Alright, so I wanted to mess around with the “Hoiball” offense, you know, that thing Fred Hoiberg was running with the Bulls a while back. I’d heard some chatter about it, and it sounded interesting, so I figured I’d give it a shot and see how it plays out.
First, I spent some time watching some old Bulls games. Just trying to get a feel for the flow, you know? It’s all about spacing and pace, lots of movement, and trying to get quick shots. Not exactly my usual style, I tend to like a bit more of set plays, but I was open to trying something new.
My First Practice Session
Then, I jumped into a practice session. Started with just trying to get the basic player positioning right. That was…a bit chaotic at first, haha. Guys were running all over the place, not really sure where they were supposed to be. It definitely takes some getting used to.
- Tried to emphasize quick passes. Get the ball moving, don’t hold onto it.
- Worked on getting the players to cut to the basket after a pass. Harder than it looks!
- Focused on getting everyone to keep their heads up, looking for the open man.
I ran a few scrimmages, just to see how it would work in a game situation. It was messy, ngl. Lots of turnovers, guys getting lost, some forced shots. But, there were also moments where it clicked, and you could see the potential. A quick pass, a cut to the basket, a wide-open layup. When it worked, it was pretty sweet.
Making Some Tweaks
After that, I made some adjustments. I realized I needed to drill the basic movements more. So I added some drills that focused on specific actions, like the “dribble handoff” and the “flare screen”. Those are some of the key actions in the Hoiball offense.
I also spent some time with individual players, showing them where they should be moving based on where the ball is. It’s all about reading and reacting, so I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.
Seeing the Improvement
Over the next few sessions, I started to see some real improvement. The players were getting more comfortable with the movements, the passes were crisper, and the spacing was better. We were still getting turnovers, but not as many. And we were starting to generate some really good looks at the basket.
It’s still a work in progress, obviously. It’s not something you can just pick up overnight. But I’m definitely seeing the appeal of this style of play. It’s fast, it’s fun, and when it works, it’s really effective. I’m gonna keep working on it, and see how far I can take it. I think there is great potential there.
