Mike Jones Philosophy as a Basketball Coach

Abstract from Mike Jones Dissertation, for A' Level Basketball Coach, approved June, 2013

 

The basketball coach does not need be a star player; however, he should be a student of the game. We know many great coaches who were mediocre players. On the other hand, we also know many great players have made poor coaches. To become successful as a basketball coach one must develop a road map called 'philosophy". A coaching philosophy takes years to develop; but, it probably begins the first day a person picked up a basketball. Our experiences as  players  and/or observers will allow the philosophy of the game to develop and to become a coaches own personal roadmap to success. The philosophy of the game is an ongoing process that continues to grow as we learn more about the game and with dealing with players.

In the beginning, a coach's  philosophy can be meager at best. To compensate for this one may study the philosophy of proven coaches, read their books and attend coaching  clinics to broaden one's personal knowledge.

In my case, through the many years of playing the game of basketball at a higher level,  I have been very lucky to have known and to have worked with many important, and at their time, influential coaches, that had a profound understanding and knowledge of the game. I consider myself honored, and at the same time very lucky to have learned from them.

My first real education of basketball began with Coach James Redd at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, who had a great winning record in our State. Later, at the university level I was coached by Sonny Smith (Auburn University, Virginia Commonwealth). Coach Smith served as a head coach for twenty-two seasons. He is credited with turning around losing programs at East Tennessee State University and Auburn University. Coach Smith is best remembered for his coaching years at Auburn University, where he was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989. In 1985, he coached the Auburn Tigers to their first SEC Tournament Championship in school history. I was a player on that team.

In 1988, when I first came to Europe (Greece) as a professional player I had the pleasure of knowing and working with two of the most knowledgeable Greek coaches: (a)  While playing for PAOK, Thessaloniki  (1988-89) I was coached by Costas Politis, who had won  3 Greek Championships (1980, 1981, 1982) and 2 Greek Cups (1979, 1982). Later, he was also a 3 time Greek Cup finalist (1989, 1990, 1991) coaching PAOK. A year after (1989-1990) when I played for ARIS, Thessaloniki I had Coach Yiannis Ioannidis. In his time he had conquered a total of 8 Greek Championships and 5 Greek Cups, and participated at 3 consecutive FIBA Champions' Cup Final Fours. Later, he worked in Olympiacos, where he won 4 consecutive Greek Championships, 1 Greek Cup, and participated at 2 consecutive FIBA Euro league finals. 

(b) While I played in France (Pau Orthez, 1990-1992/ Cholet, 1993-94, Pau Orthez, 1994-95) I was coached by Coach Michel Gomez, who was voted three times as "Best Coach" in France (1986, 1990, 1991). 

(c ) Finally In my time playing for Barcelona (1992-93) I had the honor to have been coached by "Aíto" García Reneses or just "Aíto", who is one of the most prestigious Spanish basketball coaches. He has won nine Liga ACB titles, all with FC Barcelona.

My philosophy of the game was also influenced by the different styles of game that I have played: For example in Greece the game was very physical (lots of pushing), whereas in France we played a very quick offense. In Spain the game was more physical, like in Greece, and half court oriented. When I went to Argentina (Penatol, 1997-1998) the game was "run and gun" quick offense with lot of pick and roll, whereas in the Philippines it was only a man to man game. Toward end of my career as a player (1998-2001), when I came to play in Cyprus, the game was more half court oriented, with most executions on the offensive side of the court because their game is "slow".

So what is philosophy, anyway? When we add up all our experiences as a player, observer, lessons learned from reading, ideas picked up at clinics, gab sessions with other coaches and the person's own personality, then we have the beginnings of a coaching philosophy. It is however the way that one will  implement his/her philosophy that is of equal importance. The coach should select the offense and defense he wishes to use during the season. Next, he must break the offense and defense down into fundamental drills and procedures. Then, he/she must convince the players that the chosen offense and defenses will help them win games.

Coaching doesn't mean learning techniques by heart or drawing up the best strategy for a game. Rather it means to care about the people around you and to trust them. It means to interact with people and to learn from them. In order to be a good leader-coach one must develop his communication and interpersonal skills in order to be able to motivate other people to act. One must be capable of talking effectively but also of listening, bargaining, encouraging and offering consolation. A successful program needs effective communication between everyone involved in the program.

The accumulation of the variety of my experiences, as I described them above,  molded my own philosophy of the game of basketball to what is today.

I like a team where all my players are very fundamentally sound, and have a decent basketball IQ. They must understand spacing on the floor and must be able to dribble, pass, defend, rebound. Most importantly I need my players to be "coachable".

Offensively I teach my players to play a motion and passing game mixed together; that means a dribble drive handoff or back screens and down screens, which will cause a mismatch. I also like big and small point guards to change the pace of the game. In the 2,3 positions the same as above, whereas one can shoot and the other can play defense and slash. The same applies in the 4,5 positions, whereas one player can pick and pop and the other can pick and roll.  I believe in quick hitters offense.

In defense I encourage three types of man to man defense, "Red" , "Yellow" and "Green". Red means we trap the pick and roll, which requires a different rotation. Yellow means we will hedge hard on the pick and roll, that also requires a different rotation. Green means we push on the pick and roll to allow the guard to get back to his man, which also requires a different rotation.  Last but not least is to switch all screens and double the post, which again requires a different rotation. I also teach full court man to man pressure because I like an up-tempo, quick game.

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