In this episode Slappin’ Glass welcomes back one of Europe’s most thoughtful and dynamic coaching voices, Andrea Trinchieri. Coach Trinchieri returns for a wide-ranging conversation on defensive identity, in-game coaching, leadership evolution, and the modern coach–player relationship.

With most teams deep into the season, the discussion begins around identity — and whether it’s ever truly fixed. Coach Trinchieri frames the basketball season as evolution, requiring adaptability, clarity of core values, and defensive systems that can toggle aggression without overhauling structure. From simplifying coverage to managing player psychology, this episode dives into the balance between tactical precision and human connection.

Throughout the conversation, Coach Trinchieri shares his philosophy on:

• Why simplicity — not complexity — often produces the best defensive results
• How to “upgrade” or “downgrade” a base coverage without disrupting rotations
• The psychological reality that players find rhythm through offense before committing defensively
• The importance of situational awareness in managing substitutions and early-game momentum
• Layered rebounding principles and how to incentivize “no man’s land” effort plays
• When and why to implement tagging concepts on the offensive glass
• The evolving coach–player dynamic in an era shaped by NIL and social media

The episode also features a compelling round of Start, Sub, or Sit, where Coach Trinchieri breaks down what he prioritizes at the start of games, which statistical margins matter most (rebounding, free throws, turnovers), and how in-game evaluation must remain fluid and situational.

At its core, this episode centers on a driving question:

For coaches seeking insight into defensive structure, in-game management, leadership philosophy, and sustainable team identity, this conversation delivers a masterclass in both strategy and humanity.

What You’ll Learn

• How to build a defensive identity that can toggle aggression without sacrificing clarity
• Why offensive involvement fuels defensive commitment
• A framework for balancing scouting preparation with non-negotiable core values
• How to address early-game energy issues without overreacting
• A layered approach to rebounding: one-on-one battles, neutral rebounds, and effort incentives
• When tagging principles are most effective — and when they are not
• How defining roles creates hierarchy, chemistry, and clarity
• Why long-term coaching success should be measured by player evolution, not public opinion

This Episode is Sponsored By:

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To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

Northern Michigan Head Coach Matt Majkrzak joins Slappin’ Glass for a deep dive into how structure can actually create freedom.

Coach Majkrzak walks through Northern Michigan’s unique approach to scripting games in four-minute segments, pairing substitution patterns with offensive play calls to give players clarity, confidence, and rhythm. Rather than scripting to control players, the goal is to simplify decisions early, allowing creativity, reads, and flow to emerge naturally as possessions unfold.

The conversation explores how layered offense evolves from simple foundations—like cross-screen/down-screen—into modern blends of Princeton concepts, ball screens, staggers, and motion, all while ending in familiar spacing that helps players play fast and free.

Majkrzak also shares insights on fixing flat starts, teaching lock-left defense, crashing the offensive glass with five, and why celebrating “play busts” accelerates player growth more than perfect execution ever could.

A practical, thought-provoking episode on teaching players how to think, not just where to stand.

What You’ll Learn

• How to script games in four-minute segments that align lineups, substitutions, and play calls
• Why scripting can reduce pressure on players while increasing confidence and decision-making
• How layered offense evolves from simple actions into flow, reads, and freedom
• Practical ways to fix flat starts without panic or over-adjusting
• Why celebrating “play busts” can accelerate offensive growth

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

In this episode of Slappin' Glass, we’re joined by storytelling and communication expert Philipp Humm for a deep, practical conversation on how coaches can communicate more clearly, persuasively, and memorably—especially under pressure.

Philip breaks down why how you communicate often matters more than what you say, and why stories—when used intentionally—can cut through resistance, build trust, and create lasting behavioral change. He introduces his simple but powerful P.A.S.T. framework (Place, Action, Speech, Thoughts), giving coaches a repeatable structure for telling stories that actually stick rather than drifting into vague summaries or over-contextualized explanations.

The conversation explores when storytelling is the right tool (and when it isn’t), how elite leaders stay concise without losing emotional impact, and why vulnerability—not polish—is the engine of connection. Philip also shares why great communicators think in frameworks, limit takeaways to one clear action, and start with structure rather than circling toward a point.

We then put theory into practice with live improv exercises, showing how improvisation builds communication confidence and clarity in time-compressed moments like timeouts and huddles. The episode closes with a thoughtful Start–Sub–Sit on locker-room culture tools (quotes, visuals, and physical objects), plus Philip’s best investment in his own career—and why movement, presence, and emotional regulation matter for leaders navigating constant pressure.

This is a must-listen for coaches looking to sharpen their communication edge, strengthen buy-in, and lead with greater clarity and intention beyond the Xs and Os.

What You’ll Learn

• How to use the P.A.S.T. storytelling framework to make messages vivid, emotional, and memorable
• When storytelling creates more impact than direct instruction—and when it doesn’t
• Why elite communicators lead with structure, simplicity, and one clear takeaway
• How vulnerability and emotional honesty increase trust and retention
• Practical improv techniques to improve clarity and confidence under pressure
• The role of physical objects, visuals, and stories in reinforcing culture (and why quotes often fall flat)

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

What were the ideas from 2025 that coaches couldn’t stop thinking about—the ones that kept showing up in practice plans, film sessions, and staff rooms?

In this Slappin’ Glass Mailbag Episode, Dan Krikorian, Patrick Carney, and Eric Fawcett revisit the most compelling concepts covered by Slappin' Glass in 2025 as well as questions sent in by coaches around the world, unpacking how modern teams are creating advantages on both sides of the ball—and why the best programs are increasingly focused on flow, disruption, and continuity rather than isolated actions.

The conversation begins with a deep dive into “jumping on the pickup” in pick-and-roll defense—a subtle but powerful technique for shrinking passing windows, generating deflections, and creating turnovers without abandoning base coverage. From there, the discussion expands into broader defensive trends around smart aggression, including selective hitting, late-clock doubles, ATO disruption, and how elite teams steal possessions without gambling.

Offensively, the group explores the growing influence of Total Basketball—a philosophy rooted in eliminating pauses between offense and defense, tagging up on the glass, arriving “already playing” in the half court, and flowing seamlessly from one advantage to the next. Coaches will hear how leading programs are emphasizing shape over spacing, simplifying actions to increase pace, and using familiar structures to unlock better decision-making under pressure.

Beyond tactics, this episode also weaves in insights from some of Slappin’ Glass’ most impactful off-court and analytics conversations of the year, including:

• Guiding teams into flow states
• Measuring and developing decision-making
• Understanding kill shots, runs, and game-swing moments
• Using analytics that actually help during games—not just on Twitter

This mailbag isn’t about trends for trend’s sake. It’s about how elite coaches are thinking, teaching, and designing environments that allow players to play faster, freer, and more connected—and what those ideas suggest about where the game is heading next.

🎥 This episode is also available on YouTube, with embedded video clips that bring the concepts to life.

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

In this episode of Slappin’ Glass, we’re joined by John Andrzejek, Head Coach at Campbell and former defensive coordinator for Florida’s national championship team, for a deep dive into the real trade-offs that shape elite defensive systems.

Coach Andrzejek walks us through how his defensive philosophy has evolved across stops at St. Mary’s, Columbia, Washington State, Florida, and now Campbell—highlighting the tension every staff must navigate between precision and pragmatism, technique and energy, and staying out of trouble versus thriving inside the scramble.

We explore the decision-making behind scrambling vs. anti-scrambling defenses, how and why he blends principles from St. Mary’s, Houston, and Iowa State, and what it truly takes to guard the modern, spacing-driven game. The conversation gets deep into the weeds on no-middle principles, switching high and low, tagging schemes in middle pick-and-roll, and organizing rotations when things inevitably break down.

Offensively, Coach Andrzejek shares how he teaches cutting around the pick-and-roll through a mix of rules and reads, why simplicity drives better decision-making, and how repetition of core situations builds true situational awareness. We also tackle post-doubling philosophies, personnel adjustments, practice design, and the balance between scouting detail and playing fast.

As always, we close with a Start, Sub, or Sit that dives into cutting around the pick-and-roll and post-doubling strategies, plus Coach Andrzejek’s thoughts on the best investment he’s made in his coaching career.

This is a clinic-level conversation on defensive problem-solving, offensive clarity, and building systems that hold up against elite talent.

What You’ll Learn

• The strategic trade-offs between scrambling vs. anti-scrambling defensive systems
• How elite programs blend no-middle principles with modern spacing realities
• Why playing really hard often matters more than perfect technique
• How to organize rotations and tags when the ball gets to the middle
• Switching high and low to keep the ball out of the paint
• Teaching cutting around the pick-and-roll using rules that unlock reads
• Why offensive simplicity leads to better decision-making
• Different philosophies for doubling the post and protecting the rim
• How practice design, film, and repetition build defensive awareness
• The long-term value of film study and coaching mentorship

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

Slappin' Glass sits down this week with the Head Coach of Texas MBB, Sean Miller! In this highly insightful conversation from when Coach Miller was at Xavier, the trio dive into Coach Miller's thoughts on all things about handling pressure, including playing through the "gray areas" of it, and discuss transition defensive concepts and teaching guards to hedge ballscreens during the always fun "Start, Sub, or Sit?!"

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

This week on Slappin’ Glass, we’re joined by data scientist and creator of the rapidly growing college basketball analytics platform EvanMiya.com, Evan Miyakawa. Evan’s work has become a trusted resource for coaches at every level—particularly those looking to cut through the noise of early-season statistics and understand which metrics actually matter.

In this conversation, Evan shares how coaches can separate interesting numbers from useful ones, why certain teams have unique statistical fingerprints that predict success, and how lineup data can be leveraged far more effectively than most programs currently use it. We also unpack defensive priority stats (threes, rim, free throws), halftime box score interpretation, and the origins of Evan’s “kill shot” metric—his way of measuring and predicting momentum swings across a season.

Whether you’re analytics-comfortable or analytically curious, Evan offers a clear, practical roadmap for applying data without drowning in it.

 What You’ll Learn

1. How to Separate Useful Analytics from Interesting Noise

Evan explains why the highest-value decisions come from combining your coaching intuition with clean, adjusted data—not relying fully on either side. He details how to weigh early-season sample sizes, refine priors, and avoid overreacting to statistical outliers.
 

2. Identifying the 2–3 Metrics That Predict Your Team’s Success

Teams often win and lose in repeatable ways. Evan breaks down how programs can identify their own “keys to victory,” giving coaches clarity on what to prioritize in practice, scouting, and game planning.
 

3. Making Better Lineup Decisions (and Avoiding the Small-Sample Trap)

Learn why 30 possessions can reveal a spark worth exploring, why 100+ possessions create real confidence, and how lineup data—properly adjusted for opponent strength—helps avoid misleading results.
 

4. How to Read a Halftime Box Score with Meaningful Purpose

Evan shows which stat pairings matter most and how to judge whether a discrepancy is signaling a real problem or simply reflecting tempo and game context.
 

5. Prioritizing Defensive Outcomes: Threes, Rim, Free Throws

A clear breakdown of how these three areas interact, and why understanding your opponent’s tendencies can simplify what your defense should take away.
 

6. The “Kill Shot”: Understanding and Predicting Momentum Runs

Evan’s 10–0 run metric reveals why preventing opponent runs is more predictive of elite performance than generating them—and why the duration of a run often tells the real story.

7. Coaching the Moments Around Runs

From smart timeout usage to identifying schematic breakdowns, you’ll learn how to stop a slide early or create momentum without burning resources unnecessarily.

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

Episode Summary

In this episode, Slappin’ Glass sits down with Youngstown State Associate Head Coach Dwaine Osborne, one of the most consistently efficient offensive coaches in college basketball. Osborne — an eight-time Coach of the Year with a track record of leading the nation in effective field-goal percentage and offensive efficiency — opens the doors to his philosophy on building highly disciplined, analytically driven teams.

Across a wide-ranging conversation, Coach Osborne unpacks how he teaches elite shot selection, builds paint efficiency, and uses clarity-based concepts to help players make decisive first-touch decisions. He details why “life is math,” how he leverages PPP values to communicate shot quality, and why playing off two feet may be the most under-taught skill in modern offense.

The episode digs deeply into layup packages, Villanova footwork, decision-making progressions, and the balance between analytics and empowering confident, aggressive scorers. Coach Osborne also breaks down how he thinks about ATOs, why fewer plays lead to better execution, and how his program blends tagging-up rules, offensive rebounding, and transition defense into one integrated system.

Throughout, he brings humility, candor, and clear teaching language — making this an episode loaded with transferable concepts for coaches at every level.

What You’ll Learn

• How to Teach and Enforce Shot Selection
  Practical ways Osborne uses analytics (PPP numbers, film pauses, peer accountability) to build a team-wide understanding of shot value.
• Why Efficient Offense Starts With Player Strengths
  How defining each player’s “best value actions” leads to higher-percentage possessions and clearer roles.
• Developing First-Touch Decisions (FTDs)
  Methods to help players make decisive reads on the catch — not predetermined, but anticipated through clarity and structure.
• Building Paint Efficiency
  Why all layups are not created equal, how Osborne categorizes finishing packages, and how playing off two feet mirrors traditional post play.
• Using Concepts, Not Just Plays
  How his teams layer the same concepts (Denver, Flash, Laker, Wyoming, etc.) out of multiple alignments to stay unpredictable and comfortable in late-game moments.
• ATO Construction and Why Less Is More
  The philosophy behind keeping the ATO menu small, emphasizing execution, and choosing between attacking defensive tendencies or preventing them.
• The Tagging-Up System: Four Simple Rules
  A clear explanation of the “touch, top, no reckless crash, no advance” framework — and how it improves both offensive rebounding and transition defense.
• How to Balance Analytics With Player Confidence
  His approach to ensuring players feel empowered, not restricted, while still understanding efficiency and role clarity.
• Culture, Trust, and Prioritizing People
  Why recruiting for character and building meaningful relationships is foundational to executing an analytical system.

This episode is a masterclass in clarity-driven coaching, teaching with precision, and building efficient offense without sacrificing player confidence or freedom.

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

This week on Slappin’ Glass, we sit down with Justin Bokmeyer, Director of Basketball Operations for the Brooklyn Nets, to explore how great teams build sustainable, high-performance environments.

With a background spanning West Point, MLS Next, and the NBA Academy, Justin shares powerful lessons on leadership, systems thinking, and developing people-first organizations that thrive under pressure.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

• People Over Hardware: Why elite performance starts with hiring, aligning, and empowering the right people.
• Systems Thinking: How to connect decisions across departments to reduce silos and improve trust.
• Onboarding and Role Clarity: The overlooked key to alignment and long-term success.
• Decision-Making Frameworks: How Justin uses pre-mortems, decision journaling, and pushing decisions to the lowest level to build accountability and clarity.
• Military Leadership Lessons: Applying principles like shared mission, healthy ego, and accountability from West Point to professional sports.

🔁 Key Quote

Tune in to learn how the Brooklyn Nets’ Justin Bokmeyer blends leadership, decision science, and culture-building to create environments where teams can grow, compete, and sustain excellence.

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!

In this episode, Slappin’ Glass is joined by Ken Pomeroy and Jordan Sperber, creators of the course Basketball Analytics for Coaches. They dive into how data can sharpen decision-making, refine strategy, and help coaches think more clearly about how they play and teach the game.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

1. Rethinking Pace
Why pace isn’t just about speed — it’s about possession quality and efficiency. Learn how teams like UConn and Alabama succeed with drastically different tempos, and why coaches should focus on avoiding late-clock possessions instead of simply playing faster.

2. Offense, Defense, and What Really Wins
Is “defense wins championships” still true? Ken and Jordan explain why elite offense has become slightly more predictive of winning in today’s spacing-heavy game and the connection between pace and defensive quality.

3. The Real Story Behind Shot Selection
Discover why the best teams don’t always take the “best” shots — and how marginal gains, like trading a few long twos for threes or cutting out floaters, can create meaningful offensive improvement without overhauling your roster.

4. Using Analytics in Late-Game Decisions
From quick two vs. three, to foul or defend up three, to playing stars in foul trouble — learn how data can help coaches define their philosophy ahead of emotional, high-pressure moments.

5. What Stats Actually Matter
Ken and Jordan reveal which numbers predict success: two-point percentage and shot selection stability — not three-point streaks or halftime box scores. Coaches will learn what to track, what to ignore, and how to use numbers to reinforce team values.

🏀 Key Takeaway:

Analytics isn’t about replacing instincts — it’s about creating a framework to think better. Whether it’s pace, shot selection, or in-game strategy, data helps you coach with clarity and confidence.

To join coaches and championship winning staffs from the NBA to High School from over 60 different countries taking advantage of an SG Plus membership, visit HERE!