Steve Dagostino

🏀 DEVELOPMENT @nba ➡️ Youth | NY | 2x NCAA All-American | Euro Pro | @USABasketball @usabjnt Court Coach 🇺🇸 | 🏀 Consultant: Coaches/Parents/Trainers/Players

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

Recipe for success every time you walk in the gym..

1. Compete
2. Be Engaged
3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

[Jack Donohue @JackDon3323]

I am blessed to receive a d1 offer to Penn State University! Thank you Coach Rhoades and the entire coaching staff for this great opportunity! #WeAre

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

ATTACKING THE SWITCH

Playing 1v1 guards vs bigs and vice versa is so important in today’s game bc of how many teams switch on defense.

Being able to quickly create space for your shot or get a paint touch against a switch means that you are keeping the advantage and able to play in dominoes.

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

WINNING PLAYERS HAVE THIS IN COMMON

They aren’t just great individually, they are great in a team setting as well. So many times we see a players individual talent, and think that makes them better than other players. In reality, individual talent with the ability to make others around you better is what makes talented players, winners!

Examples of that in this video - the BallHandler could have taken a tough paint finish against a 6’9” big, instead he keeps the dribble, gets a paint touch, draws 2, and finds an open teammate.
The receiver doesn’t just stand and watch, he redirects to space to give the passer a window, then makes a great run through for a quality shot that he is able to make.
Individual talent is great… individual talent that can be productive in a team setting is even better!

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

Why are people arguing about this?

Just watch a game and look at how people actually play defense - it’s a combination of sliding and running - and at the end of the day… do whatever version of that you need to stay in front of your man

What the hell is wrong with everyone?

[TITAN @TemooTitan]

Is this the correct way to play defense?

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

The CLA MOVEMENT

Constraints Led Approach in basketball development has been getting a lot of buzz on social media the last couple years.
From my perspective Constraints Led Approach is not a new concepts - when speaking with older coaches (and from my playing experience - using constraints are what the best coaches have done forever
I.e. no dribble constraints, 5 on 7 press break, advantage/disadvantage situations, etc.

So my question would be … is CLA new, or is the philosophy on going all in on CLA new?
#basketball

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 BASKETBALL

The hardest thing for American teams at any level of FIBA competition (besides maybe the rules, and ref disadvantage lol) is taking a set of individuals that haven’t played with eachother before and get them to play with shared energy, effort, and IQ

This clip is showing where American Basketball is going, and if you want to be the best of the best - you have to learn how to play within simple offensive concepts - otherwise at some point (college, nba,etc) your individual talent will not be enough

WHY THIS CLIP SHOWS SHARED IQ AND IS 🔥🔥

1. (The PG)is patient in the ball screen - simple concept with 2 players guarding him, he passes the ball to the open man (SIMPLE OFFENSIVE PRINCIPLE UNLOCKED)

2. (The Screener) recognizes the double and short rolls to space - but even bigger - they have the ability to PASS! Eyes up be a playmaker!

3. (receiver) recognizes the middle pass (we treat as a middle drive) and baseline cuts for an easy dunk - stars that can play in a team setting increase their winning impact (see Jalen Brunson in finals)

If our best players have the ability to play like this in halfcourt settings, we are going to be just fine!!

S/o to the coaching staff for building this in a short time!
Scott Fitch @CoachLoGalbo Frank Bennett

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

WHY DON’T MORE PLAYERS WORK ON THIS?

Offensive experts say that good spacing is the oxygen of any efficient and productive offense. Yet, I don’t see players working on spacing and reshaping the floor.

You would think that any 1v0, 1v1, 2v2, etc drills can easily work in perimeter movements, cuts, and relocation to help lock these concepts in to the players head.

Of course, players need the individual technical skill to put the ball in the basket, make plays, etc…. But it’s no surprise that the ones that have that technical skill and then really understand how to play in a team setting are the ones that figure out how to overachieve.

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

🥇🥇🥇🥇

[USABJNT @usabjnt]

THE 🇺🇸 #USABMU17 ARE THE 2026 #FIBAU17 CHAMPIONS! 🏆

🇺🇸 #USABMU17 x #FIBAU17

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

ANGLES ON FINISHES

The best finishers drive and find good angles that give them multiple finishing solutions. Leaving yourself 2-3 options to finish you become harder to contest at the rim.

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

PASSING VARIABILITY WITHIN PRIMARY READS

When working on attacking closeouts, the biggest variable players face in games is the pass. It plays such a big part in determining the receivers next move. Adding it in as a staple to 1v1 off the catch situations helps players train the game like scenario more efficiently

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

1v1 BENEFITS

Players definitely don’t play enough 1v1 - the more 1v1 you play the better you get at making primary reads and finding space for shot creation
BUT THR BIGGEST BENEFIT OF 1v1 …
Guarding the Ball! Having to guard a good offensive player with no help is crazy. The players that really sit in a stance and work on guarding without fear of getting torched in 1v1 will make huge strides for their season when playing 5v5

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

PG with handle and court vision 👀👀

[Massimo Ruz @massimoruz_]

June Jam Tournament Highlights. Full Video in YouTube: https://t.co/kNV71O2wdK

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

Run it back 📈

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Free agent sharpshooter Kevin Huerter intends to sign a three-year, $27 million deal to return to the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN. The Pistons worked through the deal with Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @PrioritySports on Monday.

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

BUILDING FIGHT

Each workout is a chance to build a specific development environment specific to a players needs. The best development coaches are experts at building these environments.

Sometimes tho, the player builds it for you. When they aren’t performing (making shots) at a high level, don’t bring energy, lack focus … it is a chance for the coach to hold them accountable - and more importantly for the player to learn how to ‘bounce back’ and right the ship.

If you think your players are always going to bring energy, be focused, play with max effort, you are kidding yourself. Having the standard, holding them accountable to the standard, and pushing them to limit bad days/games/halves/possessions is key!

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

3x3 TO EXPAND YOUR GAME

One of the best ways we use three and three for development is allowing players to expand their game and score in different ways and they might be allowed to during their season.

We still wanna focus on good shot selection, catch and shoot threes, finishes at the rim. However, we also want to push players to be able to create shots. Make contested shots, and find different ways to score the ball in the mid range.

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

DECISION MAKING IN TRAINING 1v1+1

This drill works on 2 levels for the offense.
1. the offense has to read how their defender is navigating the screen (over or under)
2. on the attack they have to read the help defender and find space for their shot

We want quick decisions and quality shots

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

SWISHES AND BRADS

My philosophy on developing shooters is that you have to find the balance of Consistent Mechanics and Being Adaptable. To me, all great shooters have some percentage of each of those in their shot - and it varies from shooter to shooter.

The one thing that great shooters do have in common - is how smooth their shot goes in the rim - when im evaluating or assessing shooters, I’m constantly watching to see how many swishes and brads they complete when making shots

P.s. how many game winners is the defense gonna let this guy hit!

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

USE YOUR STEPS

Players that have good size and length can instantly be better finishers at the rim when they learn how to use their full 2 steps at the rim

Here we are working on taking a bump and then covering as much ground as possible (in any direction) with our last 2 steps.

We also add in changing pace with the 2 steps to help maneuver around defenders and find different finishing angles

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

QUICK PICK UP

This works in 2 parts ..
1. For players that aren’t shifty and need to get better at selling their pick ups to get defender on toes, and also quickly get in to their shot

2. For players that are great with their pull ups to give them a live look instead of just repping shots

What’s the most important part of a quick pick up?

[Steve Dagostino @DagsBasketball]

My thoughts on this take...
1. There has never been more access to FREE RESOURCES for players from all backgrounds and skill levels. The truth is that paying for a trainer or high end aau program is for sure an easier way to develop - player shows up, is told what to work on, they do it, they get better (When they are with the best coaches/trainers). If you don't have that available to you - you can find the best information on training, basketball iq, etc. for Free on Youtube - but it will take effort and energy - it will also take energy and effort to then go outside and practice it on your own.
2. Not only do the best players not have to pay for AAU, Training, Development - At the high school level they are starting to actually GET PAID.

[dank @cptdankkk]

Draymond Green says basketball is no longer a poor kid's game: “It's a rich kid's game”

“I didn't learn how to do a proper individual workout till I got to college. Growing up I'm going to hoop. Where's the nearest run. Drop me off, I'll play all day. That's what we did. We hooped all day. I think there's a huge benefit to that because you just learn to see the game”

“It's different when somebody just putting you in a position to tell you to do this move. How do you use your creativity? How do you learn if somebody just say do this? How do you know what your game is if you never tap into it and just figure it out”

“I think there's a time and place for a trainer and I think with where the game has gone, you need those resources in order to be successful”

“I feel like basketball used to be a poor man's game. Poor kids played it. We were poor. We had nothing and it was our way out. Basketball is not a poor kid's game no more. Basketball is a rich kid game”

“The days of seeing LeBron James from Akron, Ohio, from a single mom, those days are numbered. Because if you don't have the resources these days, you can't make it. But that’s also why you don't see as great basketball as you did before, because there's no imagination”

“Everybody's doing the same thing, playing the same way. I think a lot of that is due sometimes to having trainers. You just become a carbon copy of somebody else the trainer created”