The Celtic's Assist, Young Stars at the Euros, and Manors Drop a Summer Collection with Victor Cruz.
Mazzulla and Guardiola share Coaching Ideas
The Celtic’s Got an Assist from Pep Guardiola
The Boston Celtics' head coach, Joe Mazzulla, drew inspiration from a prominent figure in Premier League soccer to secure victory against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
Mazzulla, acknowledged that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola played a pivotal role in shaping his strategies.
For those who don’t know Pep Guardiola, he’s won 38 Major Trophies as a manager in the top soccer leagues in Europe.
After the Celtics clinched the title in Game 5, Mazzulla spoke to reporters, highlighting how Guardiola's insights were instrumental in their approach to the transition game.
"Dallas boasts one of the most intelligent defenses … We had to think outside the box to overcome them." He further elaborated, "Pep [Guardiola] guided me on transitions and positioning the players effectively."
These comments underscore the cross-sport influence and innovative tactics that can contribute to success for those willing to look outside the box.
I like that this has been highlighted on a large platform because as a fan of both sports, I’ve always noticed the similarities that are more common than many people might think.
One example would be the triangle offence used in basketball that utilizes a fast, passing system and allows any player to become open for a pass, this can also confuse a defence and force mistakes.
In soccer, if you watch a game with a possession-based team like Pep’s Manchester City, it’s all triangles. Players will create these formations and constantly move the ball with lots of short passes, hoping to frustrate defenders and draw them out of position, creating pockets of space to exploit and attack.
I remember talking to former US national team, and Premier League soccer player Jay DeMerit who also played basketball at school, he said that many of the skills he learned on the court were easily transferable onto the soccer field.
It’s not surprising that Pep, one of the greatest coaches of all time, could share some useful insights at the highest level in another sport. I’d like to see more cross-sport dialogue among the elite coaches. I’d like to see what ideas NBA and NFL coaches might have when looking at game strategy in soccer.
If nothing else, it would make for a great conversation.
Young Stars: Euro 2024's First Round Stand Out's
The European Soccer Championships have got underway, and the youngsters have set it on fire. Pictured is 16-year-old Barcelona star Lamine Yamal who became the youngest player ever to record an assist at the Euros.
The future of soccer looks very bright, here’s my look at some of the most impressive young talents on the pitch so far.
MANORS: Taking Golf Style to New Fairways with Superbowl Winner
NFL Superbowl winner, Victor Cruz, has been recruited to support the latest lifestyle collection from British golf brand Manors. An Avid golfer, Cruz was a great choice working with Josh Denzel for a journey to the golf paradise of Cabot St. Lucia.
If you want to read more, here’s the article on Baller Golf.
Thanks for reading, David Skilling.
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