My 2016 Reading List

In the tradition of lists from 2014 and 2015, here is my reading list for 2016.

The year started with the publication of my latest book, 21st Century Guide to Individual Skill Development. I tired of writing basketball/coaching books and decided to take a stab at fiction. I have written most of a pilot for a TV show, a reality TV show proposal, a documentary proposal, and have worked as a writer and researcher on another documentary. I also started an additional screenplay and a novel, in addition to beginning another instructional book. Consequently, I read more fiction and books on writing than I did basketball, strength & conditioning, or training books. Read more

My 2015 Reading List

Last year, I produced a list of the best books that I read in 2014, inspired by Verb Gambetta, and throughout the year, I have been asked for book recommendations (Of course, my first recommendations are the four books that I wrote in 2015: Fake Fundamentals, SABA: The Antifragile Offense, Fake Fundamentals Volume 2, and 21st Century Guide to Individual Skill Development). This year, I decided to publish the list prematurely in the event that people needed a Christmas present for their favorite coach, parent of an athlete, or athlete. Read more

My 2014 Reading List

Inspired by Vern Gambetta, I decided to put together a link of the relevant books that I read throughout 2014. Because I spent the first half of the year making five-hour bus trips for games nearly every Saturday, I had a chance to read a decent number of books this year (although nothing like Coach Gambetta), many of which contributed to my free weekly newsletter. The list is loosely in the order in which I recommend the books to a coach, although everyone’s interests differ. Enjoy. Read more

The 21st Century Basketball Practice

The game of basketball has evolved over the last generation, but basketball practices have changed very little during my 30 years in the game as a player, coach, clinician, and consultant. Today’s game more closely resembles the game that we played on the playground than the one that we were taught in practices. The 21st Century Basketball Practice is an attempt to modernize the youth and high-school basketball and catch up to the evolution of the game. Read more

Press Release: The 21st Century Basketball Practice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Brian McCormick, (916) 628-5134

Email: info@180shooter.com

PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL COACH WRITES THE BOOK ON BASKETBALL PRACTICE

“Tremendous amounts of learning occurred on the playgrounds and during pickup games for people of a certain generation, and players today often miss this learning to attend organized practices or sessions with a skill trainer. The 21st Century Basketball Practice attempts to reincorporate this learning that once occurred in unstructured settings.”

LAS VEGAS, NEW MEXICO, November 12, 2014 – Basketball has evolved over the last 30 years, but basketball practices have hardly changed, despite the increasing interest, research, and technology. Professional basketball coach Brian McCormick, Ph.D. (University of Utah, 2013) has combined his practical experience coaching everything from CYO to European professional basketball with his educational experience to produce a book that explains a modern approach to the basketball practice.

Rather than view the team as controlled from the top down by a coach pulling the strings, The 21st Century Basketball Practice approaches the team and the game as a dynamic system, like a swarm of bees, and uses a constraints-led approach to coaching and teaching skills. Whereas the traditional approach to coaching separates skills into blocks of shooting, passing, dribbling, and more, The 21st Century approach teaches through the game by manipulating the tasks. This approach maintains the important perception-action coupling that is vital to the execution of skills in a game.

Based on the latest research from motor learning and sports psychology, The 21st Century Basketball Practice is a practical book. Rather than list drills, it explains how to create drills to solve specific problems that may arise for a coach or team. Through this approach, the number of drills is limited only by the coach’s imagination. It addresses what to do and what to say at practice. The purpose is to demonstrate an approach that promotes better performance in games.

The 21st Century Basketball Practice is McCormick’s 17th book for basketball coaches. His books have been purchased in more than 40 countries. To purchase The 21st Century Basketball Practice, go here for Amazon Kindle, here for paperback, and here for an e-book (PDF).

McCormick is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact info@180shooter.com.

Developing Basketball Intelligence – An Amazing Book

I received the following email this morning:

Coach B.

I have to say that DBI is the best book I have ever read about coaching basketball. As a result of your book I have focused on teaching a few things such as ball handling, layups, spacing and defensive principals. My team has taken off. In the past our schools kids have been knocked around, but this year they are playing with more intelligence and savvy.

Dave

After a reply in which I thanked Dave and asked if I could share his email, he replied:

Sure thing. You can definitely use me as a testimonial. My name is David Lerch. Just so you know, our team over the last two years is 2-25. This year 4 games in we are 3-1 and our 5th and 6th graders who feed into the 7th and 8th grade team are 2-2 and playing really hard. Teams don’t want to play us this year. We have had two drops for next year.

Developing Basketball Intelligence is available as a paperback through lulu.com.

Also, for coaches looking to put Developing Basketball Intelligence into action, Playmakers Basketball Development Leagues feature a six-week, 12-session curriculum based on the concepts in DBI, and each participant receives a copy of Playmakers: The Player’s Guide to Developing Basketball Intelligence which is the player’s version of DBI.

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