
Origins of Speed The Coach Who Invented the modern NBA 🏀
From Iconic Seasons | Hardwood History by Aaron Meyer
December 19, 2025 · 17 min
About this episode
This episode explores the origins of speed in the NBA, highlighting Coach John B. McLendon's revolutionary strategies.
Send us Fan Mail The NBA is faster than ever. Data shows players are running further and faster than at any point in history. But where did this obsession with speed come from? It started with a "jailbreak." In an era of peach baskets and standing still, Coach John B. McLendon introduced a radical system: press, run, and shoot in under 8 seconds. In this Episode How the 1944 "Secret Game" (88-44 score) foreshadowed the high-scoring blowouts of the modern NBA.Why McLendon's "full court p...
Topics covered
- NBA
- speed in basketball
- Coach John B. McLendon
- history of basketball
Keywords
- modern NBA
- press run shoot
- 1944 Secret Game
- high-scoring blowouts
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Secret Game
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