Episode 670 – Coach Chris Kreider, Georgia Tech
Chris Kreider returns to Georgia Tech 19 years after his first stint there, now an assistant coach under Scott Cross, and joins the show to talk about the craft of being a great assistant coach. Drawing on 20-plus years working for eight head coaches, Chris explains how staffs create alignment through clear roles and organization, […]
Episode 669 – The Culture Captain with J.P. Nerbun – Part 2
Every culture has problems — what separates the good ones is how they work through discomfort and adversity together. In part 2 with J.P. Nerbun, author of The Culture Captain, we explore how to lead yourself first, how to give and receive feedback, and why responsibility and self-awareness are the foundation of any healthy team. J.P. […]
Episode 668 – The Culture Captain with J.P. Nerbun – Part 1
In this episode, J.P. Nerbun joins TJ and Sam to talk leadership development from the inside out, built around his new book for athletes, The Culture Captain. J.P. explains why knowing yourself is deeper than a personality assessment, and shares his “peel the onion” exercise for helping a diverse roster uncover the shared values that hold […]
Episode 667 – The Separators That Win Seasons
View Preview↗ Every coach obsesses over their offensive and defensive systems, but TJ and Sam argue the real edges live in the details most teams neglect. Starting from an old Billy Donovan stat — that players hold the ball only 5-8% of the time they’re on the court — they break down how to teach, […]
Episode 666 – Blind Spots, Parents & Recruiting
TJ and Sam open the mailbag for a three-part conversation on the issues coaches wrestle with most. First, they explore self-improvement and blind spots — why identifying trusted voices, dropping the ego, and getting out of the weeds are essential to your leadership. Next, they get into parent culture: communicating expectations, consistent communication, and relationships […]
Episode 665 – Starting Every Season From Zero
A strong season starts with an intentional preseason, and this week Sam and TJ lay out the framework for getting it right. The most critical areas of coaching aren’t mastered in silos — every workout, every meal, every interaction is a chance to sharpen your culture for success. They share how to develop leaders, improve […]
Episode 664 – Coaching Staff Leadership
Staff leadership might be the most overlooked skill in coaching, and one of the toughest. TJ, Sam, and Lisa explore what it takes for an assistant coach to bring value and grow, and what head coaches owe their staffs in return. Along the way they tackle why communication sits at the root of nearly every […]
Episode 662 – Practice Design that Transfers to Games
What if your practices could build basketball IQ, sharpen habits, and raise engagement all at once? In this episode, Sam and TJ break down how to use a games-based and constraints-led approach to make sure what your team works on in practice actually transfers to games. They share specific games you can steal — from […]
Episode 661 – Developing a Mental Edge
Every coach preaches toughness and confidence — but how do we actually define and teach them? In this episode, TJ and Sam dig into the five mental components of a player’s mindset: approach, confidence, composure, toughness, and competitive greatness. You’ll hear the lion vs. sparrow mentality, the NATO principle (not attached to outcome), and a […]
Episode 660 – Situational Basketball Strategies
Was De’Aaron Fox’s blocked layup at the end of Game 4 a bad decision, or are we all just being couch coaches with the benefit of slow-motion replay? Sam and TJ use that exact moment — plus the late double team on Brunson and San Antonio’s third-quarter three-point barrage — to dig into one of […]