I’m a diehard Cavs fan.

This season was a blast to watch - at least until the Pacers series.

A big part of the Cavs’ regular season success was based on their depth.

Guys like Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter brought energy and impact off the bench. Both finished in the top 4 in 6th Man Of The Year voting.

And then there’s Isaac Okoro.

Okoro was the 5th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He plays hard, he defends, and by all accounts, he’s a great teammate.

But there’s one big problem: no one guards him.

If you watched the playoffs, you probably noticed him wide open in the corner. That wasn’t a mistake. That was on purpose—the defense’s purpose.

As they say:

• “Sometimes not to guard… is to guard.”

Because Okoro hasn’t proven he can knock down threes consistently, teams just ignore him.

Here’s how ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins put it after Game 1 vs. the Pacers:

• “This is not the series for Isaac Okoro. He couldn’t hit a bull in the [butt] with an ironing board. I got tired of watching him miss 3-point shots from the corner. I started ducking in the house!”

Coach Kenny Atkinson saw the same thing—and pulled him out of the game.

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It’s Not Just About Getting On the Court… It’s About Staying There

You probably spend a lot of time asking:
“How can I earn more minutes?”

That’s a great question. But there’s another one just as important:
“What would prevent my coach from playing me?”

In the NBA—and at your level—there are two things that consistently get players benched:

❌ Can’t shoot

❌ Can’t guard the ball

The NBA playoffs expose both.

If you can’t shoot, you’re left open—on purpose.

If you can’t guard, teams hunt you—on purpose.

And this isn’t just an NBA thing. It applies at all levels.

If you can’t make open shots or defend your position … your minutes shrink.

So the real question is:

How do you make sure that’s not you?

To get 3 FREE Individual Skill Workout videos, click the banner below.

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The Offseason Path to In-Season Minutes

To get on the floor (and stay there), you need to commit to two things:

✓ Becoming a Knockdown Shooter

✓ Becoming a Lockdown Defender

Here's how:

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Becoming a Knockdown Shooter

1. Master Your Form

   Build a clean, consistent shot you can rely on. Start with form shooting drills every day. Identify flaws and fix them.

2. Repetition = Results

   Get reps. Lots of them. Be deliberate with your shooting approach. Track your makes and progress. Programs like The Breakthrough Basketball Shooting & Scoring System can help with this.

3. Train Like It’s a Game

   Don’t just shoot unguarded. Work from game spots, at game speed. Add a defender when possible, to get used to shooting when contested.

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Becoming a Lockdown Defender

1. Make Defense Part of Your Workout

   Very few players train defense in the offseason. If you’re serious about earning playing time, change that.

2. Get More Athletic

   Speed, strength, mobility—it all helps. A well-rounded athletic development plan will elevate your entire game.

3. Play 1-on-1. A Lot.

   There’s no better way to get real reps guarding the ball. You’ll learn to slide, read, recover, and compete. Find a partner and get after it!

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Be So Good They Can’t Take You Out

Everyone wants more minutes.

Many players try to “add” things—fancy moves, tough shots, highlight plays.

That’s fine.

But don’t skip the meat and potatoes.

Because when the season comes, coaches are asking two simple questions:

• Can you knock down open shots?

• Can you guard your matchup?

If the answer to both is yes, you won’t just earn minutes.

You’ll be on the floor when it matters most.

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