Coaching U Podcast with Coach Brendan Suhr

In this week’s episode Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Bob Starkey, associate head coach of the LSU women's basketball team. Drawing from his 42 years on the bench coaching in men's and women's college basketball, 6 Final Fours and a National Championship - Starkey shares the “controllables” that make great assistants—and great teams. He outlines the core toolkit for today’s assistants...

In this week’s episode Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by the newest member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - Billy Donovan, head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Coach Donovan shares reflections on his journey from his early playing days under Rick Pitino to leading championship teams at Florida and now coaching in the NBA. He explains how his definition of success has evolved, why relat...

On this week's episode we're giving you an inside look at the famed Larry Shyatt Clinic and letting you hear from one of the game's all-time great coaches, Phil Martelli Sr. Coach Martelli lays out a masterclass in practice design and time-on-task—he shares how to eliminate wasted minutes, build competitive habits, how to make every rep game-like, and things coaches should be prepared...

In this special episode we pay tribute to our dear friend, Coach George Raveling. George Raveling was a Hall of Fame coach, trailblazer, and teacher whose influence stretched far beyond basketball. The first African American head coach in the Pac-8, he led programs at Washington State, Iowa, and USC, and served as an assistant for the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic teams. Raveling spent decades shapin...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr shares an in-depth guide for how coaches can maximize the preseason with intentional planning, high-level teaching, and clear communication. Drawing on decades of coaching experience at every level Coach Suhr walks through the master planning process he uses with teams and coaches he mentors, helping them prepare for the upcoming season with structure and clarit...

We hope you enjoyed your Summer! Coach Brendan Suhr is back to ask you what you learned and share how he took advantage of learning opportunities this summer on episode 304 of the Coaching U Podcast pres. by Noah Basketball Noah Basketball is trusted by 28 NBA teams, over 200 NCAA programs, and more than 1,000 high school teams to deliver instant shooting feedback and in-depth analytics to help pl...

We're back with a special edition of the Coaching U Podcast presented by Noah Basketball as we're revisiting some of the best moments from 2 of our favorite podcasts earlier this year. Hear some of the highlights from Coach Brendan Suhr's conversations with Iowa's Ben McCollum and Coker head coach Nick Pasqua.. Both conversations are packed with great information, we hope you enjoy...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Carlin Hartman, Associate Head Coach of the 2025 National Champion Florida Gators. Coach Hartman takes us inside Florida’s run to the national title, sharing the values, adjustments, and relationships that helped propel their program to a 36–4 season and 12 straight wins to finish the year. He breaks down the impact of elite rim running, two-big lin...

In this week’s episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by bestselling author and leadership expert Jon Gordon to discuss his newest book, The Seven Commitments of a Great Team . Known for his work with top coaches and programs across all levels, Jon shares the inspiration behind the book, including personal stories from his playing days at Cornell and how the values of his late coach Richie Moran he...

In this week’s episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by ESPN’s Jay Bilas for our annual NBA Draft preview. As always, Jay provides detailed evaluations of several projected lottery picks, along with insights on under-the-radar prospects he believes can contribute to winning right away at the next level. He also shares valuable tips for coaches and players on the key traits that lead to long-term s...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Mano Watsa, President of PGC Basketball, to discuss how PGC has become a global leader in youth player development. Watsa shares the foundational principles behind PGC’s success, including training habits under pressure, empowering athletes to self-organize, and building culture through their SCHAPE values. He also details their unique teaching meth...

In this conversation, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Chris Oliver who discusses the innovative 'games approach' to coaching basketball, emphasizing the importance of decision-making and player development. He reflects on his journey in coaching, the evolution of coaching mindsets, and the necessity of creating practice environments that mirror real-game situations. This conversation highlights th...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Mike Martin, the all-time winningest head coach in Brown men's basketball history. Martin reflects on his journey from standout player to head coach at his alma mater, sharing the lessons he’s learned across two decades in college basketball. He discusses the evolution of the Brown program under his leadership, including their first 20-win season an...

This week on the Coaching U Podcast, Coach Brendan Suhr welcomes back Samford head coach Lennie Acuff . With 35 years of head coaching experience and a track record of sustained success at every level, Coach Acuff shares his insights on leadership, program building, and evolving with the modern game. In this episode, Coach Acuff opens up about his return to Alabama to take his dream job at Samford...

This week we’re joined by Hall of Famer Dick Vitale for a powerful conversation on leadership, passion, and perseverance. Dickie V shares the core values that shaped his remarkable journey—from high school coach to ESPN icon—and reflects on how pride, enthusiasm, and servant leadership have guided his mission on and off the court. He breaks down the characteristics of great leaders, the importance...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr dives into the first few games of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, sharing insights on what to watch for—and how to apply it to your team. He discusses the playoff preparation process, how elite teams target mismatches, and why some coaching decisions separate winners from the rest. Coach Suhr also challenges listeners with eight questions every coach should ask during pl...

In this episode, we share a segment from a recent clinic of ours featuring national champion head coach of the Florida Gators, Todd Golden. Coach Golden gives you an breakdown of his approach to using analytics and shares how his staff used analytics to build winning teams, both at Florida and previously at San Francisco. Golden covers several hot topics including their analytical in-game strategy...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr shares his insights on the first weekend of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments, breaking down the coaching strategies, standout performances, and trends shaping March Madness. All that and more on Episode 292 of the Coaching U Podcast, presented by Noah Basketball. Noah Basketball is trusted by 28 NBA teams, over 200 NCAA programs, and over 1,000 high school...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Drew Hanlen, NBA skills coach and bestselling author of Stop Bullshitting Yourself. Hanlen, widely regarded as the best in the world at what he does, shares insights from his journey working with elite NBA players, including Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, Tyrese Haliburton, and many more. He breaks down his coaching philosophy, emphasizing the importan...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by John Bloom, author of Strength in Numbers . Bloom shares the inspiration behind his book, which features insights from 108 coaches across various sports, including head coaches, assistant coaches, and strength and conditioning specialists. He discusses the impact of his 12-question framework, inspired by Tim Ferriss's Tribe of Mentors , to uncov...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Ben McCollum, head coach of Drake University men's basketball. McCollum, known for his unprecedented success at Northwest Missouri State with four national championships, shares insights into his transition to Drake, where he has led the Bulldogs to an impressive 26-3 start in his first season at the helm. He discusses the challenges of building...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr shares tips on how to finish your season strong. Whether you're a top contender or an underdog looking to make a deep run, Coach Suhr emphasizes the importance of strategic adjustments, maximizing player strengths, and focusing on situational basketball. He breaks down ways to rethink your approach—whether it’s tweaking your defensive schemes, optimizing lat...

In this episode Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Eric Musselman, head coach of the USC Trojans. Musselman shares his lifelong approach to learning and coaching, emphasizing the importance of constant innovation, adapting strategies from other sports, and evolving his X’s and O’s to stay ahead. He reflects on lessons from coaching in the NBA, G League, college, and international basketball, discussi...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr answers questions from our audience in our first mail bag of 2025. Coaches from all levels have submitted questions about practice habits, attacking various zone defenses, adjusting to the shot clock, handling adversity, and offseason player development plans. All that and more on episode 286 of the Coaching U Podcast presented by Noah Basketball! Noah Basketbal...

In this episode, Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Converse University head coach Nick Pasqua. Coach Pasqua shares his innovative offensive approach that provides a base structure for his players while also allowing them to play with freedom and make decisions on the fly, making them unpredictable and hard to scout. He explains in detail the nuances that make his offense unique, along with how he in...