Hoops for Christ

5 THINGS I LEARNED TRAINING WITH AN NBA CHAMPION THIS WEEK…

This week I've been in Maui working the Just Hoop Maui basketball camp alongside a good friend, Cody, who also played professionally overseas with me in the Philippines. Cody invited me to train with Boston Celtics starting guard Derrick White — an NBA Champion and Team USA Olympic gold medalist. It was an amazing opportunity & opportunities to pray over him & other players/coaches always present themselves!

We trained together, played golf, shared meals, and I got to observe how he approaches his craft up close. I've played professionally myself and have been around high-level basketball for a long time, but I'm always a student.

I posted inside my "Point Guard Transformation" community but wanted to share this with you guys as well. Perhaps it will help with your players or program.

5 things from this week that I really want our young players to learn.
1️⃣ ELITE PLAYERS ATTACK THEIR WEAKNESSES
One of Derrick's specific focuses right now is becoming better with his left hand. And I mean SPECIFIC.
We emphasized:
🏀 Dribbling left
🏀 Passing left
🏀 Driving left
🏀 Finishing around the basket left
Even as an NBA Champion, he's still asking:
"Where can I get better?"
A lot of young players spend most of their workouts doing the things they're already comfortable doing.
It feels good. You look good. You make shots. But transformation happens when you're willing to intentionally attack the areas where you're NOT comfortable.
Don't hide your weaknesses in workouts. Expose them. Then develop them.

2️⃣ HOLD YOURSELF TO A STANDARD
This might have impressed me the most. Derrick didn't simply complete drills. He had a standard for completing them.
If he was supposed to make a certain number, execute something correctly or finish a drill a certain way, he wasn't quitting until he did it.
And sometimes that meant doing it while TIRED. That's where the mental side comes in.
Can you stay locked in after you've missed?
Can you execute when your legs are tired?
Can you maintain your standard when nobody would blame you for stopping?
There's a difference between:
"I finished the workout."
and
"I completed the workout to the standard."

3️⃣ PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS
At the highest levels, everything matters.
Footwork.
Angles.
Timing.
Pace.
Reads.
Finishing position.
Where the ball is protected.
How you come off a screen.
Derrick wanted to get things right, not simply get through them.
One of the Celtics assistant coaches was also with us and he films all the workouts so they could share things with their staff and catalog the drills.
He even broke down several of my ball-handling and finishing drills. That stuck with me too. These are NBA players and NBA coaches... and they're still learning. The best never stop being students.

4️⃣ CHARACTER MATTERS
This one wasn't about basketball.
I got to spend time around Derrick outside of workouts too — playing golf, eating together and hanging out throughout the week. What stood out was how humble he was. No superstar attitude. No need to tell everyone who he was. Just a good, high-character guy. And I don't think that's separate from the career he's built.
Young players, your talent matters.
But so does:
Are you coachable?
Are you trustworthy?
How do you treat people?
What kind of teammate are you?
Are you humble enough to keep learning?
Your talent can open doors. Your character has a lot to do with what happens once you're inside.

5️⃣ MAKE YOUR WORK EFFICIENT & GAME-SPECIFIC
This was another HUGE takeaway. There was very little wasted work. Derrick knew exactly what he wanted to improve and the specific actions and shots he needed to prepare for. Yes, we did some overloading on the nervous system with ball handling as he requested. But it all had purpose, not just fillers in the workout.
Instead of doing one drill, stopping, talking, setting up another drill and starting again, we could flow through 5–7 different shots and reads while constantly moving.
Pick-and-rolls.
Pin downs.
Ghost screens.
Cuts & reads.
Chase actions.
Finishes & floaters with the left.
Pull-ups fading left.
Catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Everything connected back to situations he actually sees in games. That's something young players need to understand: Training longer doesn't automatically mean you're training better.
And doing 25 different Instagram drills doesn't automatically mean you're developing.
Ask yourself:
What shots do I actually get in games?
What actions does my team run?
What decisions am I repeatedly asked to make?
What's the ONE weakness I'm trying to improve?
Then make your work intentional.

-Phillip Morrison
Basketball Missionary

3x3 League & Academy Opening Day is today! There is still time to join until we close registration this Friday 8/28. We’re offer the Preseason Academy & 3x3 League for grades 3-12 divisions.

Parents & Players please check your emails. Grades 3-5 will begin at 430pm today & Grades 6-12 at 630pm.

Info & Register at:

hoopsforchrist.org

How IDENTITY shapes how you Coach & Play...

“We dream a dream, we invent a glory, a legend in our own minds, and work our fingers to the bone to attain it.” — Baxter Kruger

What happens when basketball becomes more than something we do and starts becoming the thing that tells us who we are? We begin chasing an identity. Something we think will prove to others & ourselves that we're good enough, finally worthy of acceptance, finally respected & loved.

As players, we think: If I play well enough… if I get the scholarship… if my coach believes in me… if I become a starter… THEN I’ll be enough.

As coaches, it can look different: If we win enough… if my players perform… if people respect me… if I build a successful program… THEN I’ll know I’m doing a good job.

And underneath it all, we often find what I call the “Unholy Trinity of Basketball”:
❌ GUILT — I did something wrong.
❌ SHAME — Something is wrong with me.
❌ DOUBT — Maybe I’m not who I thought I was.

We start operating from the “I AM NOTS.”
I’m not good enough.
I’m not talented enough.
I’m not successful enough.
I’m not respected enough.
I’m not worthy of love.

But what if we stopped allowing basketball/sports to determine our identity and started playing and coaching FROM the identity God has already given us? Instead of constantly asking, “Who am I not?”, we begin discovering the “I AM” statements God speaks over us.
Loved. Chosen. Forgiven. Accepted. Free. A child of God.

That changes everything. You no longer need good performance to prove your worth. You're no longer a slave to performance based love or the Unholy Trinity of Sports. You’re free to play, coach, compete, fail, succeed and serve from a place of knowing who you already are.

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🔴 BASKETBALL MISSIONS COMMUNITY CALL
Friday, August 21 at 12PM EST
Topic: How Identity Shapes How You Coach & Play
🏀 Players, coaches, trainers, leaders and parents are welcome.

Join Phillip Morrison & Matt Sanders as they lead this time of community, devotional, prayer & encouragement. Come ready for a different kind of basketball conversation. We’re going beneath performance and into the heart of who we believe we are — and how that identity affects everything we do. We'll invite you to share as well!

Zoom Link inside community:
https://www.skool.com/jesus/about

🏀 LOUISVILLE POINT GUARDS — WE'RE BACK!

Our Point Guard Clinic + College Basketball Workshop returns Labor Day, September 7 with Phillip Morrison and former UofL & NBA point guard Joseph “Trey” Lewis!

Parents — does your player look good in workouts/practice, but when the pressure comes in games they rush, turn it over, lose confidence or become afraid to make mistakes?

That's exactly what we're attacking.

🔥 Handle defensive pressure & full-court press
🔥 Play with PACE instead of rushing
🔥 Make better decisions & playing confident
🔥 Create advantages to score & draw fouls
🔥 Become a FLOOR GENERAL
🔥 Gain the trust of coaches & teammates

PLUS, we're bringing players AND parents together for a special workshop:

🎓 HOW TO PUT YOURSELF IN POSITION TO EARN A COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP

This Confidence workshop will build identity & We'll cover what college coaches look for! Joseph played at 3 D1 colleges. We'll unpack recruiting & exposure, finding your role, how to standout and what young players can be doing NOW to prepare for the next level.

📅 LABOR DAY — SEPTEMBER 7

🏀 Grades 3–8: 12–2 PM
🏀 Grades 9–12: 2:30–4:30 PM
📍 Louisville, KY

🚨 TWO WAYS TO ATTEND:

OPTION 1 — $50 to attend

OR...

🔥 OPTION 2 — $33 if you join the Point Guard Community
Join our Point Guard Transformation Community for $33/month and your Sept. 7 Clinic + Workshop is FREE!

PLUS inside the PG community:
✅ 90-Day Point Guard Transformation
✅ Handling Defensive Pressure Program
✅ Weekly LIVE coaching + replays
✅ Personal Player Development Plan
✅ Film + Basketball IQ breakdowns
✅ Confidence training & workshops
✅ Complete training/drills library
✅ Community + accountability

Sign up & Payment:
$50 = Come to the event, Sign up:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog.php?owner=25532401&action=addCart&clear=1&id=2265280

OR

$33 = Come to the event FREE + get ongoing coaching, training and our complete Point Guard Transformation system. Sign up:
https://www.skool.com/confident-point-guard-5349/about

3x3 League Make-Up Night, and ALL current HFC league players are invited to attend!

Tuesday 8/11 Schedule:

🏀 5:30 PM — 3x3 League | Grades 2–5

🏀 6:30 PM — Skills Academy Training

🏀 7:30 PM — 3x3 League | Grades 6–12

✅Preseason Transformation Academy & Fall 3x3 League begins this weekend 8/16. Info & sign up:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/7906a498/?categories=Academy%20

Did you know basketball was created in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith to be a ministry? We share the origins of basketball story on our community call & 5 things about the game you probably have never heard!

This was a powerful call inside our skool community: Basketball Missions Community. The stories and testimonies at the end will blow your mind. Enjoy! Here's the youtube & skool community links.

Youtube video:
https://youtu.be/Y1_TIJDol08

Join our skool community here:
https://www.skool.com/jesus/about

The Hidden Truth: Basketball was Created to be a Ministry Did you know basketball was created in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith t...

This is a huge problem for parents of basketball players...

This has become one of the biggest heartbreaks I see every basketball season: A player gets cut.

They walk out of the gym trying to hold back tears. Parents don't know what to say.

Then comes the hardest part...
No real explanation.
No feedback.
No roadmap.
Just silence.

So parents are left asking...

❓ "What does my child actually need to improve?"
❓ "Was it skill? Confidence? Politics? Talent?"
❓ "What do we even work on now?"

Meanwhile, your son or daughter starts questioning themselves.

"I guess I'm not good enough."

Confidence disappears. Their love for the game disappears. They stop believing in themselves before the next opportunity even comes.

That's what hurts the most.

Not getting cut... But believing that one coach's decision defines their future & identity.

Here's what I've learned after working with thousands of players:

Most athletes don't get cut because they don't care. They get cut because they never had a clear development plan. They have potential but no direction.

They spend all offseason doing random drills, playing random games/tourneys instead of preparing for what coaches actually look for.

That's exactly why we created the **Preseason Transformation Academy**.

This isn't just another skills program.
It's an 8-week plan designed to help players:

✅ Prepare for tryouts with purpose
✅ Build real confidence before the season starts
✅ Learn to handle defensive pressure
✅ Improve basketball IQ and decision-making
✅ Become the player coaches trust when the game is on the line

Imagine your child walking into tryouts this year...

Confident.

Prepared.

Calm under pressure.

Knowing they've done everything possible to earn their spot.

That's a completely different player.

🏀 If your child is in grades 3-12 & is serious about making the team and becoming a player coaches trust, this is the time to prepare—not after tryouts are over. We start Aug. 16th

Bonus: $100 off this week
Bonus #2: Free entry into the 3x3 League ($299 value)

Sign up here:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/catalog/7906a498/?categories=Academy%20

10 Things Coaches Are Looking For at Basketball Tryouts 🏀

Hi Parents! School is starting soon, which means basketball season is right around the corner. Over the past 18+ years of coaching thousands of players, playing college & pro ball overseas... I've learned something that surprises many parents:

The players who earn the most playing time aren't always the most talented, they're the players coaches trust the most.

Talent matters.
But trust earns opportunities.

As tryouts approach, here are 10 qualities coaches are looking for that often separate players before the first game is ever played. Hope they help & please share them with another basketball player or family:

1. Great Body Language
Coach Phillip's Insight: Body language screams, it never whispers. Great players don't wait until they're playing to look confident. They walk into the gym with confidence, encourage teammates, make eye contact, and can bounce back after mistakes.

2. Communication
Coach Phillip's Insight: Coaches love players that use their voice! They trust players who communicate. Calling out screens, encouraging teammates and talking on defense shows leadership long before the stat sheet does.

3. Coachability
Coach Phillip's Insight: The fastest-improving players are teachable. They listen, make adjustments, and coaches love these players. They want to coach them.

4. Competitive Effort
Coach Phillip's Insight: Coaches can teach plays and skills. They can't teach effort. Sprinting, diving for loose balls, and competing every possession shows your child cares about winning, not just scoring.

5. Aggressiveness
Coach Phillip's Insight: Confident players don't play afraid of making mistakes. They attack opportunities, make decisive plays, and trust themselves even when the game gets difficult. This is something I have specialized in over the years because its becoming rare to see.

6. Basketball IQ
Coach Phillip's Insight: Smart players make the game easier for everyone. They recognize situations, make quick decisions, and consistently choose the right basketball play over the flashy one. It can be taught!

7. Leadership
Coach Phillip's Insight: Leadership isn't about being the loudest player. It's about serving teammates, emotional intelligence, setting the standard, high character and making everyone around you better.

8. Responding to Mistakes
Coach Phillip's Insight: Every player makes mistakes. Coaches pay attention to what happens next. Players that can recover quickly, stay composed, and move on to the next play really stand out.

9. Team-First Mentality
Coach Phillip's Insight: The most valuable players aren't always the leading scorers. They're the players who celebrate teammates, make the extra pass, and consistently put the team first. This is a coaches dream to find these players.

10. Consistency
Coach Phillip's Insight: Coaches aren't looking for one great play. They're looking for players they can depend on every practice and every game. Consistency builds trust, and trust earns playing time.

The Biggest Takeaway
Notice something? None of these are about having the fanciest dribble moves or being the best shooter or being the most athletic player. It's totally controllable & can be taught to young players.

They're about becoming the kind of player a coach can trust. A player who communicates. Competes. Leads. Makes smart decisions. Handles pressure. Responds well to coaching.

Those habits don't magically appear at tryouts—they're developed beforehand.

That's exactly why we created our "8-Week Preseason Transformation"! Our mission is to help players walk into basketball season confident, prepared, and ready to earn their coach's trust.

If you're in the Louisville area here's the details to join with our $100 discount this week only:

https://hoopsforchrist.wixsite.com/so/59P-3W0xi?languageTag=en


SHARE WITH A BASKETBALL FAMILY OR PLAYER!