Ben Johnson Style of Play Video

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4:51 min

then 6 min in question caught my attention the most

Q: what is the Ben Johnson style of play?

A: Winning style of play, it changes, it depends on your roster, ideally you want to play an exciting brand of basketball. Get up and down the floor, make shots, be skilled, have talent. The meat of my style is, a competitive nature, a little bit of nasty to you. you need to defend and know how to dribble and know how to shoot. at the end of the day, its going to be a style that wins, that's aggressive that's fun to watch, something that the state will be proud of.
 


A winning style. An exciting brand of basketball. Let's goooo!
 


I would hope we only recruit players that already know how to dribble and shoot 😂😂😂

I like the lunch pail mentality he’s speaking on.
 



Why? How many coaches would have said something much different. He's right about one thing: how you play does depend upon your roster.

I would hope he would build his roster around a specific style of play. Of course you make some adjustments depending upon the roster, but this really is starting to smell like a coach who is going to lack an identity.

I am probably biased, but I also don't love this answer without the following buzz phrases "spread the floor" and "positionless".

Obviously, he might have an identity as a coach and he might run a modern offense/system, but his answer made me nervous as those things don't seem to be a premium for him.
 

I would hope he would build his roster around a specific style of play. Of course you make some adjustments depending upon the roster, but this really is starting to smell like a coach who is going to lack an identity.

I am probably biased, but I also don't love this answer without the following buzz phrases "spread the floor" and "positionless".

Obviously, he might have an identity as a coach and he might run a modern offense/system, but his answer made me nervous as those things don't seem to be a premium for him.

Agreed, hope it's not the case but it sounds like it's something he is going to figure out.
 




I was looking for what a winning style of play meant. Nothing came up, but anything like the bottom sounds more detailed than "mean streak, gritty"


Offensive Basketball Strategy Offensive basketball strategies may include designed plays to a style of play. Teams tend to want to play an up-tempo fast break game or they want to slow the game down and get into their half court offense. Teams with athletic and fast players may want to play a fast paced game where they can take advantage of their speed in the open court. Other teams may feel they can excel in a half court game taking advantage of their designed plays, outside shooting, or post up play. The key to any good offensive strategy is passing. The ball can be passed faster and more effectively than it can be dribbled. By passing the ball around quickly an offensive basketball team can cause the defensive team to move and make adjustments. Enough good passes and eventually an offensive player will get a good open shot. One of the staples to most any basketball offensive game is the pick-and-roll. This is when one offensive player will stand in the way of a player defending another offensive player who has the ball. The player with the ball will then start to make a move. At the same time the player setting the pick will roll to the basket. The defenders now have to make a choice on whom to cover. They can often get confused and, in the confusion, either the player with the ball will have an open shot, or the player setting the pick will be wide open for an easy layup

Read more at: https://www.ducksters.com/sports/basketballstrategy.php
This text is Copyright © Ducksters. Do not use without permission.
 

I hope one of his assistants coaches jump shooting and rebounding. Not at the same time.
 

I would hope he would build his roster around a specific style of play. Of course you make some adjustments depending upon the roster, but this really is starting to smell like a coach who is going to lack an identity.

I am probably biased, but I also don't love this answer without the following buzz phrases "spread the floor" and "positionless".

Obviously, he might have an identity as a coach and he might run a modern offense/system, but his answer made me nervous as those things don't seem to be a premium for him.
You're overthinking it right now :) It was a press conference, and he's giving a generic response for the masses.
 

Agreed, hope it's not the case but it sounds like it's something he is going to figure out.
Or does it mean his style will depend on the roster? If he recruits well (getting the best players in the state) may not fit his style all the time. I like the fact that he is willing to change or morph to the roster.

A former Tubby player told me that Tubby was unwilling to change and told the players they needed to change because he was a winning coach and his system works. Well, we know how that ended up.
 



Or does it mean his style will depend on the roster? If he recruits well (getting the best players in the state) may not fit his style all the time. I like the fact that he is willing to change or morph to the roster.

A former Tubby player told me that Tubby was unwilling to change and told the players they needed to change because he was a winning coach and his system works. Well, we know how that ended up.
that's a good point. one thing i think about is when top recruits get interviewed, one thing that they will sometimes mention is "the style of play fits me" when they pick a school.

If Johnson is going to change his style of play based on the players, I'm curious how that will go over with recruits
 


I would hope he would build his roster around a specific style of play. Of course you make some adjustments depending upon the roster, but this really is starting to smell like a coach who is going to lack an identity.

I am probably biased, but I also don't love this answer without the following buzz phrases "spread the floor" and "positionless".

Obviously, he might have an identity as a coach and he might run a modern offense/system, but his answer made me nervous as those things don't seem to be a premium for him.
This is where it gets tricky. If you are going Wisconsin style- you can set that plan and run with it forever because it involves skilled players and has a lower threshold for athleticism. But if you want to play more aggressive ball, like an Alabama or Arkansas- you have a style you want to recruit to, but you may not be able to start out that way because you will get slaughtered by more talented teams.

Pitino came here looking to get out and run and press on defense and create havoc. You don't get to do that with Joey King at PF and Mo Walker at center. So he took shots at a bunch of 5 stars to run his style and he never got them. Then he took flyers on Dheidou and others and it didn't work. Then he actually got a class that looked like they might do it with Dorsey and McBrayer, etc., but then trouble came.

So if you want to play the kind of ball Johnson is talking about, I think you have to start out with hard nosed, dive on the floor muck it up basketball and then promise that you will play at a faster tempo as talent allows. We'll see who he can get but right now he doesn't have many guys that can shoot it at a high level - we know that.
 

This is where it gets tricky. If you are going Wisconsin style- you can set that plan and run with it forever because it involves skilled players and has a lower threshold for athleticism. But if you want to play more aggressive ball, like an Alabama or Arkansas- you have a style you want to recruit to, but you may not be able to start out that way because you will get slaughtered by more talented teams.

Pitino came here looking to get out and run and press on defense and create havoc. You don't get to do that with Joey King at PF and Mo Walker at center. So he took shots at a bunch of 5 stars to run his style and he never got them. Then he took flyers on Dheidou and others and it didn't work. Then he actually got a class that looked like they might do it with Dorsey and McBrayer, etc., but then trouble came.

So if you want to play the kind of ball Johnson is talking about, I think you have to start out with hard nosed, dive on the floor muck it up basketball and then promise that you will play at a faster tempo as talent allows. We'll see who he can get but right now he doesn't have many guys that can shoot it at a high level - we know that.

So a bunch of Brad Davidson types.
 

This is where it gets tricky. If you are going Wisconsin style- you can set that plan and run with it forever because it involves skilled players and has a lower threshold for athleticism. But if you want to play more aggressive ball, like an Alabama or Arkansas- you have a style you want to recruit to, but you may not be able to start out that way because you will get slaughtered by more talented teams.

Pitino came here looking to get out and run and press on defense and create havoc. You don't get to do that with Joey King at PF and Mo Walker at center. So he took shots at a bunch of 5 stars to run his style and he never got them. Then he took flyers on Dheidou and others and it didn't work. Then he actually got a class that looked like they might do it with Dorsey and McBrayer, etc., but then trouble came.

So if you want to play the kind of ball Johnson is talking about, I think you have to start out with hard nosed, dive on the floor muck it up basketball and then promise that you will play at a faster tempo as talent allows. We'll see who he can get but right now he doesn't have many guys that can shoot it at a high level - we know that.
I wonder if the style Pitino wanted to play works in the Big Ten. Teams are simply too good, and don't get sped up. I think Michigan State has a model that works well as they push the ball up the floor looking for a layup and then run the secondary break into their base offense. They play great, pressure half court defense. Illinois is similar now. I think this translates well into not having to have great athletes, although they obviously help. You can play fast, but under control. I just don't think the "havoc" type of defense and running will work in the Big Ten where teams are so well coached.
 

On the bright side...he didn't call it a "kick-@ss offense".
 

I would hope we only recruit players that already know how to dribble and shoot 😂😂😂

I like the lunch pail mentality he’s speaking on.
The focus only dribbling wasn't working...
 

I wonder if the style Pitino wanted to play works in the Big Ten. Teams are simply too good, and don't get sped up. I think Michigan State has a model that works well as they push the ball up the floor looking for a layup and then run the secondary break into their base offense. They play great, pressure half court defense. Illinois is similar now. I think this translates well into not having to have great athletes, although they obviously help. You can play fast, but under control. I just don't think the "havoc" type of defense and running will work in the Big Ten where teams are so well coached.
I agree. I think Pitino had a mistaken impression of being able to do it and he believed he could recruit the guys that would. Obviously he couldn't and didn't. MSU/Illinois that's fun basketball but we have a ways to go to get there. We had some talent this year but certainly not Illinois level talent.
 

I agree. I think Pitino had a mistaken impression of being able to do it and he believed he could recruit the guys that would. Obviously he couldn't and didn't. MSU/Illinois that's fun basketball but we have a ways to go to get there. We had some talent this year but certainly not Illinois level talent.
Correct, but I don't think you need that level of talent to play that style well. I think there was the talent to play that style, but it requires discipline and consistency on both sides of the ball which Pitino's teams consistently lacked. That's one thing I want to see from Ben Johnson, consistency in holding the team accountable to playing sound basketball. If a kid takes two dumb shots in a row, sit them down. If a kid makes a lazy turnover, sit them down. If they lose their man on defense because they're watching the ball, sit them down. We just made the same mistakes over and over.
 

Correct, but I don't think you need that level of talent to play that style well. I think there was the talent to play that style, but it requires discipline and consistency on both sides of the ball which Pitino's teams consistently lacked. That's one thing I want to see from Ben Johnson, consistency in holding the team accountable to playing sound basketball. If a kid takes two dumb shots in a row, sit them down. If a kid makes a lazy turnover, sit them down. If they lose their man on defense because they're watching the ball, sit them down. We just made the same mistakes over and over.
Pitino was that way but with only certain players, other players had no leash. It was really baffling.

one thing also is that the B1G hasnt done well in the tourney for a long time, B1G teams get beat by lower seeded teams and teams with different styles. Obviously it would be amazing to consistently be in the tourney like a wisconsin or iowa, but long term is there a style that would also allows us to go deep in the tourney once we get there
 

it’s not Highschool where you don’t always know what type of talent you’ll have from year to year. So you don’t have to have a concrete set system although it’s helpful. But for college? You absolutely need a system/identity. You need to recruit players who fit that system. And have a system to show recruits how they’d fit into it. I wasn’t a fan of the answer either. I took it as not having a system in mind. Worries me. You don’t recruit kids to your school telling them as their coach/leader I’ll form my system towards you. No it’s we have a system in place where we feel your game fits and puts you in a position to succeed as a player and as a team. Still rooting for Ben and the Gophers. But man I hope he has a great plan in his mind and implements that sooner rather than later.
 

Pitino was that way but with only certain players, other players had no leash. It was really baffling.

one thing also is that the B1G hasnt done well in the tourney for a long time, B1G teams get beat by lower seeded teams and teams with different styles. Obviously it would be amazing to consistently be in the tourney like a wisconsin or iowa, but long term is there a style that would also allows us to go deep in the tourney once we get there
That's kind of the conundrum I'm trying to figure out. It seems to be that to be successful in the BIG you have to be physical and play great defense and run when you can, but they get their arse kicked in the tournament by faster, more athletic, better shooting teams. Not enough of an expert to know the answer but would think there is a style that is competitive in the BIG but can also play on the big stage. I'm not sure size matters that much any more (to a degree understandably) but you want quickness, athleticism and shooting ability.
 

Correct, but I don't think you need that level of talent to play that style well. I think there was the talent to play that style, but it requires discipline and consistency on both sides of the ball which Pitino's teams consistently lacked. That's one thing I want to see from Ben Johnson, consistency in holding the team accountable to playing sound basketball. If a kid takes two dumb shots in a row, sit them down. If a kid makes a lazy turnover, sit them down. If they lose their man on defense because they're watching the ball, sit them down. We just made the same mistakes over and over.
I agree with this. Pitino had a doghouse. But the same players were always in it, while others were immune from it.
 

it’s not Highschool where you don’t always know what type of talent you’ll have from year to year. So you don’t have to have a concrete set system although it’s helpful. But for college? You absolutely need a system/identity. You need to recruit players who fit that system. And have a system to show recruits how they’d fit into it. I wasn’t a fan of the answer either. I took it as not having a system in mind. Worries me. You don’t recruit kids to your school telling them as their coach/leader I’ll form my system towards you. No it’s we have a system in place where we feel your game fits and puts you in a position to succeed as a player and as a team. Still rooting for Ben and the Gophers. But man I hope he has a great plan in his mind and implements that sooner rather than later.

That's what weirds me out a bit. Coyle said Ben was very clear about his vision for the team, I'm assuming that also included style of play.

One example I'm thinking of is the introductory conference for Ryan Saunders vs Chris Finch. Ryan was a bit more clear than Ben, but still a bit generic. Chris on the other hand was very specific as to what his plan was and the style of play they were going to run.

I agree, I'm concerned that if he really is going to figure out what style of play they will run now, it might be a process that takes a few years to iron out the kinks.

I guess what I'm questioning is, if he really is going to be this generic with the kids he recruits (as oppose to recruiting for another coach who has a style) will that work? We will find out if kids will want to play in whatever system he will create.
 


Get ready for exactly more of the same of what we had under Pitino.

Try to get high talent guys here by promising them they can do whatever they want on the floor, be a hero, etc.
 

But in all seriousness ... I hope we pass the ball more.

Seems like a no brainer?? Maybe I'm crazy.
 




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