HOOPS: To try to mold your players to your systems strengths (Majerus/Knight), or mold a system to your players strengths (Wooden)?
Posted By: Ultimate
Ute
Date: Wednesday, 20 March 2002, at 10:31 a.m.
There is more than one way to skin a cat.
That being said, John Wooden's used a model whereby he would analyze his players strengths and capabilities, and design and develop a system that would compliment them accordingly. One year he might use a double post game, the next he might implement a completely different motion offense. Some seasons he would use three guards, and the next a nearly full time full court pressing defense would become a major component of the teams court strategy. Throughout the years Wooden never seemed to have any personal pride of ownership or parochial bias to one system over the other. His overriding primary philosophy being, play to your personnel's strengths.
Majerus has had much success coaching D-I college hoops. Without question he has more experience with the realities of coaching college hoops than I, and more knowledge about X's and O's, but, he is not perfect. Yes, Majerus does in fact adjust his strategy at tiimes, but from the peanut gallery of row 37, not on the scope and scale that some successful coaches seem to do.
If I was a D-I coach, for whatever reason I might end up going down in flames, but I feel fairly certain I would try to implement the Wooden paradigm.
Your dichotomy is a little flawed . . .
Majerus' only uncompromising philosophy is defense. You don't play strong defense, you simply don't play. But Majerus is much more flexible than people give him credit for, especially on offense. At times some of his teams have pushed the tempo, and looked to get quick shots when available. At other times his teams ran a number of set plays outside of the motion offense, focusing on the talent of individual players. He ran a number of pick and roll plays with Doleac and Andre. And this year, perhaps more than ever, you saw just how much Majerus can adapt. He went from an offense centered around a low post threat to a motion offfense that maximized the strength of his team's ability to hit the outside shot. If Majerus is unwaivering, it is in the way he coaches defense, man - to - man, solid rotation and team defense, and playing the percentages. He rarely, if ever will play zone defense. Many people thought he should of used a little more zone this year but I think if he had this team would have beend drilled even worse on the offensive boards.
Just some thoughts.
LU
Re:Everything is relative, in 12 years the Utes have done relatively little:
- Full court press
- Zone Defense
- Full court running offense
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If you're saying any or all of the above are because it's the Majerus "style", that's exactly what I'm talking about. Wooden had no particular leaning or commitment to any particular style or dogma. Which is probably one reason why he was the greatest coach of all time.
Modern, Practical Basketball -- was the name of Wooden's book
And he has some very interesting things to say in it.
He had a 'preferred' method of play, but he did adjust according to his talent. He talks about recruiting Alcindor/Abdul-Jabbar, and the adjustments he and his staff made on offense. Another interesting part is the zone they came up with for particular opponents like Elvin Hayes and U of Houston.
The book was written quite some time ago, but even then he said he preferred a fastbreaking, uptempo style on offense because it was most pleasing to the fans AND the players, as long as he had the personnel to do it.
For all the fame placed upon Wooden . . .
don't underestimate the simple, important fact that he had by far the best talent of any team. Look at all the players he coached, it's unbelievable. By definition, when you have great talent you obviously will have more flexibility. I can't discredit anything Wooden did. The wins speak loudly about his ability. I'm just saying I don't necessarily see the level of distinction you do. Wooden, like Majerus, was more flexible on offense than defense too.
LU (By the way, good discussion)
: - Full court press
: - Zone Defense
: - Full court running offense
(P.S. all of those things take quick atheletes -- something Majerus has not had a great supply of. I think his Ball State team pressured teh basketball more than any Utah team to date. Also, I wouldn't characterize any of Wooden's teams as necessarily running offenses -- although at times they pushed the ball).
Re:my memory might be going
ut I really don't remember thinking that Wooden adjusted his style. His style was to recruit the kids who could play full court press. His style was to always get the best players in the country to UCLA. Kids from back East wanted to go west to play that style.
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