Ganon Baker is considered one of the best basketball trainers out there today and is known worldwide for his clinics and also his best selling basketball DVD’s. Coach Baker started out coaching in college at the Division 1 level before eventually getting into player development. He has worked with multiple different NBA players, including being hired to be Amare Stoudemire’s personal trainer in 2008. Some of the other players he has worked with are Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
Ganon trains over 3,000 players a year and travels worldwide, helping players and coaches become better at the game of basketball. He also speaks to thousands of people a year as well when he does motivational speaking. All things considered, Ganon Baker has one of the best resumes that a basketball trainer could have. These basketball coaching clinic notes are the notes from when he spoke at the 2013 Coaching U Clinic.
Basketball Coaching Clinic Notes
“Create living trophies” – carry on and be winners in life
What you respect moves into your life; what you disrespect moves away from your life
Believes in solution-based basketball drills – players must always have to make an either/or decision in his workouts
Don’t be a puppet, be a player
Coaches and players must have a SWAG
- Skill
- Work Ethic – what you want to do, now get there
- Aptitude for Learning
- Game – how are you when the spotlight is on
Players who overestimate their talent – must tell them the truth
Players who underestimate their talent – catch them doing good, small victories
Workouts
- Cant be silent
- Cant be soft (mental more than physical; get outside your comfort zone)
- Cant be selfish
A losing gym is a silent gym
4 main dribble moves
- Crossover
- Between the legs
- Behind back
- Spin
Clear and precise talk on the floor
4 ways to shoot 1 step floater
- 1 step
- Slow step
- Quick step
- Ginobli/Euro
If they can’t do it, tell them to keep working on it
Works on finishing with pivot off 2 feet
- Step around
- Step-through
- Drop step
- Step away
Teach all players a move w a counter
- Off dribble
- Off cut
- Off finish
NEVER SAY WEAK – say “hand least comfortable with”
5 ways to get the ball to the man coming off pick and roll
- Step away
- Step-through
- Reverse pivot
- Behind back
- Hook pass – only if they are elite
Have an adult mind with a childlike heart – find ways to relate to players all the time
If you want a champion’s power, you must go through a champions pain
