The Importance of the Set Point

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we break down one of the most undervalued but essential parts of the shooting motion: the Set Point.Matt and Dave discuss:What the Set Point actually is and why it mattersWhy Dave prioritizes it over other parts of the shot (like the dip or lift)How to train the Set Point in ways that help players improve consistency and accuracy under pressure📖 Read the supporting blog: Why I Prioritize the Set Point🎧 Want your question featured on a future episode? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role—and send it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we challenge one of the most common assumptions in basketball development: that form shooting is a beginner’s tool.Coach Dave explains:Why traditional form shooting may actually do more harm than good for young playersHow certain pros can benefit from form shooting—when it's done with the right intent and designWhat coaches can do instead to teach mechanics without over-restricting explorationWe also answer a listener question about female youth players and the use of lower set points, and how to help players without locking them into habits they’ll need to break later.📖 Supporting blog: Is Form Shooting for Pros?🎧 Got a question you want featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we dive into the concept of constraints — one of the most powerful tools in modern coaching and skill acquisition.Dave breaks down:What constraints actually are, and how they’re used in shooting developmentThe different types and intentions behind constraints (e.g., to afford, stabilize, perturb)A list of the most common constraints Dave uses with NBA players and youth athletes alikeWhether you’re new to the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) or looking to refine your application, this episode gives you real-world examples you can use immediately in your practices.📽️ Related video: The Sandbox Analogy Explained🎧 Want to have your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, then email it to: [email protected]

How I Work on Balance in a Player’s ShotBalance isn’t stillness—it’s control of energy through the shot. In this episode I break down four kinds of balance I coach, the habits that stabilize them, and how I periodize balance work across a week and a season.What we coverWhy balance matters: great shooters don’t eliminate motion; they direct it toward the rim and minimize negative energy.The four balance problems I diagnose: Static, Transitional, Dynamic, and Reactive—each demands different constraints and drill design. Habits that travel: feet outside hips, athletic posture, engaged core—used as tools inside movement-rich tasks, not as static positions. Designing practice with PoST: when I live in Movement Coordination Training vs. Skill Adaptability Training (MV/CT/TBT) vs. Performance Training, and how I move non-linearly between them. Towards the end of the episode we have a listener question. We close with Hammer Action showing the push drill on video—how to use external pressure to force better energy direction and quick balance recovery.Links & referencesBlog: ⁠How I Work on Balance in a Player’s Shot ⁠Blog: ⁠Periodization of Shooting Development (PoST overview with MCST, SAT-MV/CT/TBT, PT).

How I Work on Balance in a Player’s ShotBalance isn’t stillness—it’s control of energy through the shot. In this episode I break down four kinds of balance I coach, the habits that stabilize them, and how I periodize balance work across a week and a season.What we coverWhy balance matters: great shooters don’t eliminate motion; they direct it toward the rim and minimize negative energy.The four balance problems I diagnose: Static, Transitional, Dynamic, and Reactive—each demands different constraints and drill design. Habits that travel: feet outside hips, athletic posture, engaged core—used as tools inside movement-rich tasks, not as static positions. Designing practice with PoST: when I live in Movement Coordination Training vs. Skill Adaptability Training (MV/CT/TBT) vs. Performance Training, and how I move non-linearly between them. Towards the end of the episode we have a listener question. We close with Hammer Action showing the push drill on video—how to use external pressure to force better energy direction and quick balance recovery.Links & referencesBlog: How I Work on Balance in a Player’s Shot Blog: Periodization of Shooting Development (PoST overview with MCST, SAT-MV/CT/TBT, PT).

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we dive into one of the most polarizing shooting mechanics in basketball: the Dip.Once seen as a bad habit to eliminate, the pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction—some coaches actively teach it. But what's the science behind it? What are the trade-offs when players dip versus when they don’t? And how can coaches make informed decisions rather than rely on trends?Dave and Matt explore:What the dip does (and doesn't) accomplish from a physics perspectiveHow it fits within Dave’s Sandbox Analogy of shooting mechanicsHow coaches can help players explore the dip more intentionally and effectivelyPlus: we feature our first-ever listener question! Want to be next? Record a voice note with your name, location, and question and email it to: [email protected] blogs:The Physics of the Basketball DipExploring the Sandbox: Rethinking Skill in Basketball Shooting

In this episode, Coach Dave Love is joined by EuroLeague star and former NBA guard Kevin Pangos, who shares his evolving journey from elite player to aspiring coach. As Kevin prepares for life after playing, he offers a rare and thoughtful perspective on what great coaching really looks like—grounded in his firsthand experiences at the highest levels of the game.Together, Dave and Kevin discuss:The limitations of traditional coaching methods like explicit instruction and block practiceHow Kevin is beginning to form his own coaching philosophyThe powerful impact of concepts like functional movement variability and guided explorationKevin also shares how Coach Love’s Sandbox Analogy blog has reshaped how he thinks about shooting development—and how coaches can empower players without micromanaging.🎙 Want to submit a question for a future episode?Record a voice note with your name, location, and question, and email it to [email protected]

What is "touch" in shooting—and can it actually be measured?In this episode, Coach Dave Love breaks down a concept that has long been thought of as instinctual or unteachable: touch. Dave explains to Matt how the relationship between arc and velocity gives us the key to quantifying this elusive skill. By understanding how these two variables interact, coaches and players can begin to diagnose what touch really is, why it matters, and how to improve it.👉 For deeper understanding, follow along with the visual graphics in the video version of the podcast👉 Or dive into the blog: Quantifying Touch🎙 Have a coaching question for Dave?Record a voice note with your name, location, and question, and email it to [email protected] — your question might be featured in a future episode!

We’re back! In the Season 2 premiere, Coach Dave Love updates listeners on everything that’s been happening behind the scenes. From working with an NBA team, to beginning a Master’s in Skill Acquisition, and launching his new book ShotMetrics — there’s a lot to catch up on.Then we dive deep into what ShotMetrics really is. More than just a buzzword, it’s a revolutionary way to evaluate and develop shooting mechanics using measurable data. Dave breaks down how this framework can reshape the way coaches teach and players learn, and how it's already being used at the highest levels of the game.👉 Grab your copy of ShotMetrics on Amazon: ShotMetrics Book👉 Explore the blog on ShotMetrics: ShotMetrics Blog🎙 Want your question featured on a future episode?Send a voice note to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name, where you coach, and your question — we’d love to feature your voice in an upcoming show.

Join Coach Dave Love and co-host Matt Robertson on "The Coach Dave Love Podcast" as they delve into the evolution of form shooting practices in basketball. This episode revisits Coach Love’s signature form shooting drills—Isolation Drill, ABC, and Slow to Quick—and discusses their integration into a more dynamic and representative Ecological Dynamics approach.Episode Highlights:Explanation of Form Shooting Drills: Explore how Coach Love’s three key drills—Isolation Drill, ABC, and Slow to Quick—are designed but also how he uses them within an Ecological Dynamics Approach.Adaptation to Ecological Dynamics: Discuss the shift from traditional, static form shooting exercises to a Contemporary Form Shooting approach that incorporates real-game contexts and player decision-making.Definition and Benefits of Contemporary Form Shooting: Define Contemporary Form Shooting and discuss its advantages over traditional methods, including better skill transfer to games, increased adaptability, and enhanced player engagement.This episode provides insights into modern training techniques that can help coaches and players develop more effective and adaptable shooting skills, ensuring that practice aligns closely with game demands.