play. They're used to knowing exactly where they need to go and not used to moving based on what the defense is giving you. One requires understanding all the little nuances of the game while the other can pretty much be run in the dark. It would make sense why 20 year olds can't do the former very well if they've done the latter their whole lives.

That 3 guys end up in the same spot resonated with me because that happens in my city league basketball teams. At first we thought it was talent and lack of experience because quite frankly a lot of it was. Lol as time has gone on we have added talent but this still happens. Sure I play on crappy city league basketball teams but the reason it happens on our team is lack of understanding from players on what to do reading and reacting (including your's truly) and also no real system because nobody really takes over and does that.

After this week's game I decided this would be my last year playing. I have other things I want to do and I realized I wasn't enjoying it enough to stay. I like the guys I play with they are good dudes I just wanna play pickup ball. For the team to be good maybe I would need to become a coach of the team work with individual players etc in addition to improving my own game. If I am gonna put forth that kind of effort I would rather do it with kids or something and make Sam Mitchell mad at me for just being a dude that has some regular job and wants to coach. lol

Ultimately my weird rambling point is I do think Sam is dealing with a lot guys that don't know how to play the game and have limited experience which adds to the problems. It's his job to work that out. That's not going to be easy.

[Monster]

I think we just found our next coach.

My question is whether Cool will give me the same 65 minutes of on-the-record stuff next season...

[fingers crossed]

My door is always open.

If that doesn't work out would you have interest in coaching my city league team via video streaming? Lol

[TAFKASP]

I'm no Mitchell supporter but he makes many great points that I as a casual BB fan never consider, never knew to consider. It's easy to just lay blame at Sam's feet, and in many ways it's appropriate, but much of what he talks about helps me to understand what I've been seeing from this team in terms of spacing and screens and the like.

After reading these two articles I have a lot more respect for Sam, and a lot more respect for just how big a job he faces with this particular group of players. For as much as Wiggins gets 20 a game it's clear to even the casual viewer that he has a long ways to go, the same for a guy like KAT, his game is far more mature than he is, yet he still has a long ways to go. Move on from the two cornerstones and your find guys like G, Bazz, and Zach who all clearly have great physical abilities but struggle mightily with the whys and hows which is further compounded by having a savvy vet like Rubio who's own shortcomings shine a spotlight on his young teammates weaknesses rather than help hide them.

I've said before and i say again, I'm fine with having Sam coaching this team, just not as a head coach.

Great post. Sam as AP guy would say "Pulls back the curtain" here and gives you a lot of info and perspective that's really interesting that you don't get alot of times. I tried to take a step back and take in some of that info considering Sam just as a basketball mind regardless of what position he has for this franchise.

Yeah, I definitely empathize with Sam's plight. He's dealing with a lot of guys who have crappy fundamentals and instincts, so he's having to start at ground zero.

That being said, I don't know how he can explain going 8-8 to start the year and 4-20 (or something like that) since then. He's doing something wrong. Zach LaVine can't be blamed for all of it!

I'd guess that in part they started out with the benefit of playing some systems based teams in addition to other teams having to learn the Wolves weaknesses. Over time teams have found ways to make Wiggins and KAT's lives more difficult along with knowing they don't have to worry much about the rest in terms of starters. On the bench, don't worry about stopping them, just outscore them as they'll not stop anybody.

Another possible angle is that as they've had more time with the players they've been trying to correct problems in their game which will have them thinking on the floor rather than simply playing. In the short term that'll result in a step or two backwards, but if the goal is to make them championship caliber players then you have to do it.

I think it's pretty obvious all the BB brains on the team are located in the older bodies at the moment. With raw youth trying to learn and implement what they're learning things are bound to get worse before they get better.

Again, not taking all the blame away from Sam, but what my inexperienced eyes have been telling me is we have a lot of young talent that is largely lacking in knowing what to do with that talent to make not only themselves better, but their team better. I think it's a bit unfair to Sam to expect him to engrain these ideas into such raw players in half a season.

[TAFKASP]

I teach my 13 year olds how to run a read and react offense with very few set plays. We have limited practice time, yet over the process of a season they get a very good understanding of what we're trying to do. They develop good spacing habits, learn ball movement, set good screens, and learn to react to what the defense is giving them. THESE ARE 13 YEAR OLD KIDS! Too much apologizing on here for Sam. Get the job done.

Wild guess, but they aren't going up against pros? The good players don't simply have a plan to stop you, they have a plan B to stop how you react to plan A, and multiply that by 5 on good teams where as a team they force you to do A, then are ready when you try to do B anyways.

[Coolbreeze44]

I teach my 13 year olds how to run a read and react offense with very few set plays. We have limited practice time, yet over the process of a season they get a very good understanding of what we're trying to do. They develop good spacing habits, learn ball movement, set good screens, and learn to react to what the defense is giving them. THESE ARE 13 YEAR OLD KIDS! Too much apologizing on here for Sam. Get the job done.

Wild guess, but they aren't going up against pros? The good players don't simply have a plan to stop you, they have a plan B to stop how you react to plan A, and multiply that by 5 on good teams where as a team they force you to do A, then are ready when you try to do B anyways.

I'm dizzy

[Coolbreeze44]

I think we just found our next coach.

My question is whether Cool will give me the same 65 minutes of on-the-record stuff next season...

[fingers crossed]

My door is always open.

If that doesn't work out would you have interest in coaching my city league team via video streaming? Lol

For you guys I wouldn't even bring out the basketballs until the 4th or 5th practice. Lots of conditioning to begin with. :-d

[TAFKASP]

I teach my 13 year olds how to run a read and react offense with very few set plays. We have limited practice time, yet over the process of a season they get a very good understanding of what we're trying to do. They develop good spacing habits, learn ball movement, set good screens, and learn to react to what the defense is giving them. THESE ARE 13 YEAR OLD KIDS! Too much apologizing on here for Sam. Get the job done.

Wild guess, but they aren't going up against pros? The good players don't simply have a plan to stop you, they have a plan B to stop how you react to plan A, and multiply that by 5 on good teams where as a team they force you to do A, then are ready when you try to do B anyways.

I'm dizzy

Math, it's hard!

:thumb:

Then there is the "If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with math, err, bullshit!" angle.

[Coolbreeze44]

I teach my 13 year olds how to run a read and react offense with very few set plays. We have limited practice time, yet over the process of a season they get a very good understanding of what we're trying to do. They develop good spacing habits, learn ball movement, set good screens, and learn to react to what the defense is giving them. THESE ARE 13 YEAR OLD KIDS! Too much apologizing on here for Sam. Get the job done.

Wild guess, but they aren't going up against pros? The good players don't simply have a plan to stop you, they have a plan B to stop how you react to plan A, and multiply that by 5 on good teams where as a team they force you to do A, then are ready when you try to do B anyways.

I'm dizzy

Math, it's hard!

:thumb:

Then there is the "If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with math, err, bullshit!" angle.

Now THAT I can do!

[Monster]

I think we just found our next coach.

My question is whether Cool will give me the same 65 minutes of on-the-record stuff next season...

[fingers crossed]

My door is always open.

If that doesn't work out would you have interest in coaching my city league team via video streaming? Lol

For you guys I wouldn't even bring out the basketballs until the 4th or 5th practice. Lots of conditioning to begin with. :-d

Oh sure we aren't in shape but trust me that isn't the problem with our team and that's coming from the 2nd oldest guy and probably in the worst shape I have been for a while. Lol

Question as a coach of young players you take anything Sam says personally? :) What do you think of the top kids development compared to years ago?

Personally it seems to me no matter the majorly sport the readiness of many of the kids is more sophisticated than ever. I've been somewhat skeptical of Sam's saying they have all this bad coaching rhetoric. These guys aren't ready for NBA level basketball and that's because they are young and have only so much experience toddle from and on top of that there are a whole bunch of young players learning together.