In this episode, George Vaz is joined by Norbert Opitz, a cornerstone of Alba Berlin’s youth development program. With over 20 years of experience, Norbert shares how Alba fosters player growth through representative practices, decision-making, and long-term development over short-term wins. He explains why Alba avoids “on-air” drills, how they use constraints to guide learning, and the importance of empowering players to play freely while building confidence in their shooting.

Bio:
Norbert Opitz is more than a coach—he's a cornerstone of ALBA Berlin’s developmental philosophy. With deep expertise in youth development, a strong emphasis on mental and physical growth, and a record of on-court achievements, Opitz continues to mold Berlin’s next generation of elite basketball players and coaches.

Chapters:

01:00 – Norbert’s coaching journey and philosophy at Alba Berlin
04:00 – What sets Alba apart: representative learning environments
05:00 – Using constraints to mirror real game challenges
08:00 – Building confident shooters and daily shooting focus
11:00 – Teaching decision-making and advantage creation
14:00 – Balancing freedom with guided coaching
16:00 – Integrating offense and defense in practices
21:00 – Generating quality shots against compact defenses
26:00 – Transformative tip

Level up your coaching with our Amazon Best Selling Book: https://amzn.to/3vO1Tc7
Access tons more of evidence-based coaching resources: https://transformingbball.com/products/

Links:
Website: http://transformingbball.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/transformbball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformingbasketball/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@transformingbasketball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/transformingbasketball/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@transforming.basketball

THE HERD - Hour 2 - New Herd Hierarchy, the fall of the Bills and Packers, Nick Wright

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Is Matt LaFleur's Job in Danger?

The AI-powered Podcast Player