The Player Development Blueprint · Complete course
Develop players who use their skills in games
A complete course for team coaches and individual trainers. 11 modules, 392 lessons and 250+ small-sided games for finishing, ball handling, shooting and triggers, plus how to build a plan for each player.
$499one-time payment
Or 3 monthly payments of $175. Lifetime access.
Used by club and high school coaches. Created by Alex Sarama, former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach.
Course language: English. Lessons and included materials are currently in English.
Real reviews
What coaches tell us
Rated 4.7/5The course Alex and the team at…
The course Alex and the team at Transforming was excellent. The information was very digestable and it covered very relevant topics related to player development.
Implementing the conceptual offense is…
Implementing the conceptual offense is true basketball. It puts the players in position to make decisions. Sometimes they make great decisions and other times they don't, but that is what learning looks like. This is the way basketball coaching needs to move.
Implementing the Constraints Led Approach
… Our statistical data comparing our first 11 games this year with the first 11 games last year are undeniable as we have increased our per game scoring by 12 points, our overall field goal percentage by 8% our 2 point field goal percentage has increased by 11% and our free throw percentage has increased by 23%. While last year we won 3 games out of our first 11, this year we have gone 5 and 6 with 3 games lost by a total of 5 points. …
Coach results
What changed when they coached skills through games
15-25
Winning margin in the last games of the season
“We lost games by between 15-40 points. In the last games of the season, the same games we won by 15- 25 points!”
Francois LubinoU9 and U11 coach, Basket Club Piégros, FranceOn the Transforming membership and campAll players
Strong and weak players both improved
“I started with traditional block training but nothing went well in games. Strong players dominated the ball and couldn’t pass. Weak players never scored and turned the ball over constantly. Using CLA activities such as 1v1 with guided defense and 2v2 with guided help defense helped all of my players develop individual and team basketball abilities.”
Put on a show
Against the teams that had blown them out
“The girls played teams they had been blown out by in late August and they put on a show! I had a group of high school girls that were dropped to the lowest AAU level by their respective clubs because they weren't "good enough". I took this group and partnered with another coach and we started training them using the Transforming CLA videos/education. Not only did I have parents saying this was the most impressive improvement they had ever seen but the girls had a blast!”
Why it works
Moves practiced against cones rarely show up in games
Two ball dribbling, cone drills and moves repeated 1-on-0 (with no defender) look tidy at practice. But a move only helps if the player knows when to use it, and with no defender there is nothing to read.
The course uses a constraints-led approach instead. You change the space, the rules or the scoring of a game, and players find the skill by solving the problem in front of them. Guided defense helps here: the defender gets a short list of ways to guard, and the offense has to read which one is coming.
Each player still gets a plan. A Player Development Plan (PDP) names what is holding that player back, then picks the games that work on it inside your team practice.
Free practice activity
Try one activity at your next practice
Every skill module is built from small-sided games like this one: a short game with a defender, plus rules you can change to make it easier or harder. Here is a finishing game to run this week.
Pairs at one basket with one ball. Both players start inside the smile, the arc under the rim where a defender can’t take a charge.
- 1
Smile 1-on-1
Play 1-on-1 inside the smile with no dribbles. Play keeps going on every make or miss. If the ball bounces out of the smile, either player can chase it down and bring it back in.
- 2
Change the scoring
The offense gets 1 point for making the defender jump and 2 points for a score. A block resets the offense to zero. You should see more pump fakes, and more fakes from the defender too.
- 3
Make it harder or easier
Change one rule at a time. Allow one dribble so players can create space with contact, add a 2 second shot clock, or swap in a softer or flatter ball. To make it easier, the defender holds a basketball, can’t block, or touches the lane line after every shot.
- Scoring
- 1 point for a score. Add 1 point for a stop so both players keep playing to the rebound.
- Rotation
- Play in 45 second bursts. The offense stays on offense for 45 seconds, then the players switch roles.
Inside the course
From the first lesson to a plan for every player
Start with why the games work, then move through the warm-up games and the four skill areas, then learn to build a plan for each player.
- 01
Learn what skill is
The Introduction and Theory modules cover what skill is, how players learn and how to use guided defense. Start here if the constraints-led approach is new to you.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ What is "Skill"?
- ▸ Introduction to Ecological Dynamics
- ▸ Using Guided Defense
- 02
Warm up with games
39 warm-up games, such as tag and dribble battles, so players are reading a partner or a defender from the first minute of practice.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ Partner Dribble Battles
- ▸ Shield Tag
- ▸ Tag Whole Team with Dribble Goggles
- 03
Work on the four skills
Adaptive finishing, ball manipulation, shooting and triggers (actions such as blast cuts, gets and the pick and roll that start an advantage). Most lessons are a game with a defender and the constraints you can change.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ 1-on-1 Advantage Start, Rim or 3PT
- ▸ 1-on-1 Guided Skate Exploration
- ▸ 1-on-1 Fly-By Shooting
- 04
Build a plan for each player
Learn to write a Player Development Plan, see worked examples for individual players, and watch full workouts and camp sessions that show the games in order.
- Sample lessons
- ▸ How to Create PDPs
- ▸ Staff Meeting to Create PDPs
- ▸ Small Group Finishing Workout
See all 11 modules and 392 lessons
The complete curriculum
Every module.
Every lesson.
Explore all 11 modules and 392 lesson titles. Select a module to browse its lessons, or search for a topic.
Full course contents, including resources and quizzes. Watch the four free preview videos above ↗
Modules 11
Module 01 / 11
Introduction
10 lessons in this module- Reframing Player Development
- Introduction to the CLA within Player Development
- What is "Skill"?
- Categorizing Skills
- Player Development Within Team Practices
- Rate Limiters
- Player Development Plans
- Shooting
- Degrees of Freedom
- Using Guided Defense
Coach reviews
In their own words
Ryan Josephson on the Player Development Blueprint
No matter what your players need to develop, there’s something in this course that’s going to help them.
Ryan JosephsonHead Coach, Camas High School, WashingtonMan I’m currently using your player development blueprint. That’s really a masterpiece! It’s so efficient and fun for players and coaches ...
Jonathan VanderlinckClub basketball, BelgiumIs it right for you?
Who this course is for
A good fit if
- You coach a team or train individual players, and you want to work on finishing, ball handling, shooting and decisions.
- You want to replace cone drills and 1-on-0 work with games that have a defender.
- You want a simple way to plan for each player, inside team practice or in a separate development session.
Not the right fit yet if
- You want a list of moves to drill with no defender. The course teaches skills through games with a defender.
- You want a short overview before a full course. Start with the Contemporary Player Development clinic, then come back. See the clinic ($39)
Not sure? Compare every resource and price.
Alex Sarama
- Founder of Transforming Basketball
- Head Coach of the WNBA’s Portland Fire
- Former Assistant Coach and Head of Player Development for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers
- Author of the Amazon bestseller Transforming Basketball
- Coach developer for multiple federations and clinician in 40+ countries
Alex Sarama has been featured in
Everything included
The complete Player Development Blueprint
- 11 modules, including the concluding quiz (392 lessons)
- 9 player development workouts
- 250+ small-sided games
- 150+ unique constraint variations
- All-access videos and PDP examples
- Email support
- Lifetime access, including updates
$499one-time payment
Or 3 monthly payments of $175. Lifetime access.
For courses and workshops, refunds apply if you’ve completed less than 30% of the content.
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Questions
Before you buy
Is this just a library of small-sided games?
No. The games are how each skill is taught, but the course starts with the Introduction and Theory modules on what skill is and how players learn. The PDPs module then shows how to choose games for one player, with worked examples and a staff meeting where the plans are built.
Do I need to read the book first?
No. The Introduction and Theory modules cover the ideas the games are built on, including guided defense and ecological dynamics (how skills come from a player reacting to defenders, teammates and space). If this is new to you, watch those two modules before the skill modules.
Some coaches say it moves fast. Where should I start?
Most skill lessons are short clips of one game, like the samples on this page. For the longer explanations, start with the Introduction and Theory modules. To see the games run in order, watch the nine workouts and the 99 lessons filmed at player development camps.
Is it for team coaches or individual trainers?
Both. One lesson covers player development within team practices, and the workouts include individual and small group sessions.
What if I have questions as I use it?
Email support is included, and you keep lifetime access to every lesson, including updates.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes. Pay $499 once, or 3 monthly payments of $175 ($525 total, USD). Select “Payment Plan” in checkout.
What if it isn’t right for me?
14-day money-back guarantee. If it’s not right for you, email info@transformingbball.com within 14 days of purchase and we’ll refund you in full. For courses and workshops, refunds apply if you’ve completed less than 30% of the content.
Give every player a plan that fits their game
Lifetime access to all 11 modules, 392 lessons, 9 workouts and 250+ small-sided games.