Three Tips From The Coach Who Developed Giannis Antetokoumnpo

• By Grant Young

Giannis Antetokoumnpo is undoubtedly one of the NBA’s very best players. Yet, the “Greek Freak” wasn’t always this dominant. Prior to his two NBA MVP awards, eight NBA All Star appearances, and 2021 NBA Championship, Antetokoumnpo was nothing more than a raw, skinny prospect from Greece with freakish athletic ability and an eagerness to learn from an elite basketball player development coach. 

Then, after he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, Antetokoumnpo was paired up with Sean Sweeney. And the rest is history. 

Sean Sweeney is currently an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Prior to that, Sweeney spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Pistons and the previous four as an assistant with Milwaukee. During his time with the Bucks, Sweeney was Antetokoumnpo’s head trainer, and spent countless hours after practices to help the “Greek Freak” develop into the NBA player he is today.

In a 2018 article with The Athletic, Antetokoumpo said of Sweeney, “The killer mentality — he definitely helped me with that… Having Coach Sweeney for those years, he really helped me as a player and as a person off the court.”

In his ‘Everything You Can Learn from NBA Coach’ course, Sweeney details all of the major lessons that he taught Antetokounmpo, which helped him blossom into the player he is today. 

Below are three of our favorite tips that Coach Sweeney imparted, which you can use to ensure your players develop to the best of their abilities. 

Lesson #1: Fundamentalsps://coachtube.com/course_lesson/everything-you-can-learn-from-nba-coach/fundamentals/12834841">Fundamentals

Even though the NBA is full of players who are elite athletes and have mastered the sport, at the base of their respective games are fundamentals. Without having a proper fundamental base, no basketball player will be able to develop at the level they would surely like to. 

Coach Sweeney discusses one crucial fundamental tip that every NBA player must employ at all times: the triple threat. 

The triple threat is when a player on offense can do one of three things: dribble, pass, or shoot the ball when it’s in their hands. Being able to do all three of these things at once makes a player unpredictable on any given play, which keeps defenders on their toes. And when a defender is on their toes, the offensive player is afforded the opportunity to pack the first punch, so to speak. 

Another fundamental technique that Coach Sweeney is convinced all players need (especially big men) is the ability to set effective screens. He says that much of what makes a successful, well-rounded player — and what helps teams win games — are things that don’t necessarily show up on the stat sheet. And screens are a perfect example of this. 

Coach Sweeney says that an important aspect of setting screens is understanding where on the court the person you’re screening for needs to be. This will allow the screener to be in perfect position, and help their team succeed. 

Lesson #2: Teaching And Competingtube.com/course_lesson/everything-you-can-learn-from-nba-coach/teaching-and-competing/12834903">Teaching And Competing

Coach Sweeney explains in this section of his course that the best time to help a player develop is during practice. He then notes that the most important aspects of effectively coaching during a practice are, “slow and methodical. Clear and concise.” 

All coaching during practice should be about the player retaining the information that they’re receiving, so that that can put it into action during games. If they are being bombarded with tons of information at a fast pace, there’s a good chance they’ll retain little to nothing of what you’re trying to convey.

For that reason, it’s best to keep your coaching tips concise, and try to gauge whether your players are taking in the information you’re imparting by the looks on their faces. If they look engaged, you’re doing a good job. But if they look bored or confused, you likely need to slow down the flow of information.

“Knowing terminology and positioning is critical. Knowing fundamentals is critical,” Coach Sweeney says. He also notes that dividing up players into smaller groups within the practice sessions, rather than always practicing with the entire team at once, is an effective way to ensure that your players are engaged and making the most out of what you’re teaching them. 

Lesson #3: Building Relationshipstube.com/course/basketball/everything-you-can-learn-from-nba-coach/12698426">Building Relationships

Building relationships with players should be a core reason why any basketball coach does what they do. Yet, Coach Sweeney stresses that simply building a relationship with players isn’t enough. It’s building authentic relationships with players that will make a real difference, both on and off the court. 

According to Coach Sweeney, there are 5 main keys to building an authentic relationship with a player. They are as follows: 

#1 History - What are the significant things that have happened in their life?

#2 Highlights - What are the best things that have happened to them?

#3 Hardships - What are the tough times that they have been through to this point in their lives? 

#4 Hero - What people in their lives are important to them?

#5 Hope - Where do they want to go in life? What are their ambitions (not just in basketball, but in life)?

If you can answer all five of these questions about a player, it means that you have built an authentic relationship with them. 

And coach Sweeney alludes to the fact that it’s also important your players know these questions about you. In knowing more about you as a person, they will have more trust in your coaching methods, and will better listen to the lessons you are trying to impart. Them knowing how much (and why) that their coach truly cares about the sport of basketball and about molding young players into esteemed human beings can make all the difference in the world.