The OJ Mayo Story

In the current issue of ESPN the Mag, there is an article which contends that OJ Mayo is misunderstood. I agree. I think the Lakers' tickets fiasco should have been a non-story. I, however, found the article ironic, as few articles I have written received as much criticism online and via email than did my article about the OJ Mayo saga when he was in high school.

Many felt my article slammed Mayo, much like when Mike Wilbon called him a punk on PTI last year. However, that was not my intention. Instead, I saw Mayo as an example of the problems with the youth development system, from the exposure to the celebrity to the shoe companies to the street agents.

In the article, I felt I portrayed Mayo more as a victim of circumstances and outside influences, as opposed to slamming him, as some reader contended. In fact, the only person I criticized was a Nike rep who said his allegiance was to Nike, rather than to the kids he coached.

I see the OJ Mayo story as a story of caution and an example of what we should try to avoid in youth basketball development. Not because Mayo is a bad kid or a bad player, but because he is misunderstood; because so many people have such a negative opinion of a freshman in college; because so many people know so much about a freshman in college; because he basically grew up in the national spotlight; because he has dealt with runners and shoe companies for nearly half his life.

Who knows how the Mayo story ends? He'll likely be a high NBA draft pick this year. The comparisons to Wade are lofty but he offers similar skills, though I do not think he will have the immediate impact of Wade. It will be interesting to see if Reebok signs him to an endorsement contract after spending so much time and money on his programs when he was in high school. He seems like a bright kid with a good future, but it also seems like his high school experience is a microcosm of what we should hope to avoid in the youth basketball development system. Maybe that's why he is misunderstood and why his story is a lightening rod for discussion.

Coaching Barefoot to Make a Difference

A couple summers ago, I went to Thessaloniki, Greece to direct some basketball clinics. Unfortunately, my luggage took a couple extra days to make the trip, so I was stuck in the clothes I wore on the plane: jeans, t-shirt and flip-flops. I did the first two days of camp in barefeet. While not a huge deal, as I wear flip-flops everywhere except the basketball court normally, coaching in barefeet really is inconvenient when you are used to wearing shoes. Demonstrating ball handling moves is far more difficult in barefeet.

On Thursday, I am going to coach in barefeet again. I did not lose my luggage this time. Instead, I caught a quick interview with IUPUI (Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis) Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Ron Hunter. He spoke about honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory by coaching barefoot in his game on January 24th at home against Oakland in order to raise awareness, money and shoes for the millions of kids who walk to school, play sports and live without shoes.

When I visited South Africa in 2001 and 2002, I conducted clinics with kids in barefeet. I attended a tournament at a school with two girls’ teams, probably 12-years-old, and each team had two pair of flip-flops which they shared with each other. The tournament was outside, on asphalt on a fairly warm day.

Since my visits, I have sent shoes to Africa through Hoops 4 Hope (South Africa). On Thursday, while coaching barefoot, I hope to raise money for Samaritan’s Feet, an organization started by Emmanuel (Manny) Ohonme.

Manny is originally from Nigeria and grew up very poor. He received his first pair of shoes at the age of 9 from a missionary, who also taught him how to play basketball. These shoes allowed him to run and play without getting hurt and helped him get better at sports, specifically basketball.

He started playing travel basketball during his childhood and eventually played high school basketball in Nigeria. Manny was blessed with the ability to play basketball at a high level and eventually earned a scholarship to play at the University of North Dakota - Lake Region.

While in school, Manny earned his bachelors and masters degrees. He had a chance to play basketball overseas, but he turned it down to concentrate on his education. After graduation, he spent ten years in the logistics business prior to starting Samaritan’s Feet.

Samaritan’s Feet was formed in 2003 and four years later over 500,000 pairs of shoes have been donated.

If you would like to support Samaritan’s Feet,

go here to donate money to buy shoes for a child in Africa.

Join with other coaches around the country and choose one Friday in February to coach your game in your barefeet, as part of Samaritan Feet’s “Funky Feet Friday.”

Finally, donate used, but well-kept shoes to Hoops 4 Hope (Samaritan Feet does not accept used shoes) Go here and scroll down to see how Hoops 4 Hope is trying to fill a van full of shoes to send to Zimbabwe and here to find information on how to send your old shoes to Africa via Hoops 4 Hope.

In San Diego, I am trying to find a location for a shoe drive. If you would like more information in San Diego, email this site and we’ll make it happen.

If you coach barefoot or sponsor a shoe drive, post your school here. I will send the high school or youth coach who posts here and raises the most shoes or money by the end of February one Great Ball Handling Made Easy DVD, 180 Shooter and Brian McCormick’s Hard2Guard Player Development Newsletter, Volume 1.

The Laker Bandwagon

I heard Greg Anthony yesterday say that the Lakers are the most dangerous team in the NBA as he cited, among other things, their depth. At the start of the season, nobody would have made such a claim. However, I was close:

There is not another team in the NBA who has as much depth, length, athleticism and versatility in the post...Very few teams have a player in Kobe's category. Of those who do, none has the depth of talent the Lakers possess.

I liked the Lakers' chances:

If he [Kobe] cannot elevate the Lakers into the top five by season's end, winning a play-off series against one of the other top teams in the NBA, then the Lakers should trade him. Realistically, how much better can the Lakers get?...The Lakers do not have enough to win the Western Conference this year, unless they build Bynum's confidence early in the season to establish him as the true third weapon and a dominant player on the inside, but they have enough to break into the power five and win at least one play-off series.

The Cross Over Movement

From Fran Fraschilla's ESPN Insider blog:

If you really care about the state of American basketball, check out thecrossovermovement.com Web site run by Brian McCormick, who has a great handle on how to improve basketball at the grassroots level. His blog is a must-read for all coaches who work with young players, and his book has some great ideas, as well.

Hard 2 Guard Player Development Newsletters, Volume 1

Throughout 2007, I published a weekly newsletter which I sent for free to anyone who emailed to subscribe (to subscribe, go here and fill out the form in the middle of the screen). After receiving too many requests to forward previous issues of the newsletter, I compiled them into a book, which is now available: Hard 2 Guard Player Development Newsletters, Volume 1.

Here is what some people have said about the newsletters:

Mike McNeill, Director of Coaching Development, Basketball BC:

“Each week Brian McCormick’s Hard 2 Guard newsletter includes ideas ranging from coaching strategies, athletic development, strength training, nutrition, skill development and basketball strategy. There is something every week for the coach seeking a greater understanding of how and what to coach in our game. Brian gives it to you in his ‘no-holds-barred’ writing that is both entertaining and educational. I highly recommend the Hard 2 Guard newsletter to anyone interested in coaching!”

Fran Fraschilla, ESPN Analyst and former NCAA DI Head Coach:

“Brian McCormick is slowly influencing the game of basketball in America, especially at the grassroots level. His insights on skill development are second to none. If you coach or, more appropriately, ‘teach’ the game of basketball, this book is a must-read.”

Dave Hopla, Washington Wizards Player Development Coach:

“I look forward to receiving my newsletter so that I can get new ideas, drills and information to implement into my workouts.”

Jeremy Russotti, Professional Trainer, 1% CLUB Basketball:

“Brian's newsletter is a great resource for all basketball players and coaches. It includes up-to- date knowledge of skill building, team strategy, psychology of sport, and strength and conditioning. All basketball trainers, coaches, and players will appreciate this newsletter, since these concepts can easily be looked past or neglected.”

Making Connections

Timothy Ferriss' blog had a post where he mentioned seeking out people he wanted to meet in order to learn from them. I have tried privately to connect with a couple people, but have had no luck. So, I decided to turn to the power of the Internet.

At the moment, the three people at the top of my list are:
1. Arnie Kander, Athletic Trainer for the Detroit Pistons
2. Tim Grgurich, Assistant Coach for the Denver Nuggets
3. Steve Clarkson, Quarterback guru

If anybody has contact information or can facilitate an introduction, email me. Thank you.