Establish The Run Fantasy Football How Jonathan Safir and the Florida Gators Used Analytics to Win the National Championship (Episode 856, Interview with Adam Levitan)
Apr 18, 2025
Jonathan Safir, Assistant Coach for the Florida Gators and former Director of Basketball Strategy and Analytics, shares insights from his journey into basketball analytics. He discusses how in-game data impacts decisions, showcasing strategies that led to the Gators' national championship victory. Safir also explores the role of analytics in recruiting amid the NIL and Transfer Portal changes. He emphasizes what the DFS industry can learn from college basketball analytics, revealing a future where data drives game strategies.
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Jonathan's Career Journey
- Jonathan Safir transitioned from playing D3 basketball at Vassar to a basketball analytics and coaching career.
- He followed Coach Todd Golden from University of San Francisco to Florida, culminating in a national championship.
Analytics Role Growing in Basketball
- Using analytics in basketball staff roles is not yet common but growing, especially with NIL and transfer portal impacts.
- Coach Golden uniquely combines understanding analytics with effective player communication to gain buy-in.
Early Fouling Strategy Advice
- Start fouling earlier against poor free throw shooters to increase game variance and win probability.
- This approach increases chances to tie or win by maximizing possessions and exploiting free throw inefficiency.
