The Transforming Basketball Podcast

In this episode, George is joined by Coaches Jared, Tom, and Henry to reflect on their experiences at the Transforming Basketball Summer Camp. They share key takeaways around creativity in practice design, the use of constraints and small-sided games, and the importance of curiosity and collaboration among coaches. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to the coaches and overview of the Transforming Basketball Summer Camp 02:30 – First impressions and key learnings from the camp experience 05:00 – Rethinking practice design: creativity and "repetition without repetition" 07:30 – The role of curiosity in player and coach development 10:00 – Learning through collaboration and shared coaching environments 12:30 – Challenges of applying new ideas back with your team 15:00 – Gradual implementation: building buy-in and trust with players 17:30 – Increasing practice intensity and maximizing time on task 20:00 – Using constraints to guide decision-making and creativity 22:30 – Helping players become more expressive and confident 25:00 – The impact of small-sided games on learning and engagement 27:30 – Balancing structure with freedom in practice 30:00 – Creating a fun, competitive, and development-focused environment 32:30 – Translating camp concepts into real-season coaching 35:00 – Key coaching takeaways and mindset shifts 38:00 – Transformative Tip Join Transforming Basketball's 2026 Summer Camp in Italy. Exclusive training for players and coaches with world-class methods and expert guidance. Book your spot now: https://transformingbball.com/residential-summer-camp Level up your coaching with our Amazon Best Selling Book: https://amzn.to/3vO1Tc7 Access tons more of evidence-based coaching resources: https://transformingbball.com/products/ Links: Website: http://transformingbball.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/transformbball Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformingbasketball/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@transformingbasketball Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformingbasketball/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transforming.basketball

Dr. Craig Liebenson, chiropractor and movement specialist who consults for NBA, NFL and MLB teams and founded First Principles of Movement, discusses fixing movement patterns rather than just treating pain. He covers movement quality, injury prevention, integrating movement-based training into practice, gamified drills, variability in coaching, and training around injuries to maintain performance.

Dominik Teodoro, performance coach for Rasta Vechta who specializes in warm-up design and movement variability. He talks about turning boring routines into playful, skill-building games. Short, progressive tasks that spark quick thinking, boost engagement, and manage injury risk come up a lot. Practical warmup games, timeboxing, and using novelty and autonomy to keep players alert are highlighted.

Felix Engel, a professional youth coach and coach educator from Germany, focuses on mindset, awareness, and discovery-based learning. He discusses the inner game of basketball and why awareness drives development. He explores shifting from instruction to player-led problem solving. He outlines building trust, autonomy, and practice designs that encourage decision-making and curiosity.

Don Showalter, veteran high school and USA Basketball coach who led youth national teams to multiple gold medals and runs Snow Valley camps. He talks standards vs rules, keeping fundamentals alive, structuring high-energy practices, short soundbite teaching, small-sided games like 3-on-3 to expose decision-making, and building a culture with enthusiasm and humility.

Mfon Udofia, Long Island Nets head coach and former Georgia Tech point guard, shares coaching roots and a concise bio. He talks about making effort measurable with Winning Momentum Plays. He explains building accountability with Individual Development Plans. He breaks down teaching decision-making in a conceptual offense and the nuts and bolts of pick-and-roll strategy and defenses.

Mike Mennenga, longtime Oregon assistant and player development guru known for recruiting NBA talent. He talks about recruiting for motor and toughness. He explains conditioning through pace-based practice. He breaks down Oregon’s matchup zone, its purpose, and teaching principles. He stresses playing without the ball, communication, and one-on-one accountability.

Corey McCrae, a college basketball coach steeped in DeMatha and ACC experience, shares stories from FAU about roster turnover and learning to close games. He talks about building a person-first team culture, practical player connections like film and meals, teaching and defending the Horns offense, recruiting priorities, and developing leadership through responsibility.

Antoine Broxsie, former pro player and coach with G League and international experience, shares his coaching journey. He talks about using constraints-led, game-like drills, teaching and defending the Zoom action, and how global experiences shaped his adaptable approach to player development.

Luke Bonner, former Division I and pro player turned grassroots coach and marketing lead at Player Data. He discusses multi-sport benefits and when players realise they’re elite. He explains using soccer-inspired drills and wearables to boost engagement and decision-making. He covers load management, constraint-led games to teach fundamentals, and efficient off-season planning to keep kids healthy and motivated.