The Basketball Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Minnesota State University-Mankato head coach Emilee Thiesse joins the Basketball Podcast to share insight on National Championship motion defense and offense.

Emilee Thiesse has transformed the Minnesota State University’s women’s basketball program into an NCAA Division II powerhouse. Under her leadership, the Mavericks clinched their second NCAA Division II Championship during the 2023-24 season, breaking several team records along the way. Thiesse’s tenure boasts an impressive 228-116 (.662) overall record, with 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, and her teams consistently ranking among the top in scoring offense and defense. Minnesota State’s 2023-24 season saw them achieve a 20-2 conference record, their second NSIC Championship, and their first NSIC Tournament Championship.

Thiesse’s coaching prowess has been recognized with multiple accolades, including the NSIC Coach of the Year honor. The team broke several team records during their 2023-24 championship season, including games played (37), most wins (32, tied with 2008-09 season), points scored (3,069), field goal attempts (2,673), field goals made (1,146), field goal attempts (789) and free throws made (571). Along with the fourth-best scoring offense in NCAA Division II (82.9 ppg), the Mavericks also boasted a smothering defense that ranked second in steals per game (17.1), second in turnovers forced (28.05) and first in turnover margin (+13.11).

NBA Youth Basketball Consultant and Basketball Immersion founder Chris Oliver reflects on ten years of transformative basketball coaching and player development ideas.

Chris Oliver is the founder of Basketball Immersion, a leading resource for basketball coaches and players worldwide. Since 2014, Chris has been dedicated to sharing his passion for the game through innovative coaching methods, immersive videos, and insightful podcasts.

With a decade of experience in educating coaches, Chris Oliver has established himself as a trusted authority in youth basketball development. As a consultant for the NBA's youth basketball development programs, Chris Oliver works to shape the future of the game. He is also involved with the renowned Sierra Canyon basketball program, further solidifying his commitment to nurturing young talent. 

Through Basketball Immersion, Chris Oliver provides coaches with the tools and knowledge to enhance their teams' performance. His engaging content, including the popular Basketball Immersion podcast and in-depth video analysis, has resonated with coaches from grassroots to elite levels.

Chris's mission is to empower coaches, players, and basketball communities globally, fostering a deeper understanding and love for the game. Join the Basketball Immersion community to tap into Chris's expertise and transform your coaching and playing experience.

Guest: Fran Fraschilla, ESPN College Basketball Game and Studio Analyst

In this week's coaching conversation, ESPN College Basketball Game and Studio Analyst, Fran Fraschilla shares insights on trends in coaching, 3x3 and a passion to learn.

Fran Fraschilla joined ESPN as a college basketball game and studio analyst in 2003. Fraschilla has an extensive coaching background, having coached at the collegiate level for 23 years. His teams made eight postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournaments. He was the head coach at the University of New Mexico, St. John’s University and Manhattan College..At ESPN, he worked on NBA Draft coverage, the FIBA World Championships, as well as the NBA and high school basketball. He was also an analyst on ESPN’s NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball coverage from 2007-2014.

Fran Fraschilla had an impressive coaching career before transitioning to ESPN.

Manhattan College (1992–1996): As head coach of the Manhattan Jaspers, Fraschilla led the team to the NCAA Tournament twice. In 1995, the Jaspers pulled off an upset as a 13-seed, defeating Kelvin Sampson’s No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners. St. John’s University (1996–1998): At St. John’s, Fraschilla coached four NBA players, including Metta World Peace. His overall record with the Red Storm was 35–24.University of New Mexico (1999–2002): Fraschilla continued his success at New Mexico, posting a 55–41 record. His teams made postseason appearances, including the NIT and NCAA Tournaments.

In total, Fran Fraschilla’s coaching career spanned 23 years, with an overall record of 176–99. His expertise and insights now benefit ESPN viewers as he analyzes college basketball games and covers the NBA draft, particularly focusing on foreign players.

Breakdown

1:00 - International Basketball Growth

6:00 - Pick and Roll Basketball Techniques

13:00 - Five Out Offense and Big Men Passing Ability

16:00 - Effective Weak Side Actions

18:30 - Practice Design and Habits

25:00 - Coaching Techniques in College Basketball

28:30 - Offensive and Defensive Approaches

33:00 - Importance of Switching

35:30 - Difference of 3x3 vs 5x5

39:00 - Benefits of 3x3

46:00 - Family Involvement

49:00 - Coaching and Mentorship

54:00 - Conclusion

Fran Fraschilla’s Bio:

Bio/Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_Fraschilla

Twitter: https://x.com/franfraschilla

Chris Oliver / Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Lynne Roberts, University of Utah Head Coach

University of Utah head coach Lynne Roberts joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on smart box scores and bringing it to life in practice.

Entering her eighth season in 2022-23, the Utes' first NCAA Tournament since 2011, Utah has eight letter winners and four starters returning to Salt Lake City along with a talented recruiting class, including adding the 2018-19 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year to the squad. Heading into the 2022-23 season, she holds a 112-99 record at Utah and is 333-274 in her 20 years as a head coach.

Breakdown

1:00 - Modern Approach to Basketball

4:00 - Modern Offensive Template

9:00 - Smart Box Score

11:00 - Offensive Rebounding

13:00 - Taking Advantage

16:00 - Shooting Off the Dribble

19:00 - Don't Meet After The Game

24:00 - Evolution of Box Score

26:00 - Free Throws

30:00 - Turnover

35:00 - Decision Making

41:30 - Sit Down During Games

45:00 - Improve Turnover Percentage

48:00 - Conclusion

Lynne Robert’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynne_Roberts_(basketball)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/utescoachrob

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Rob Fodor, NBA Shooting Coach

NBA shooting coach Rob Fodor joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on rethinking how and what you teach about the shooting.

Rob Fodor is the long-time shooting coach of the Miami Heat. Formerly, he was a coach for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the head coach of the Florida Pitbulls of the ABA. He has played college and professional basketball both in the United States and abroad.

During his three years with the Miami Heat, the team has set numerous individual and team-shooting career-highs, both on a percentage and volume basis.

Coach Fodor has coached or taught in Norway, Germany, Spain, Singapore, Slovenia, the ABA, the WNBA, and the NBA. By being a teacher and clinician for over 30 years, Coach Fodor has acquired experience in communicating and reaching players of different types and levels.

Breakdown

1:00 - Concept on How To Teach

6:00 - Decision To Shoot

8:00 - Importance of Variability within Shooting

15:00 - 5 Words Explaining Shooting

18:00 - Central Programming Generator

18:09 - 18:51 - DR. DISH AD

24:00 - Question Asked on His Players

30:00 - Psychological Safety

32:00 - Lift of the Ball

37:00 - Energy Transfer

40:00 - Perception and Decision

43:00 - Simulate Skills

49:00 - Mix Drills and Guidance

55:00 - Vertical Drop

56:28 - 57:07 - JUST PLAY AD

1:00:00 - Goofy Shots

1:02:00 - Concept of Form Shooting

1:08:00 - Types of Quick

1:13:00 - Being Collaborative

1:18:00 - Conclusion

Rob Fodor’s Bio:

Bio: https://www.nba.com/heat/bio/rob-fodor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshootingguy

The Shooting Guy Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/theshootingguy/

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Dejan Milojevic, Golden State Assistant Coach 

Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on decision-making, rebounding, Jokić, and collaborative coaching.

After his 2009 retirement from a very successful professional career, Dejan Milojević became a head coach for Mega Basket of the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA). There, he coached future NBA All-Star and NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. Milojevic had a major impact on Jokic’s basketball upbringing and is one of Jokic’s role models. Some of the reads and passes Jokic makes today were originally taught to him by Milojevic, a Serbian legend himself and three-time Adriatic League MVP who helped Yugoslavia win gold at EuroBasket 2001

In 2021, he won Montenegrin League and Montenegrin Cup titles with Budućnost.

In addition to club coaching, Milojević had a coaching stint with the Serbian national team from December 2019 until September 2021, assisting head coach Igor Kokoškov.

Golden State Dejan Milojević was tasked with working with squad members playing closer to the basket that the team deploys in stretch four, power forward, forward-center, and center positions. For Milojević, that meant primarily focusing on Golden State's recently-drafted young center James Wiseman as well as their established squad players Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Milojević won the NBA championship in 2022 making him the second Serbian assistant coach (after Igor Kokoškov) to win an NBA ring.

Breakdown

1:00 - Jokić Quote

4:00 - Jokić Development

6:00 - De Facto Point Guard

8:00 - Connecting Skills and Decision

13:53 - 14:32 - JUST PLAY ADS

14:00 - Developing Passing

18:00 - Golden State System

21:00 - Game Situations

23:00 - Competition Within Practice

25:00 - Adjusting Small Details

28:00 - Small-Sided Game

33:00 - Beyond Passing

35:27 - 36:10 - DR. DISH ADS

37:00 - Coaching Philosophy

39:00 - Coaching Rebounding

42:00 - Decision-Making

45:00 - European Coaching

48:00 - Conclusion

Dejan Milojevic’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dejan_Milojevi%C4%87

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Becky Bonner, Orlando Magic Director of Player Development and Basketball Operations

Orlando Magic Director of Player Development and Basketball Operations Becky Bonner joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on service-based player development and basketball operations.

In her role with Orlando, Magic Becky drives the personal and professional development of the Orlando Magic players. She performs a wide variety of on-court and off-court tasks, including scouting and player evaluation, implementing facility upgrades, and service inspiring personal and professional growth to help players maximize their NBA careers on and off the court.

Bonner played basketball in college at Stanford University and Boston University before playing professionally in Europe. She has been on the coaching staff at the University of Maryland and the University of Louisville. She worked for the NBA as part of the league’s Basketball Operations International and was in an operations support role for USA Basketball and the national men’s team for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:00 - Coaching Development and Personal Coaching

6:00 - Openness

9:00 - Future Players

10:27 - 11:09 - Dr. DISH AD

12:00 - Skills Improvement

14:00 - Space Decision Making

17:30 - Defensive Concepts

19:00 - Celebrating The Process

20:30 - Top Tier Players

25:00 - College Experience

26:00 - Importance of Decision Making

27:51 - 28:29 - JUST PLAY ADS

28:00 - Complexity of Defense

30:30 - Veteran Lead Habits

33:00 - Loss and Learning

35:00 - Holistic Development

37:00 - Integrating Mental Skills

39:00 - Conclusion

Becky Bonner’s Bio:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-bonner

Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckybonner25

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Kentucky head coach Kyra Elzy joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on commit to it goals and being built different.

Kyra Elzy has spent more than a decade building the Kentucky women’s basketball program into a national power. For eight seasons she served as an assistant coach and an associate head coach for the Wildcats before being named the eighth head coach in program history in 2020. UK Athletics

In just two seasons as the head coach, she has crafted an unprecedented resume. Kyra Elzy became the first head coach in program history to lead Kentucky to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in their first two seasons. This past season Elzy led Kentucky to its second SEC Tournament title in program history, and its first since 1982, when it defeated No. 1 South Carolina. The national prominence of Kentucky women’s basketball over the last decade has been a direct reflection of Elzy’s leadership. Elzy helped produce the program’s first ever No. 1 WNBA Draft pick in Rhyne Howard, who was taken first overall by the Atlanta Dream.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

3:30 - Structured Scripted Time

5:00 - Winning Tools

7:30 - Defense and Three-Point Shooting

9:00 - Dominoes

14:00 - Top 3 Analytics

16:30 - Through Contact

18:00 - First Wave Concept

19:04 - 19:43 - JUST PLAY AD

20:00 - Pattern Defense

22:00 - Switch Horns

24:00 - Non Pattern

26:30 - Disruptive on Defense

29:00 - 2-3 Zone Stuffs

31:30 - Play and Survive

35:00 - Role in Loyalty

36:29 - 37:12 - DR. DISH AD

37:00 - SEC Tournament Final

40:00 - Special Segments of Practice

43:00 - Time Constraints

45:00 - Conclusion

Kyra Elzy’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyra_Elzy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ukcoachlz

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Max Lefevre, Minnesota Timberwolves Assistant Coach 

Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Max Lefevre joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on NBA core defensive concepts.

Originally from France, Max is going into his 4th season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Max has been a video coordinator and Player Development Coach. His focus is on player development, defense, and game prep strategy.

Before the NBA, Max spent 6 years with Chris Beard, from NCAA D2 Angelo State to NCAA D1 Little Rock and Texas Tech. Max Lefevre helped lead Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA National

Breakdown

1:00 - Best Defense

3:00 - Philosophy of Defense

7:00 - Heavy Nail, High Nail

11:00 - No Choppy Sets

15:00 - Off The Line Concept

15:50 - 16:32 - DR. DISH ADS

17:00 - Recovery 

19:00 - Arms Out First

23:30 - Accept Rotations

26:30 - Decision Making

29:30 - Verticality

30:08 - 30:46 - JUST PLAY ADS

32:00 - Breakdown Type Drills

34:00 - Cancel The Screen

37:00 - Stopping The Pistols

40:00 - Pursue

43:00 - Bigs in Presentation

45:00 - Fan Out to Shooters

47:00 - Screen Change

49:00 - Pocket Pass and Handoffs

54:00 - Conclusion

Max Lefevre’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Lef%C3%A8vre

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachlefevre

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com

Guest: Scott Roth, Tasmania JackJumpers Head Coach

Tasmania JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights coaching a new franchise with a lifetime of experience.

In the JackJumper's first year in the NBL, the team outperformed all expectations, finishing fourth in the regular season before defeating Melbourne United in the semi-finals, progressing all the way to the grand final, losing in three games to the Sydney Kings. Roth was also awarded 'Coach of the Year for his efforts in his debut season and won the faith of his team, fanbase, and the league at large. 

Roth enjoyed a playing career that saw him play 160 games in the NBA, as well as successful stints across Europe. He played games with the Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves. As an NBA coach, he served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, and Detroit Pistons, before a season each in Europe and the NBA G-League ultimately led to him joining the Perth Wildcats for their 2020 NBL championship campaign.

Breakdown

1:00 - Introduction

2:30 - Tasmania

5:30 - Team Building Philosophy

7:30 - Blank Canvas

10:30 - Around Younger People

12:45 - 13:23 - JUST PLAY ADS

14:00 - Figuring Out Who He Is

16:00 - Limitations of Being in the NBA

21:30 - European Influence

24:00 - Perimeter Type Attack

27:30 - Identifying Switch

30:00 - Butter Time

30:18 - 31:01 - DR. DISH ADS

33:00 - Scouting Reports

36:00 - European Type Defense

39:00 - Advance Scout

43:00 - Different National Programs

46:00 - Advice to Coaches

Scott Roth’s Bio:

Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Roth

Basketball Immersion

Website: http://basketballimmersion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bballimmersion?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/basketballimmersion

Facebook: https://facebook.com/basketballimmersion

Immersion Videos:

Check out all our all-access practice and specialty clinics: https://www.immersionvideos.com