• Phone # 1-626-502-8588
  • Follow-Us
Marv M2Academy Logo 2023 WIDE2
M2 Squared Basketball Academy
We are a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) and all donations are
tax-deductible.
  • Phone # 1-626-502-8588
  • Follow-Us
Marv M2Academy Logo 2023 WIDE2
M2 Squared Basketball Academy
We are a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) and all donations are
tax-deductible.

M2 Squared West African Zoom Coaches Clinic 26-Jan-2025

On Sunday, January 26, 2025, we had our 1st monthly Zoom Clinic Video Call of the new year covering multiple topics.  Coach Marvin Menzies and Gary Clarke presented videos by our coaching staff volunteers and discussed numerous toptics.

Topics this session:
  • M2 Overview by Coach Marvin Menzies
  • Topic > Reverse Waterfall Shooting Technique (by Klay Thompson | Discuss by Coach Menzies)
  • Topic > Anthony Richardson | Steve Nash Shooting Drill
  • Topic > USA Transition Drill |  by Brody Werner
  • Topic >4 Chair Drill  | by Assistant Coach Zev Kujolic

Topic Content

Reverse Waterfall Shooting Technique YouTube by Klay Thompson Discuss by Coach Menzies)

Anthony Richardson | Steve Nash Shooting Drill

USA Transition Drill | by Brody Werner

4 Chair Drill | by Assistant Coach Zev Kujolic

Next Months Topics

ZOOM IS SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, FEB. 16 2025

    • 11 AM – 12:30 PM (US Pacific Standard Time) PST
    • 1 – 2:30 PM (US Central Standard Time) CST
    • 6 – 8:30 PM Ivory Coast & Dakar (GMT)
    • 7 – 9:30 PM West Africa Time (WAT)
 AGENDA: TBD

Zoom Notes Summary

Meeting summary for M2: West African Coaching Clinic (01/26/2025)

[Zoom AI Companion Generated & Edited] 

  
Quick recap
The team discussed various basketball drills and strategies, including the U.S.A. Drill, the “4 chairs” ball handling drill, and the importance of teaching defensive strategies. They also discussed the progress of basketball associations in Senegal, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the need for professionalism in presenting information to potential scholarship recipients. Lastly, they introduced new partners in the journey with M² Squared Academy and emphasized the importance of developing relationships in various parts of the world for the development of young athletes.
  
Next steps
• West African coaches should watch the full YouTube videos and implement the techniques in their coaching and practices.
• Coaches to emphasize and teach proper shooting techniques as demonstrated in the videos.
• Coaches will work on improving players’ communication skills during games and practices.
• Coaches to teach verticality and proper defensive techniques to reduce fouls.
• Coaches to prepare professional player profiles with accurate information and proper documentation for recruitment purposes.
• Gary to add verticality drills to the website.
• West African Coaches can utilize AI tools like ChatGPT or CoPilot to learn and teach basketball terminology and strategies and how to communicate to their players & coaches more clearly.  It also emphasizes the need for West African players coming to the US to verbalize more assertively and to project (loudly) to teammates on and off the court. 
Summary
Transition Drill and Game Discussion
The coach discussed a transition drill that involves free throws and team transitions. The drill starts with a free throw and transitions to 2-on-1, then 2-on-2, and continues to add more players until it reaches 5-on-5. The drill can be played by time on the clock or however preferred. The coach also mentioned that the drill is good for cardio and can be customized. 
Basketball Associations and Kansas City ROOS

Marvin and Gary discussed the progress of the Senegalese and Nigerian basketball associations, with plans to launch websites in the next few months. It was also mentioned that we have plans for the formation of (M² Sponsored: NUBA, SUBA, ICUBA, CUBA Coaches Clinic Groups) in Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Congo. 

 

Marvin shared updates about his Kansas City ROOS team, highlighting their recent struggles and the need for better leadership during ‘winning time’. He expressed optimism about their chances in the NCAA tournament. Marvin discussed the team’s performance, highlighting the contributions of players from Ghana and Congo to his current team. He emphasized the importance of teaching younger big men to shoot from the perimeter, mirroring guard skills. Marvin then introduced a video tutorial on shooting techniques, encouraging the team to practice daily. He also introduced a specific drill that Anthony Richardson, a full-time assistant coach and former NBA player, found helpful for his shooting. Marvin encouraged questions and emphasized the importance of repetition in developing good shooting habits.

 
  
Exploring the U.S.A. Basketball Drill
In the meeting, Coach Brody Werner discussed a transition drill used in basketball practices, known as the U.S.A. Drill or the Olympic team drill. The drill involves teams transitioning from 2-on-1 to 2-on-2, 3-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-3, 4-on-4, 5-on-4, and finally 5-on-5. The drill emphasizes the importance of spacing, reading secondary defenders, and taking advantage of numerical advantages. Marvin explained the rules and strategies behind the drill, including the importance of running wide lanes to create scoring opportunities. The conversation ended with Marvin promising to post the full video of the drill on the website for further reference.
  
4 Chairs Ball Handling Drill
Assistant Coach Zev Kujolic discussed a ball handling drill called “4 chairs” that emphasizes keeping the dribble low, tight, and concise while maintaining head up and eyes on the court. The drill involves players dribbling through cones and chairs, with coaches holding up numbers for the players to call out. The focus is on improving ball awareness, court vision, and the ability to create one’s own shots. Marvin also stressed the importance of teaching players to adjust their speed and maintain balance while dribbling, as well as the need to play faster without excessive ball movement.
  
Partnerships and Athlete Development Discussed
Marvin introduced Xavier & Taqwa, two partners in the journey with M2 Squared. Xavier mentioned his involvement in the North European market, France, Spain, and the Americas, as well as his work with a placement agency in the US basketball programs. Taqwa is a former player at Louisville and has played professionally extensively overseas. Both Xavier and Taqwa are expected to meet Marvin on his next trip to Africa. Marvin emphasized the importance of developing relationships in various parts of the world for the development of young athletes. Marvin covered one more topic before concluding the meeting, mentioning the new landscape with the new president and the potential difficulties in moving kids back and forth to the US.
Professionalism and Communication in Scholarship

Marvin emphasized the importance of professionalism in presenting information to potential scholarship recipients, stressing the need for accurate documentation and clear communication. He also highlighted the need for young players to develop vocal communication skills on the court, as well as the importance of teaching defensive strategies such as verticality and the power step. Marvin also reinforced the suggestion of using AI tools like Chat GPT and Copilot to assist in teaching communication skills. 

 

Xavier agreed with Marvin’s points and emphasized the succinctness of the PSA video highlight videos, as coaches get hundreds per week and want to see at the beginning things that will make them continue watching and eventually inquiring about the player. adding that the size of the players should be clearly indicated in videos and that transcripts should be kept clean. 

 

Marvin also reminded all the West African coaches of the importance of ensuring that passports and ID’s information for each PSA exactly match and have sufficient validity for the duration of the scholarship Visa processing.