Loading video...

Video Failed to Load

There was a problem loading this video. This could be due to a temporary network issue or the video might be unavailable.

I’M DONE WITH ALL THE FAKE STUFF Real success requires real work, discipline, sacrifice, and resilience. My favorite thing about helping players develop is when they get that ‘OH SHIT’ moment. Typically this happens freshman year of college. When they realize their Instagram followers and ranking don’t matter. They... realize the recruiting honeymoon phase is over and that there are grown men that aren’t going to allow them to take their spot. For some special players, this doesn’t happen until they make it to the pros. Regardless, so many coaches + trainers in our country don’t do a good job of developing players to handle the ‘OH SHIT’ moment. These young kids grow up in a world of fairness… from offers, fake trainers, fake championships. Only thing we can do as coaches, trainers, parents…. Is try to provide value and honesty to players. The more people that do that, the bigger impact we’ll have.show more

Steve Dagostino

35,823 subscribers

35,657 views • 2 years ago •via X (Twitter)

Education Sports News & Politics

Anya Rossi• Live Now

Private livecam show

9 Comments

Coach Bishop2 years ago

“.try to provide VALUE and HONESTY to players.“ 🗣️We need to QUIT TELLING LIES TO PLAYERS, to get them to; - Transfer to your school - Play for your AAU Team - Commit to a level of college ball they are not equipped to succeed at. - Waste their time to continue “working out”

Dr. Jack_JL Sports2 years ago

Preach!!

Austin Hardiman2 years ago

More of a societal issue

Amyas Hall-Chiari 🇺🇸🇵🇦2 years ago

Well-spoken 👏🏾

Keith young2 years ago

1000000 percent

Unseen Gym2 years ago

Awesome to hear the truth!!!!!

cranky 29er2 years ago

So timely…it’s starts with decision to jump in the ocean or stay in the pool. Likely starter or 6th lady on an academic D3 or a preferred walk-on maybe scholarship Mid Major so 13, 14, 15. She is a grinder, but is it worth it ? She needs to decide her challenge. Tough call.

Scott Marshall - Father2 years ago

@julius187371 👂🏿👂🏿👂🏿keep building...💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿🧠🧠🤤

ricklaw2 years ago

I think a term is de-recruiting. The coach puts tough obstacles in front of the players to see if they can handle it. It’s especially tough for freshmen who were promised much but are starting as roll players in many cases.

Related Videos

Coaches Energy I often times hear players getting criticized for their energy and how they respond/act during games. I’ve started to realize, especially while coaching youth sports, that most players are going to take on the energy of the coach and sometimes the parents in the crowd. Personally, I’m trying to do a better job in training and coaching of putting some of my natural emotion aside and locking in one what I feel the players need at that moment. Do they need support, motivation, to be challenged, a sense of urgency. It’s tough bc our job as coaches/trainers is to get the best out of the players in the short term and long term. Sometimes our energy, words, actions don’t align with those 2 goals. Keep getting better!!

Coaches Energy I often times hear players getting criticized for their energy and how they respond/act during games. I’ve started to realize, especially while coaching youth sports, that most players are going to take on the energy of the coach and sometimes the parents in the crowd. Personally, I’m trying to do a better job in training and coaching of putting some of my natural emotion aside and locking in one what I feel the players need at that moment. Do they need support, motivation, to be challenged, a sense of urgency. It’s tough bc our job as coaches/trainers is to get the best out of the players in the short term and long term. Sometimes our energy, words, actions don’t align with those 2 goals. Keep getting better!!

Steve Dagostino

16,926 views • 1 year ago

Trainers would be well served to take a year and coach a team. Doesn’t matter the level. It will give them perspective on how difficult it is to manage players, parents, situations and how much outside noise can impact a team. They’ll realize that anyone outside of the players and coaches he’s that have a players ear can HARM THROUGH PLAYER AND TEAM if they continually plant negativity in the players mind. It helped me choose my words wisely with players and parents.

Trainers would be well served to take a year and coach a team. Doesn’t matter the level. It will give them perspective on how difficult it is to manage players, parents, situations and how much outside noise can impact a team. They’ll realize that anyone outside of the players and coaches he’s that have a players ear can HARM THROUGH PLAYER AND TEAM if they continually plant negativity in the players mind. It helped me choose my words wisely with players and parents.

Steve Dagostino

241,963 views • 2 years ago

A good message to all the “handlers” out there Let coaches do their job They aren’t holding your players back, & everyone wants the same thing If your guy is an NBA player, coaches want that for them too, and would love to have pros on their resume

A good message to all the “handlers” out there Let coaches do their job They aren’t holding your players back, & everyone wants the same thing If your guy is an NBA player, coaches want that for them too, and would love to have pros on their resume

Hoop Herald

75,482 views • 1 year ago

Do Trainers Take Too Much Credit?? The older I get, the more I understand that training is a piece of the puzzle for players or teams. Early on in my career I thought it was everything, and that a players success was my success. A players success is their success, and all the different people in their lives are there to hopefully help guide them. When I realized that, I became a better trainer because I realized I was serving them and not my own ego.

Do Trainers Take Too Much Credit?? The older I get, the more I understand that training is a piece of the puzzle for players or teams. Early on in my career I thought it was everything, and that a players success was my success. A players success is their success, and all the different people in their lives are there to hopefully help guide them. When I realized that, I became a better trainer because I realized I was serving them and not my own ego.

Steve Dagostino

36,675 views • 2 years ago

THE ANSWER TO ADAM SILVER.. Basketball is a simple game… the teams that dominate SIMPLE, have the most success. What Europe does extremely well for their players, is give them a SOLID FOUNDATION of understanding team basketball, give them freedom to build their Individual Skill, and make every game Meaningful Something. That Foundation is simple to teach, we don’t do a good job of it in America. In top of that, when players don’t do the little things, we don’t hold them accountable to them. When the best ones get to the next level where their talent/skill is even, they can’t get on the floor or impact winning bc of this. By sheer numbers we’ll always have Size/Speed/Athleticism and Skill to choose from. Build these players with Stronger TEAM FOUNDATIONS, hold them accountable to it, and you’ll build AMERICAN BASKETBALL. P.S. the reason this probably won’t happen is the same reason why people won’t watch this full 1:30 video… its boring

THE ANSWER TO ADAM SILVER.. Basketball is a simple game… the teams that dominate SIMPLE, have the most success. What Europe does extremely well for their players, is give them a SOLID FOUNDATION of understanding team basketball, give them freedom to build their Individual Skill, and make every game Meaningful Something. That Foundation is simple to teach, we don’t do a good job of it in America. In top of that, when players don’t do the little things, we don’t hold them accountable to them. When the best ones get to the next level where their talent/skill is even, they can’t get on the floor or impact winning bc of this. By sheer numbers we’ll always have Size/Speed/Athleticism and Skill to choose from. Build these players with Stronger TEAM FOUNDATIONS, hold them accountable to it, and you’ll build AMERICAN BASKETBALL. P.S. the reason this probably won’t happen is the same reason why people won’t watch this full 1:30 video… its boring

Steve Dagostino

412,194 views • 2 years ago

SIMPLE CUES ON DEFENSE It’s so funny, these are cues that I use with the young players that I coach and develop. So they are meant to be simple. There will be players/coaches/trainers/parents at higher levels that look at this video and think it’s dumb, or too basic. Yet when I watch bad defensive players/teams at the Pro/College/HS level … they can’t keep players in front, are late in rotations, and don’t finish possessions with rebounds. So idk, maybe this is just for youth players, or maybe it’s for everyone 🤷‍♂️

SIMPLE CUES ON DEFENSE It’s so funny, these are cues that I use with the young players that I coach and develop. So they are meant to be simple. There will be players/coaches/trainers/parents at higher levels that look at this video and think it’s dumb, or too basic. Yet when I watch bad defensive players/teams at the Pro/College/HS level … they can’t keep players in front, are late in rotations, and don’t finish possessions with rebounds. So idk, maybe this is just for youth players, or maybe it’s for everyone 🤷‍♂️

Steve Dagostino

16,104 views • 9 months ago

Coaching from the stands is disrespectful to … Your kid!! The best players can figure out solutions on their own, they don’t need help from the stands. Each game is an opportunity for players to learn how to do that. Yes, they will fail, but they will learn. And ultimately they will be a better player because of it. Shouting instructions from the stands only shows that you don’t believe they have the ability to make adjustments, and you aren’t good with failing so they can grow.

Coaching from the stands is disrespectful to … Your kid!! The best players can figure out solutions on their own, they don’t need help from the stands. Each game is an opportunity for players to learn how to do that. Yes, they will fail, but they will learn. And ultimately they will be a better player because of it. Shouting instructions from the stands only shows that you don’t believe they have the ability to make adjustments, and you aren’t good with failing so they can grow.

Steve Dagostino

60,231 views • 2 years ago

Max Levchin explains why B-players hire C-players The co-founder of PayPal and Affirm reflects on the famous Steve Jobs insight that A-players hire A-players, and B-players hire C-players: “It’s profoundly true. But there should be an asterisk explaining why this is true. And the reason for this is fear.” A-players love working with other A-players because they know it will make them better. They want other A-players who challenge them and will tell them when their work isn’t good. Most B-players are net positive too, but as Max argues, some are fearful and will say: “If I have too many B-players or A-players around, I will look terrible and it’ll be very obvious that I’m just not that good. So the way to fix this is for me to become a manager and hire a bunch of people who aren’t very good at all so that I’ll look like the tallest mushroom.” Max continues: “That is the real danger of B-players. Having people who are perfectly willing to do good work day-in and day-out is not the worst thing in the world. There’s plenty of things that A-players will turn their nose from because it’s just not that challenging. B-players are very good for that [type of work]. And a lot of B-players will over time grind their way to being A-players, so you’re investing in their future and they know it, and that’s also positive. But B-players who have fear of being found out are the ones you have to watch out for.” Source: Harry Stebbings 20VC Fund (Feb 2025)

Max Levchin explains why B-players hire C-players The co-founder of PayPal and Affirm reflects on the famous Steve Jobs insight that A-players hire A-players, and B-players hire C-players: “It’s profoundly true. But there should be an asterisk explaining why this is true. And the reason for this is fear.” A-players love working with other A-players because they know it will make them better. They want other A-players who challenge them and will tell them when their work isn’t good. Most B-players are net positive too, but as Max argues, some are fearful and will say: “If I have too many B-players or A-players around, I will look terrible and it’ll be very obvious that I’m just not that good. So the way to fix this is for me to become a manager and hire a bunch of people who aren’t very good at all so that I’ll look like the tallest mushroom.” Max continues: “That is the real danger of B-players. Having people who are perfectly willing to do good work day-in and day-out is not the worst thing in the world. There’s plenty of things that A-players will turn their nose from because it’s just not that challenging. B-players are very good for that [type of work]. And a lot of B-players will over time grind their way to being A-players, so you’re investing in their future and they know it, and that’s also positive. But B-players who have fear of being found out are the ones you have to watch out for.” Source: Harry Stebbings 20VC Fund (Feb 2025)

Startup Archive

18,864 views • 2 months ago

RECRUITMENT OF HS PLAYERS I always find it necessary to inform players and parents on the changing landscape of College Basketball and recruiting. There are layers to everything, Rick Pitino coming out the other day and saying they aren’t recruiting any hs players this year is significant bc it signifies a change in the landscape. Does that mean no HS players are being recruited, no… but when change happens at the top, there probably needs to be some change that happens below it. So HS players and parents really need to lock in and look how they are spending their time and money, as well as think seriously about what the new path to and of college basketball looks like!

RECRUITMENT OF HS PLAYERS I always find it necessary to inform players and parents on the changing landscape of College Basketball and recruiting. There are layers to everything, Rick Pitino coming out the other day and saying they aren’t recruiting any hs players this year is significant bc it signifies a change in the landscape. Does that mean no HS players are being recruited, no… but when change happens at the top, there probably needs to be some change that happens below it. So HS players and parents really need to lock in and look how they are spending their time and money, as well as think seriously about what the new path to and of college basketball looks like!

Steve Dagostino

19,690 views • 1 year ago

DOESN’T MATTER HOW SKILLED YOU ARE… IF YOU DON’T IMPACT WINNING! This is a big conversation I have with High School Coaches and parents. There are a lot of players that work year round on skill development but they don’t learn and/or be held accountable to the sacrifice, focus, energy, effort it takes to be a winning player for their team.

DOESN’T MATTER HOW SKILLED YOU ARE… IF YOU DON’T IMPACT WINNING! This is a big conversation I have with High School Coaches and parents. There are a lot of players that work year round on skill development but they don’t learn and/or be held accountable to the sacrifice, focus, energy, effort it takes to be a winning player for their team.

Steve Dagostino

20,733 views • 1 year ago

“I’m always going to make sure that our players are respectful. I’m always going to make sure that they know the history of the game. I’m going to make sure that they are always respectful to our opponents. When you do it that way, in return you have success,” Dawn Staley “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders,” Tom Peters

“I’m always going to make sure that our players are respectful. I’m always going to make sure that they know the history of the game. I’m going to make sure that they are always respectful to our opponents. When you do it that way, in return you have success,” Dawn Staley “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders,” Tom Peters

The Winning Difference

606,304 views • 2 years ago

🗣️ Mikel Arteta on if it's important to keep players from the academy: "Certainly. I mean, the players that have been raised in our system and they feel generally that love and that connection with the club, it brings something else. "There is no question about that, and we need to look after them in a really special way because they bring value that is very difficult to find. That's why, when we can, we want to protect those assets as much as possible, develop them and make them extremely important for the club." 🗣️ on sending players on loan to Premier League clubs: "I think those are individual cases. Those players have to be ready as well to compete in the Premier League and to play regularly. "The priority is to expose those players and give them minutes, you better agree that that's going to be the case, and how many clubs, teams, managers in this league can guarantee that that's going to happen to a really young player that probably hasn't had exposure. "If you find it, great, because that's the level that we want them to compete. But sometimes they need a different pathway. The beauty of this is that the pathway can be completely different and the outcome can be the same, and this is the magic of football as well."

🗣️ Mikel Arteta on if it's important to keep players from the academy: "Certainly. I mean, the players that have been raised in our system and they feel generally that love and that connection with the club, it brings something else. "There is no question about that, and we need to look after them in a really special way because they bring value that is very difficult to find. That's why, when we can, we want to protect those assets as much as possible, develop them and make them extremely important for the club." 🗣️ on sending players on loan to Premier League clubs: "I think those are individual cases. Those players have to be ready as well to compete in the Premier League and to play regularly. "The priority is to expose those players and give them minutes, you better agree that that's going to be the case, and how many clubs, teams, managers in this league can guarantee that that's going to happen to a really young player that probably hasn't had exposure. "If you find it, great, because that's the level that we want them to compete. But sometimes they need a different pathway. The beauty of this is that the pathway can be completely different and the outcome can be the same, and this is the magic of football as well."

Connor Humm

23,899 views • 1 month ago

Jalen Brunson shares what separates great players from good players. "One thing that separates great players from good players is their detail. They detail the little things." "Those great players, they really take pride in just watching film, watching what they eat, and making sure they're in the best shape of their life - just to get that edge." Little details make big differences. The greats obsess over what others overlook. "A true believer is just being able to believe in yourself, being able to believe in the process - that what you're doing is the right thing for you." "I have the answers to the test. They're in my back pocket. I just need to be able to study them and know that I'm gonna do well on the test." Preparation is confidence. When you've done the work, you already have the answers and know what needs to be done. It means living the details, believing in the process, and trusting your preparation (🎥SLAM)

Jalen Brunson shares what separates great players from good players. "One thing that separates great players from good players is their detail. They detail the little things." "Those great players, they really take pride in just watching film, watching what they eat, and making sure they're in the best shape of their life - just to get that edge." Little details make big differences. The greats obsess over what others overlook. "A true believer is just being able to believe in yourself, being able to believe in the process - that what you're doing is the right thing for you." "I have the answers to the test. They're in my back pocket. I just need to be able to study them and know that I'm gonna do well on the test." Preparation is confidence. When you've done the work, you already have the answers and know what needs to be done. It means living the details, believing in the process, and trusting your preparation (🎥SLAM)

Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness

22,868 views • 1 month ago

Nick Saban - Hiring Coaches & Program Culture/Standards Hiring Coaches - Character - Communication - Knowledge - Developing Relationships Program Culture/Standards - "You have to define the culture/standards for the players. So they know exactly what you expect from them." - "When they don't do those things, no matter what they are, you have to confront them. You have to show them that these behaviors that you're defining for them are actually going to help them accomplish the goals that they have." - "I think it's very important that you sit down players and know what their goals are. Everyone needs to have goals and a vision for what they want to do. They have to understand what they have to do to do it and they have to be willing to do those things. But they also have to edit their behavior to be able to do those things and they have to have enough discipline to execute it every day."

Nick Saban - Hiring Coaches & Program Culture/Standards Hiring Coaches - Character - Communication - Knowledge - Developing Relationships Program Culture/Standards - "You have to define the culture/standards for the players. So they know exactly what you expect from them." - "When they don't do those things, no matter what they are, you have to confront them. You have to show them that these behaviors that you're defining for them are actually going to help them accomplish the goals that they have." - "I think it's very important that you sit down players and know what their goals are. Everyone needs to have goals and a vision for what they want to do. They have to understand what they have to do to do it and they have to be willing to do those things. But they also have to edit their behavior to be able to do those things and they have to have enough discipline to execute it every day."

James Light

31,973 views • 8 months ago

Playing time is the ultimate motivator Every program has their non negotiables, and within the program each player has a certain role that they need to crush. A lot of players and parents struggle with the idea that you don’t get unlimited mistakes and chances. At some point, if you aren’t producing, you won’t be able to play. This will happen to 95% of players.. whether it’s for a couple possessions, for a couple games, or for a season. The real tell is the players ability to learn from it and grow!

Playing time is the ultimate motivator Every program has their non negotiables, and within the program each player has a certain role that they need to crush. A lot of players and parents struggle with the idea that you don’t get unlimited mistakes and chances. At some point, if you aren’t producing, you won’t be able to play. This will happen to 95% of players.. whether it’s for a couple possessions, for a couple games, or for a season. The real tell is the players ability to learn from it and grow!

Steve Dagostino

20,846 views • 1 year ago

"Society has gotten soft in a lot of ways... The real world is tough and cruel... I'm preparing my players for life." The teachers and coaches that impact lives the most are the ones who pushed you beyond your comfort level. The real world is tough; our job is to make sure our players are equipped to handle it.

"Society has gotten soft in a lot of ways... The real world is tough and cruel... I'm preparing my players for life." The teachers and coaches that impact lives the most are the ones who pushed you beyond your comfort level. The real world is tough; our job is to make sure our players are equipped to handle it.

Matt Lisle

56,362 views • 6 months ago

“We want players that motivate us as coaches. Motivate us to do even more than we do. Those kinds of players, they make coaching fun. Every minute from when they walk in the gym till they leave that day, they are an energy source for everybody,” Geno Auriemma I’m that player.

“We want players that motivate us as coaches. Motivate us to do even more than we do. Those kinds of players, they make coaching fun. Every minute from when they walk in the gym till they leave that day, they are an energy source for everybody,” Geno Auriemma I’m that player.

The Winning Difference

27,625 views • 1 year ago