The Theory

The video below shows the positive intention of a team to work on playing off two feet, but here’s why a basketball drill like this completely fails to transfer like coaches think it does…

This post examines the impact of survivorship bias on basketball coaching, illustrating how practitioners often adopt methods based solely on the historical success of others while remaining blind to potential failures.

What is Self-Determination Theory? How to develop and build autonomy, competence, and relatedness in your players.

What is ecological dynamics and how is it connected to a constraints-led approach? 

Are there really optimal movements and techniques that can be drilled in closed environments and then brought out at the right time in the game?

Learn proactive strategies for handling resistance, uniting your program, and building trust with parents through evidence-based coaching approaches.

Are you searching for the best small sided games (SSGs) to improve your basketball practices? Want to replace boring, low-transfer drills with competitive games that actually develop player decision-making and in-game skills?

In this post, I’m sharing my top 5 favorite small-sided basketball games—designed to teach core concepts like closeouts, pick-and-roll, advantage creation, and transition offense and defense. These basketball SSGs are intense, purposeful, and built around real-game actions.

Whether you're coaching youth basketball, high school, or pros, these top small sided games will make your sessions more effective, more engaging, and more fun—for both players and coaches.

Let’s break down each game and how it can transform your practices.

This is a bit of a ‘catch 22’ scenario! While we make use of BRADs extensively at Transforming (original credit to Sefu Bernard), we don’t believe in having a list of external cues that are uniformal to every player. The reason is this implies that there is an optimal way for each player to shoot.

Defense often gets sidelined in player development, but it's crucial for overall growth. Coaches must prioritize defensive concepts alongside offense to prepare players for senior basketball. Activities like tag games and 1-on-1 drills can develop defensive skills, including footwork, ball pressure, help defense, close-outs, post defense, and verbal communication.

The Swedish Basketball Federation is among the first in the world to formally adopt an ecological approach in basketball coaching and player development. Drawing on insights from Mark O'Sullivan and Swedish coach educators, this article unpacks what that shift looks like in practice. If you're a coach or federation looking to move beyond traditional methods, this is essential reading.