Today's guest, Kevin Eastman, has spent over 40 years in the game of basketball, coaching and leading at the highest levels and studying why the best are the best.

His career includes 13 years in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics and LA Clippers, as well as serving as the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Clippers. He was a key member of the 2008 Boston Celtics coaching staff that captured an NBA Championship and has coached in two NBA All-Star Games.

In addition to his NBA career, Kevin served for 22 years as a collegiate coach (11 as Head Coach). Throughout his journey, Kevin has worked with some of the game’s most iconic players including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Steph Curry, Ray Allen, Kevin Durant and many others. 

After his coaching career, he's become a sought-after speaker for corporate groups and sports teams known for his practical wisdom and commitment to excellence. He’s also the best-selling author of Why the Best Are the Best.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

[12:07] — Memorizing vs. Internalizing for Learning

[19:17] — The 3 I's and Levels of Leadership

[25:51] — Memorable lesson from Jay Bilas

[36:28] — "Weeding the Garden" as an Assistant Coach

[43:49] — Self-Awareness and Knowing Your GAPS

[47:37] — Evaluating Yourself in the Offseason

[52:47] — Telling the Truth

[1:02:28] — Being a Quality Assistant Coach

More Resources from Kevin:

• Why the Best Are the Best -- https://www.amazon.com/Why-Best-Are-Powerful-Champions/dp/1642250252/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DCKLZTD7I0EC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ix3t3ZOKYL2_Dh11qjM5WhPRe2FwHJ3dOGZlXtG8zBTGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.AidyJPS-eEeLY11RaUgow-41p-xr0lr9Dfl36UR_Sn8&dib_tag=se&keywords=why+the+best+are+the+best+kevin+eastman&qid=1752441740&sprefix=why+the+best+are+the+best+kevin+eastma%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1
• Kevin's website -- https://kevineastman.net/

More Resources from Zach:

• For more practical tools and mindset stories, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Ever find yourself switching grocery lines, hoping for a faster one, only to end up more frustrated? In this episode, we explore what this experience can teach us about patience and performance. We explore the subtle ways we abandon systems too early, chasing speed instead of trusting the process. If you’re tempted to pivot too soon, this episode will challenge you to lean in and keep showing up. 

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Success can sometimes be a trap. When something works, it’s easy to keep going back to it even when the situation calls for something new. In this episode, we explore the Einstellung Effect, a fascinating glitch in human problem-solving that causes people to cling to familiar tactics long after their usefulness has expired. You’ll learn how to identify patterns that no longer serve you and how unlearning can become your greatest advantage. 

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

People will find a lot more growth in taking the stairs than they will riding the escalator. In this episode, we explore what it means to live with a 2% mindset and the willingness to choose discomfort when others choose ease. You’ll hear how something as simple as taking the stairs becomes a symbol for grit and growth. Drawing from Michael Easter's book,The Comfort Crisis, this is a call to action for those who refuse to coast. 

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Sometimes, the smallest things carry the deepest meaning. NBA All-Star, Kevin Durant’s choice to wear #35 wasn’t a random decision, but rather a tribute and a daily reminder of a piece of his purpose. This episode explores how to make your own purpose more visible and practical so it fuels you along your journey. 

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

This episode explores what it means to be the exception, drawing from General Manager Sam Presti’s leadership of the Oklahoma City Thunder. I break down two quotes from him, spoken over five years apart, and you’ll hear why repeating your vision and resisting shortcuts are key ingredients for sustained success. 

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Today's guest is one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of basketball. With 1,216 career wins, Tara Vanderveer ranks second all-time in NCAA basketball history. Over her legendary career at Stanford University, she led her teams to 3 National Championships, 14 Final Four appearances, and an unprecedented 36 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.

A 5-time National Coach of the Year, VanDerveer also made history on the international stage, guiding Team USA to a perfect 60-0 record and a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games, helping lay the foundation for what would become the WNBA.

Her journey began humbly as an unpaid graduate assistant and today she now stands as a two-time Hall of Famer (inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame). Beyond the wins, her legacy is defined by her integrity, a standard of excellence and an unwavering dedication to advancing women’s sports.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

• [17:51] Coaches set the example for their players
• [26:17] Learning from things off-the-court
• [28:36] Sharing analogies and stories with your team
• [33:11] Partnering with an executive coach 
• [37:25] Benefits of being coached in the last chapter of her career

More Resources:

• For more practical tools and mindset stories, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

In the final episode of the "Working In" series, we explore the fourth inner block: Limiting beliefs. You’ll learn why we can’t outperform our self-image and how to challenge thinking that hinders the perception we create for ourselves. You’ll also hear a real-life story of how one phrase shaped a professional athlete’s identity and, subsequently, his career.

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Your brain is a storyteller, but not all the stories it tells are true. In this episode, we uncover how interpretations (the stories and opinions we form about other people, events, etc.) can trap us in false realities. We'll discuss why awareness is the first step to dismantling these narratives and why the questions you ask yourself can be a valuable tool to re-write them.

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Your past doesn’t get to decide your future, but assumptions will try to convince you otherwise. In this episode, we examine how assumptions keep people playing small and living a life that is fear-driven. Whether it’s in leadership or everyday decisions, these subtle patterns can hinder our potential. I share a mindset shift that can help you "be a better lawyer" with yourself and start to challenge the assumptions that are ruling your life.

• For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
• If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/