Basketball is an ever-evolving sport. Likewise, basketball coaches should adopt the trends of times and be familiar with modern coaching techniques, in addition to the older ones. If you are a coach or looking to coach a basketball team, a thirst for continuous learning should be at the top of your traits. That is why checking out the knowledge on the best basketball coaching books today should be your priority.
With that being said, we have compiled these great basketball coaching books and divided them into tiers. Hence, we begin.
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Our Favorites for the Best Basketball Coaching Books
Because you are here, we assume that you’re probably new in the basketball coaching endeavor. Or maybe not. Regardless, it is vital to have all the bases covered and figure out what you need to know even before stepping on the court. With that in mind, here are the best basketball coaching books that are essentially must-reads for coaches of any level.
Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization by John Wooden
John Wooden is synonymous with “coaching success.” I mean, the guy’s contributions and achievements in college basketball are unparalleled. Nobody has replicated the 88-game winning streak or the 10 NCAA championships over a 12-year span, and probably never will be.That is why when he talks, you should listen, especially if you’re a basketball coach (or trying to be one). And if you are, you should consider his book How to Create a Winning Organization Wooden’s way of talking to you right in your ear.
What Makes it Unique:
- If there is one person qualified to talk about leadership, it’s Wooden.
- Gives you a wide-open window on how a coach could instill confidence and competitive fire out of the players.
- Full of Quotables that any basketball fan, especially a coach and motivator, would appreciate
Why Read Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization
- One of the best books you can read about leadership
- Very useful even outside of basketball. CEOs, business owners, and teachers could certainly draw inspiration from this book
- Learn about the 15 basics or fundamentals of leadership
Players First: Coaching from the Inside Out by John Calipari
There have been 13 lottery picks in the last 12 NBA drafts from Kentucky, and about a dozen others were picked in the first round. A handful was selected in the second round and are still part of NBA teams. What’s the reason why many young basketball players made their college stop as a Wildcat? It’s not actually a “What,” but “Who?” The answer is John Calipari.What Makes it Unique:
- Has a lot of nuggets and tidbits about NCAA rules
- Will teach coaches a lot about staying motivated and infecting your players with that same motivation
- Gives us a window into John Calipari as a person-- his values, beliefs, and leadership style
Why Read Players First: Coaching from the Inside Out
- Learn about the modern approach of coaching
- Unique insight from a top notch coach in a top notch college basketball program
- If you want to learn the subtle art of recruiting kids to play for you, John Calipari is your guy.
The Runner-Ups for the Best Basketball Coaching Books
Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Basketball by Keith Miniscalco
While Wooden and Calipari’s books equip you for the long haul, sometimes you just have to keep your approach simple. More often than not, that’s what you all have to do, especially if you’re just there volunteering to coach the local youth team. What will you do then? Worry not. This book got you covered.What Makes it Unique:
- Will teach you about fundamental skills, running effective practices, setting realistic goals, and reining in the energy of your young team
- A wonderful tool to get started in coaching
- Has a detailed approach and contains offensive and defensive drills
Why Read Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Basketball:
If you are trying to launch your coaching career at the lowest basketball level, then this is the best book that you may read. Just to be clear, by lowest level, I mean elementary or grade school basketball.
- Flee-flowing material and highly organized
- Perfect for first-time coaches in the youth and elementary school levels
- Helps young teams develop fundamentals
Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
Read an excerpt of this book, and you’re instantly hooked. That’s how good of a book this is. The only reason why it’s under the runners-up section is that it’s not necessarily a coaching book; it’s one of the basketball books from a great coach that may inspire someone to become a great coach someday.What Makes it Unique:
- If you’re a Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan fan, you’d certainly appreciate this book.
- You’d get a peek of the greatest basketball minds ever.
- As a coach or at least one that’s trying to be, you’ll learn what Phil Jackson’s 11 coaching secrets (or principles) are.
That is not to say that this book doesn’t have any shortcomings, though. I am not personally a fan of the concepts of Buddhism, Lao-tzu, and whatnot, and some of the stories drag on. His reflections on those Lakers teams felt a bit like a series of news articles, which isn’t good if you’re looking for something more profound.
Why Read Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
- Know Phil Jackson’s eccentric ways and insights that prove to be very effective in the pro level
- Learn how to manage egos from the assistants to players
- Lots of tidbits from the Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant teams
The Value Picks for the Best Basketball Coaching Books
Steve Kerr: The Inspiring Life and Leadership Lessons of One of Basketball
There is a reason why Steve Kerr is part of championship teams as a player and a head coach. His stint as a General Manager in Phoenix wasn’t so bad, with the Suns posting a 155-91 record and a trip to the 2010 Western Conference Finals. You can find out the things behind Kerr’s success in this Clayton Geoffreys book.What Makes it Unique:
- Unique perspective of someone like Kerr, who’s mostly a reserve throughout his career, and how that helped him become the coach that he is.
- Kerr’s military upbringing also brings an uncommon factor into his coaching.
- Could benefit not only coaches but for anyone who does executive work
- Steve Kerr is one, if not the only one, of the coaches under the Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson school of thought
- The book has a little bit of everything, pretty much like Kerr’s coaching style
- One of the free basketball coaching books you can find at Kindle Unlimited and Audible.
Leading with the Heart: Coach K
Mike Krzyzewski is one of the most successful college coaches of all time and the architect of three gold medal-winning Olympic teams. Needless to say, the guy is qualified to share strategies that worked so well for him, even beyond basketball.What Makes it Unique:
- Not too much about Xs and Os, but all about leading with love and respect.
- Because of the nature of the book, the “strategies” could be used outside of the locker room and the basketball court.
Why Read Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life
- If you have a chance to pick the brain of someone like Coach K, go for it.
- Applicable in all leadership areas, whether it’s basketball or business
How to Choose the Best Basketball Coaching Books
What Level of Basketball Coaching are You Looking For?
- High School. For high school basketball or lower, the youth basketball coaching books to target are the ones that emphasize fundamentals. Ideally, it should include basketball drills and strategies.
- College. Collegiate basketball coaches should instill confidence and should know how to get the best from their players. Therefore, the best basketball coaching books to look for at this level are written by great college coaches. Gladly, we don’t have any shortage of that. John Wooden, John Calipari, and Mike Krzyzewski have written great basketball coaching books, including Roy Williams, Jay Wright, and John Thompson.
- NBA. The NBA is a different type of beast. If you are already on this level, you probably know basketball than 99% of the population. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to widen your horizons by learning about the cream of the crop that came before you. Phil Jackson’s books and Clayton Geoffrey’s offer a lot in terms of basketball coaching personalities in the NBA.
What Areas of Coaching Are You Trying to Improve?
No matter how great a basketball coach you are, you can never be perfect in all areas. Leadership, for example, is one aspect of coaching that everyone should try to improve. And as a matter of fact, you may not want to only explore one facet of leadership. Should you be the “my way or the highway” type, or would you like to distribute leadership among the other coaches while reserving the right to make the final decision?In any case, we also do not have a shortage of the best basketball coaching books that tackle things about leadership. Again, books written by John Wooden, Coach K, and Phil Jackson contain a lot of wisdom about leadership.
Wrapping Things Up: Best Basketball Coaching Books
It’s no secret that if you want to learn something, reading about it is not a bad way to start. In coaching basketball, you must build on your knowledge by reading the best basketball coaching books you can get your hands on. Fortunately, there is an abundant supply of these, ranging from John Wooden to Phil Jackson and Clayton Geoffreys’ Leadership Lessons series. In addition to that, you may find free basketball coaching books for Kindle and Audible, so you can actually take in knowledge without having to pay a single cent.Did you find this helpful? You may also enjoy our other basketball gear reviews here.
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