Making the Team

Coach Donny Daniels has seen college basketball from the very top. Five Final Fours. Three national championship game appearances. Eleven seasons on Rick Majerus' staff at Utah, seven at UCLA under Ben Howland, and nine at Gonzaga with Mark Few. He recruited Keith Van Horn and Andre Miller to Salt Lake City and coached future NBA stars like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Jrue Holiday in Westwood.

Today, you'll find him on the bench at Cottonwood High School.

Erik and co-host Coach Doug Meacham sit down with Coach Daniels to talk about a career that spans four decades, what he learned from three very different Hall of Fame-caliber head coaches, and the advice he'd give to players chasing the next level, parents trying to support them, and coaches trying to build something real.

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⏱️ CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro

0:50 Aha Moment to Start Coaching

2:56 Starting at the University of Utah

5:01 Role at Utah

6:06 The Grey Squad

10:14 Juddy Question 1

12:07 Mike Doleac

14:06 Off Court Team Buidling

16:30 Juddy Question 2

17:25 Being a Great Assistant

23:08 Balancing Truth with Feelings

25:12 Teaching Shot Selection

27:56 Learning from other Coaches

31:03 Majerus Coaching Tree

34:01 Coaching in today's game

36:13 Picking a Skills Trainer

41:30 Common Threads of Great Teams

43:16 Coaches Adapting to Today's Challenges

44:40 Mental Health

51:18 Making the Right Play

57:30 Parents & Recruiting

58:35 Always Learning

1:01:46 Learning from Mistakes

1:03:42 Moving to High School

1:06:15 Andre Miller Recruiting Story

1:11:36 Donny's Passions outside basketball

1:12:53 Eric Daniels Carrying the Coaching Torch

1:19:22 Advice to Past Self

#UtahBasketball #DonnyDaniels #RunninUtes #Gonzaga #UCLABasketball #RickMajerus #UtahHighSchoolBasketball #BasketballPodcast #CollegeBasketball #MakingTheTeamPodcast #CottonwoodHigh #BasketballCoaching #PlayerDevelopment #HoopsInterview

What does it really take to go from high school basketball to playing professionally?

In this episode of Making the Team, I sit down with professional basketball player Zac Seljaas to talk about his journey from Bountiful High School in Utah to BYU and ultimately professional basketball in Europe.

Zac was part of an incredible run at Bountiful, winning two state championships and playing alongside future NBA player Sam Merrill. He went on to play Division I basketball at BYU before continuing his career professionally overseas.

But this conversation is about much more than where Zac has played.

We talk about the lessons he learned at each stage of his basketball career, the work required to reach the next level, dealing with challenges and adversity, and what young players can learn from his experiences.

If you're a high school basketball player hoping to play in college, a parent helping your athlete navigate the process, or a coach looking for lessons to share with your team, there is a lot to take away from Zac's story.

🔗 Seljaas Hoops Website:

https://www.seljaashoops.com/

🔗 Follow Zac's Journey Here:

https://www.instagram.com/zseljaas/

Some Zac Stats:

• 1,704 career points at Bountiful, plus 494 rebounds and 217 threes

• The 2014 4A title was Bountiful's first since 1997

• 4A MVP, first-team all-state; Utah Player of the Year in 2015

• BYU Career: 134 games, 39.5% from three, 8th most 3-pointers in program history

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:21 Seljaas Hoops

3:10 High School Buzzer Beater History

7:07 Bountiful High Lessons

9:50 Having Dad as Coach

13:01 Coach Maxwell Style

16:30 Dealing with Being "The Guy"

18:48 High School Workouts Habits

21:51 Advice to High School Self

22:41 Getting Recruited to College

26:52 Major Changes During College

28:39 Going from Good to Great

31:49 Mission and Getting Back

35:23 College Workout Habits

43:51 "Bag Work"

49:24 Advice to College Self

50:31 College to the Pros

57:27 Overseas vs US Basketball

1:04:29 European Basketball Organization

1:15:11 Playing for Napoli

1:18:48 Different Cultures & Languages

1:21:14 Quote Reaction

1:25:28 Favorite Shoes

1:27:43 Family Dynamic

1:30:31 The Goal

1:32:32 Advice to Early Pro Self

1:33:36 Stying Sharp in the Offseason

1:36:07 Has it all been worth it?

#Basketball #ZacSeljaas #BYUBasketball #UtahBasketball #HighSchoolBasketball

What does it take to succeed as a high school basketball player?

In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Beckam Rees - standout guard for the Riverton Silverwolves. We talk about his basketball journey, Riverton legacy, and what it takes to compete at a high level.

Beckam shares insights into the work behind the scenes — the training, mindset, discipline, and sacrifices required to succeed in competitive high school basketball.

If you’re a basketball player, coach, or parent of a young athlete, this interview provides valuable insight into how players develop and what separates good players from great ones.

Subscribe for more interviews with players, coaches, and experts about what it really takes to succeed in basketball.

#basketball #makingtheteam #beckamrees #rivertonbasketball

Chris Burgess knows what it feels like to have the entire basketball world watching. Coming out of Woodbridge High School in Irvine, California as the nation's #1 recruit and a McDonald's All-American, Burgess had his pick of programs — and chose Duke University over BYU, playing for Coach Mike Krzyzewski and reaching the national championship game in 1999. He later transferred to the University of Utah, where he played under legendary coach Rick Majerus before a decade-long professional career that took him around the globe.

Now back home as an assistant coach at BYU under Kevin Young, Burgess shares the full story — the pressure, the lessons, and what he brings to the next generation of players.

🎙 In this episode, Coach Burgess and Erik cover:

🏆 What it's like being labeled the #1 recruit in the country and the pressure that comes with it

🔵 Playing for Coach K at Duke and competing in the 1999 national championship game

🏔️ Transferring to Utah and learning under Hall of Fame coach Rick Majerus

🌍 A decade of professional basketball across the U.S., Australia, Korea, Europe, and more

📋 What he looks for when recruiting players to BYU today

🧠 Advice for players, parents, and coaches navigating the recruiting process

🐾 Building the Cougars program in the Big 12 under coach Kevin Young

Be sure to follow Coach Burgess:https://www.instagram.com/cburgess34/

Also follow BYU Men's Basketball: https://byucougars.com/sport/m-basketball

Please consider following us on social:

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Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:33 Realities of Being the #1 Prospect

5:45 Getting Recruited

9:44 Playing Well In Front of Coaches

15:28 Transition from High School to College

20:39 Making the Commitment to Duke

29:17 Letting Down 9 Million Mormons

3:04 What Players Can Do Now to Be Ready for College

35:58 Replicating Game Speed in Practice

39:45 Transferring Schools (Then and Now)

48:56 Coach K vs Coach Majerus

56:56 Player Development

1:01:28 Recruiting Now

1:03:58 Choosing Who To Recruit

1:06:26 Getting Recruits with Honesty

1:12:15 Feel vs Teach vs Enforce

1:16:40 Team Leaders and Personalities

1:19:55 Change in What Matters

1:25:04 Coaching Shot Selection

1:28:16 HS vs Portal vs International Players & Recruiting

1:33:00 What Players and Parents are Missing

1:42:23 Advice to Younger Self

#BYUBasketball #ChrisBurgess #BasketballRecruiting #MakingTheTeam

DJ Conner grew up playing basketball at Orem High School — and now he's back, this time as the head coach of the Golden Tigers.

After spending two years as the head coach at Mountain View High School, Coach Conner has returned to his alma mater to build something special in Orem. In this conversation, he shares his full journey: what it was like playing for Orem, the lessons he's carried with him, and what it means to now lead the program he once played for.

Whether you're a player trying to level up, a parent navigating youth sports, or a coach looking for perspective — this one is for you.

🎙 Coach DJ Conner covers:

His personal story of playing at Orem High SchoolThe transition from player to coach

Lessons learned from his time at Mountain View

Advice for players, parents, and coaches at every level

What he's building at Orem and his vision for the program

Please consider following Coach Conner on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/djconner/

Please consider following us on social:

https://www.youtube.com/@MakingTheTeamPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

https://www.instagram.com/making_the_team/

https://www.tiktok.com/@making.the.team

#basketball #OremHighSchool #UtahBasketball #CoachDJConner #GoldenTigers #HighSchoolBasketball #MakingTheTeam

Coach Casey Stanley sits down for an in-depth interview about his journey to becoming the new head men's basketball coach at Westminster University in Salt Lake City.

With 18 years of collegiate coaching experience — including 15 seasons at the NCAA Division I level — Stanley has worked alongside some of the biggest names in basketball, including Rick Pitino at Louisville and Richard Pitino at Minnesota. Along the way, he helped develop seven NBA players and 31 international professionals.

Now leading the Westminster Griffins in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) at the Division II level, Coach Stanley shares his defensive philosophy, his commitment to recruiting local Utah talent, and what it means to take on his first collegiate head coaching role. Before arriving at Westminster, Stanley built Layton Christian Academy into a nationally ranked Top 50 prep program, compiling a 66-20 record and winning a state title.

In this interview, we cover:

🏀 His coaching journey from Iona College to D1 staffs across the country

🏀 What he learned working under Rick Pitino and other elite coaches

🏀 Why he's prioritizing Utah recruits and local talent

🏀 His defensive identity and how he plans to build the Griffins program

🏀 The transition from prep coaching to his first college head coaching job

🔔 Subscribe for more Utah basketball interviews and high school hoops coverage!

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📌 TIMESTAMPS

0:00 New Program

0:27 Difference between High School & College

2:08 Why Focus on Utah Recruiting?

3:10 Coaching Tree

4:19 Non Negotiables to a Winning Culture

5:30 Recruiting High School Players

10:20 What it Takes to Win

13:00 Building a Culture

14:58 Where to Start

16:48 Scouting

18:17 Shot Selection

19:45 Use of Analytics

23:37 Rules of D2 vs D1

24:57 Picking a Staff

26:21 Biggest Surprises for High Schoolers

27:44 What Players Need to Play Immediately

29:44 National Attention

30:50 Turning Around the Program

33:50 Life Outside Basketball

36:03 Still Learning

37:44 Useful Equipment

38:28 Separating Self Worth From Record

39:40 Advice to Coaches

40:38 Advice to Younger Self

#WestminsterGriffins #CaseyStanley #UtahBasketball #WestminsterUniversity #RMAC #CollegeBasketball #CoachInterview #HighSchoolBasketball #Utah

Alex Jensen sits down to talk about his journey from Viewmont High School standout and Utah's Mr. Basketball to the 17th head coach of the University of Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball program.

Coach Jensen opens up about getting recruited by the legendary Rick Majerus, starring on Utah's 1998 Final Four team, winning the first-ever Mountain West Conference Player of the Year award, and playing professionally overseas. He also shares what he looks for in recruits now that he's back on the other side of the table, the coaching philosophies shaped by nearly two decades in the NBA — including 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz and two with the Dallas Mavericks — and why this upcoming season at Utah has him more excited than ever.

Whether you're a Utes fan, a Big 12 basketball follower, or a hoops junkie who loves a great homecoming story, this one is for you.

RELATED VIDEO:

Coach Judkins Interview: https://youtu.be/L-UV2WCvwS8

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⏱️ Timestamps:

0:00 Our First Meeting

0:30 Alex Jensen Moments

1:34 Elite Defender

3:27 Most Difficult to Guard

4:41 Andre Miller

5:10 Getting Recruited to the U

7:20 Role of Assistants during Majerus

8:19 Coach Judkins Memories

9:55 Why Majerus Yelled at Alex

10:37 What the U offers Recruits now

12:07 Picking Coach Jensen's Staff

12:58 Recruiting HS vs Portal vs Europe

14:26 What Really Matters to a College Coach

15:40 Biggest Jump From HS to College

17:20 NBA Experience

19:27 Best Way to Practice

21:22 Feel vs Teach vs Enforce

23:29 Utah "Style"

25:04 Size of Recruiting Pool

26:34 Parent Involvement vs Agents

27:18 Relationship with AAU Ball

27:53 Looking Forward to This Season

28:43 Making Practice Plans

30:05 College Basketball Schedule

31:13 Two Halves in College. Why?

31:40 Last Season Pros and Cons

32:42 Has it all been worth it?

34:12 Staying Present

📲 Follow us here on YouTube as well as:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/making_the_team/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@making.the.team

Cyprus High School head basketball coach Tre Smith sits down to talk about his 12-year journey rebuilding the Pirates basketball program from the ground up. A former Cyprus star and University of Utah basketball player, Coach Smith returned to West Valley to transform a program that had won just 2 games the season before he took over. In this interview, we dive into his coaching philosophy, how he builds confidence in young players, the culture shift that turned Cyprus into a competitive program, and what it takes to develop talent at the high school level. Coach Smith also shares stories about his players, what drives his approach to the game, and why coaching at his alma mater means everything to him.

🏀 Topics covered:

00:00 Introduction

00:13 Dress Standards

01:03 Basketball Character

2:50 Building a Program

4:31 You Can Beat Anybody

6:07 Turning Point in Career

7:38 Mr Basketball - Q Meza

9:37 New Cyprus/Old Cyprus

10:32 Coaching Style

12:26 Playing Influence on Coaching Style

13:15 Offense/Defense Philosophies

15:40 Coaching Staff Ideas

19:00 Tryout Expectations

20:30 Practices

21:02 Details Matter

23:56 Picking Captains

25:06 Play Sets

28:13 Scouting Opponents

30:35 Coachisms

31:19 "Try Hards"

35:47 Youth Programs

37:05 Keeping Players at Cyprus

38:32 Parents

41:29 Fundraising Efforts

42:55 Spousal Support

46:22 Relationship with Officials

47:24 Game Day Traditions

48:36 Rivalries

49:38 Team Dress Rules

51:08 Bigger than Basketball

52:54 Questions From The Internet

56:01 Advice for Younger Self

57:43 Self Worth vs Team Record

59:04 Hate Losing

1:00:09 Coach's Impact on Game

1:01:50 Parting Message

📌 Follow Cyprus Basketball:

https://www.instagram.com/cyprus_hoops/

📌 Follow Coach Tre Here:

https://www.instagram.com/3tre_dayyy3/

If you enjoyed this conversation, like, subscribe, and leave a comment — it helps us reach more basketball coaches and fans!

#CyprusBasketball #TreSmith #HighSchoolBasketball #UtahBasketball #CoachInterview #BasketballCoaching #CyprusPirates

Mountain Ridge Sentinel Boys Basketball head coach Andre Ashton sits down to talk all things basketball after completing a historic first season at the helm.

Coach Ashton and his players led the Sentinels to the winningest record in school history, capping off the remarkable year with a run to the state quarterfinals.

In this conversation, he reflects on building a winning culture, the key moments that defined the season, and what's ahead for Mountain Ridge basketball.

Whether you're a Sentinels fan, a high school hoops enthusiast, or someone who loves a great coaching story, this one's for you.

Follow Mountain Ridge Basketball Here:

https://www.instagram.com/mountainridgebasketball/

Follow Coach Ashton Here:

https://www.instagram.com/dre_15/

Subscribe to Making the Team for interviews with players, coaches, and experts about what it really takes to succeed in basketball.

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What does it take to build a championship-level high school basketball team?

In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Kyle Straatman, head coach of the Bingham Miners and Utah 6A Coach of the Year, to talk about Bingham’s incredible season that ended with a state runner-up finish.

Coach Straatman shares insights into building team culture, developing players, leading a competitive program, and what it takes to compete at the highest level of high school basketball.This conversation is valuable for players, parents, and coaches who want to better understand the mindset, preparation, and leadership behind a successful basketball program.

In this interview we discuss:

Bingham High School’s run to the state finals

What it takes to build a successful basketball program

Leadership and culture in high school sports

Player development and team chemistry

Lessons from a Utah 6A Coach of the Year

Subscribe for more interviews with basketball players, coaches, and experts about what it really takes to succeed in high school basketball.

Time Codes:

0:00 Winning Coach of the Year

0:50 Memories of This Year

2:28 Tournament Run

4:08 Bingham Style

7:23 Defensive Philosophy

9:03 Style Dependent on Athletes

11:38 Teaching Reads

15:33 Tryouts & Conditioning

19:43 Cultural Expectations

24:28 Communicating with Players

26:22 Accountability and Care

28:25 Picking Captains

30:33 Seniors

32:05 Multisport Athletes

35:45 Referees

41:32 Effort Expectations

43:42 Building Roles

48:47 Youth Programs

50:56 Game Day Traditions

54:20 Home Court Advantage: The Pit

56:06 Coaching Staff

1:00:04 Questions from the Internet

1:14:00 Advice to 1st Year Coach

#basketball #binghambasketball #kylestraatman #makingtheteam #highschoolbasketball