A line I used often to my teams when I coached was “now we are playing Magic basketball” or something to that effect. I heard it a few times last season and it got me thinking, what is Magic basketball for someone who is new to the program? Below are my thoughts on how I would define Magic basketball and the concepts I would emphasize to get the team to play Magic basketball. The BIGGEST factor to get players to play “Magic” basketball is to hold them accountable to the concepts we are trying to teach them! If a player does not or refuses to do the concepts below, tell them. If they don’t respond to that, take them out and correct them again.

 

Offense

1. Moving the ball and making the extra pass. We can never tolerate players that ball hog and take bad shots. Hold players accountable to shot selection. As a program, we do not condone shots in which only one player touches the ball on offense in that possession. 

2. If you rebound the ball and go, you become a PG not a scorer. Too many players get the rebound, put their head down and try to go full court and score. Most fail every time because they are tired and well defended. Emphasize that once you rebound and go, you are the point guard looking to set up a teammate.

3. All teams should run plays and at least one should be a motion play. We should not be running isolation plays as a regular offense. These would be quick hitters and run occasionally, about 1x-2x a half. Isolation plays have 4 players standing around and do not help develop players and often lead to bad shots. 

4. Whenever a player hit 2 3s in a row on my teams, everyone knew to run a play or create another good shot for that player to get another 3 up quickly.

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Defense

1. Talking whether in man or zone.

2. Taking charges.

3. Rebounding

      a. 5 guys boxing out every possession.

      b. Guards not leaking out looking to score. Whether man or zone, guards need to rebound.

4. Sprinting from defense to offense to create easier scoring opportunities.

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Miscellaneous

1. Always hustling and giving maximum effort. Don’t settle for anything less than maximum effort.

2. Helping your teammates up when they are on the ground.

3. Positive and engaged on the bench.

 

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