The Basketball Podcast

Cal State East Bay head basketball coach Bryan Rooney discussing his team's historic 33-1 season and their connecting style of play. Rooney explained how his team implemented the "tagging up" system where all five players engage in defensive rebounding immediately after shots go up, creating pressure defense and transition opportunities. He detailed how the system connects full-court and half-court defense, emphasizing that defensive engagement starts as soon as possessions are decided rather than waiting for specific situations.Bryan Rooney has won over 300 games and during the 2025-26 at East Bay, Rooney guided the team to a historic 33-1 record, a perfect 22-0 CCAA mark (first undefeated conference season in league history), CCAA and NCAA West Regional championships, and an Elite Eight appearance. For this performance he was named the 2026 Clarence “Big House” Gaines National Coach of the Year, NABC Division II National Coach of the Year, and CCAA Coach of the Year.Rooney discussed the importance of playing "complementary basketball" where offensive and defensive efforts support each other, and shared how they tracked metrics like corner touches and transition grading to monitor player development. He also explained how his coaching staff operated with defined roles, allowing Rooney to focus more on leadership rather than specific tactical decisions. The coach emphasized the program's focus on "transformative" player development and role clarity, noting that players were encouraged to understand their interconnected responsibilities rather than individual statistics.

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, Coordinator of Integrated Performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Thompson joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on integrating science, skill, and human connectionClayton Thompson serves as the Coordinator of Integrated Performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he sits at the cutting edge of professional sports science and player development. With a background as an R&D Engineer and a Master’s in Business Administration, Thompson is a vocal advocate for dismantling the traditional silos between "strength and conditioning" and "on-field skill." His philosophy is built on the belief that human movement should be treated as a unified system, rejecting the narrow label of "Strength Coach" in favor of a model that integrates biomechanical data, force-plate analytics, and technical skill acquisition.Before joining the Dodgers, Thompson refined his data-driven approach at Driveline Baseball, the industry leader in data-informed performance training. His career also includes pivotal roles at TCU (Texas Christian University) and Sanford Health, where he bridged the gap between collegiate athletics and clinical sports science. By applying engineering principles to the kinetic chain, Thompson has become an expert in optimizing rotational power and deceleration—concepts that are as vital for a pitcher's delivery as they are for a basketball player’s jump shot or step-back.

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, By Any Means Basketball founder Coleman Ayers joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on reengineering player development.Coleman Ayers is the founder of By Any Means Basketball, a global training and media organization dedicated to player development. Launching the brand as a high schooler in Washington, D.C., Coleman turned his passion for skill acquisition and research-backed training into a worldwide movement. After finishing his playing career at St. John’s College High School, he chose to forgo college basketball opportunities and moved to Miami, studied exercise physiology, and began working with players of all levels while building a reputation for blending science, creativity, and culture into modern basketball development.Coleman’s approach emphasizes holistic development—integrating psychology, movement science, and global basketball philosophies to create adaptable, high-IQ players. His DETAIL Miami facility serves as a hub for elite training, while his educational platforms, including the Attention to Detail podcast, share insights with coaches and players worldwide. Having worked with athletes in over 35 countries and collaborated with NBA talent, Coleman continues to push boundaries in player development. He is also the co-founder of ADAPT Academy.Both of his books, Deep Skill and the Modern Basketball Blueprint, reached number one in Amazon’s basketball category.

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, Grace College head coach Dan Davis joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on their NCAA single game scoring record.Dan Davis is the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Grace College, where he has established one of the most successful eras in program history. His coaching career spans over 200 total wins and includes both NCAA and NAIA coaching experience.Davis's teams are known for a high-octane style of play, achieving national statistical ranks in scoring offense and turnover margin. His aggressive approach led to the Grace College women's basketball team setting a collegiate scoring record in a 172–91 victory over Ohio Christian, which stands as the most points ever recorded in a single game by any collegiate women's team across NAIA, NCAA Division I, II, or III.During his tenure at Grace, Davis led the Lancers to the 2024 NCCAA National Championship, securing the program's first-ever national title, and was consequently named the 2024 NCCAA National Coach of the Year. The 2022–2023 season marked a significant breakthrough, as Davis guided the team to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time and set new program records for total wins (24), conference wins (13), and the longest winning streak (7). His commitment to player development is evidenced by coaching both the former and current all-time leading scorers in Grace College program history (Vironnica Drake and Maddie Ryman).Prior to Grace, Davis coached for 10 years at Auburn University-Montgomery (AUM). At AUM, he compiled a record of 157–139, led the Warhawks to two appearances in the NAIA Division I National Tournament, and was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.