After having some good time off in NYC it really allowed me to collect my thoughts and allowed me to step back and see the big picture. Having trained so many players from youth to professional level, one of the topics that I feel like is not talked about enough in our profession is the topic of mental health. Our field of sport is a masculine one, athletes feel that if they come across as vulnerable, they will be eatten alive. However, as humans we all go through our ups and downs. I share 3 rituals I believe we can stay mentally healthy.

Slappin Glass has been one of my Go-To websites for the longest time. So to have one founders on was so exciting for me. Pat and Dan are a wealth of knowledge and just flat out lovers of the game! The topics we covered today included: 1.) How they got started with the platform 2.) Trends of modern day offence and defence 3.) Start, Sub and Sit different topics 4.) Business advice for basketball coaches and trainers. I loved having these guys on the podcast they were a good mix of knowledge and humour and I look forward to continuing to be a student of there's into the distant future!

Rob Gray is a skill acquisition and motor learning specialist who is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University. He is also the Host of the Perception & Action Podcast as well Skill Acquisition Specialist at Boston Red Sox. Rob is the author of 2 very important books “How we Learn to move” and most recently “Learning to Optimise Movement” These are 2 books that I highly recommend every sports coach read in order to better understand how to train athletes. Rob and I go into depth about utilising constraints Led Approach as well as differential learning in basketball in order to get the best results in skill development sessions, as well as through small sided games.

Max Schmarzo is the founder of the very popular athletic performance brand Strong By Science and provides very sound, scientifically backed program and methods for sports performance. Max is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to training basketball players technically as well as physically. Today Max and I chat about: 1.) His perspective of interning at the college level 2.) Working with professional athletes 3.) The line between technical skill development and physical performance Max is energy and his curiosity for the field is contagious and I look forward to staying in touch with him in the future to continue to learn and grow together, lets get into the episode.

Have you ever had a misunderstanding with a teammate and get angry from something that they did, but when you asked them to explain why they did what they did they had a very moral and valid reason? All of a sudden you weren't so mad. That is being able to see something in a different frame. The journey to greatness is rarely achieved in days, months or even single-digit years. Patience is key here. There are times that we're going to want to give up, but how we look at certain situations will dictate our mood, our emotions and our perspective of if journey is even worth it. Listen to the story that I tell about "The impatient player" and it will give you a whole different perspective on how to look at things.

Megan Griffith is the Head Coach for Columbia University women’s basketball. She took over at the young age of 30 in 2016. 2017 the team went 8-21. Fastforward 7 years 2023 Columbia went 28-6 an unreal turnaround. During the 22-23 season they went all the way to the WNIT championships! Her accomplishments are truly remarkable! Today Meg and I talk about: 1.) Taking over a program like Columbia and what it takes to turn a team around. 2.) The concept of warming up your voice during and before practice. 3.) What the acronym Edge means to their team. 4.) The importance of basketball players and coaches learning how to manage their personal finances for a comfortable life in the future. Meg is also an Asia American that I feel greatly represents our culture and is a shining example of what Asian women can be with dedication and hard work!

Procrastination is a topic that we all deal with. Today we talk about the four reasons that we procrastinate and what we can do to better prepare ourselves for when we encounter the feeling of procastination. Listen to this episode more than once, the methods are simple but the most important thing is that we are actually able to apply what is taught!

Mitch Kirsch is a basketball teacher based out of Mass and New Hampshire. Mitch is a huge advocate of Evidence based training when it comes to training The technical, tactical and physical aspect of the game. He has experience of training youth all the way to NBA superstars like Duncan Robinson. Mitch and I dive into: 1.) His philosophy of training and evidence based training is. 2.) Why Mitch finds small group training more beneficial than personal training 3.) Vision training when it comes to basketball 4.) Advice that Mitch has for trainers and coaches on how they can create a financial cushion for themselves, which affords them the freedom to do what they want. I connected very well with Mitch and when I am in Massachuetts visiting our girl Yannie Chan, I will definitley be looking him up.

Discipline vs Motivation. What is the difference between the two? Aren't they the same thing and is one more important than the other? We are going to do a deep dive on how I define both of these words, and why motivation is definitely not something you want to rely on. During your time as a coach or a player there are days we just don't feel like doing anything, but is our ability to get things done regardless of how we feel. At the end of the day that is really what separate someone who makes a difference on the court and a mediocre player. Discipline is also very closely tied to confidence, and staying true to what we have promised ourselves will allow us to have the confidence to carry us even when things get tough. This is the most important episode I have done thus far!

Shooting coach based out of New Jersey (East Coast USA) Mike has a tremendous amount of experience working with all levels from you all the way to the professional ranks. Today Mike and I discuss: 1.) His assessment of a shot and tweaks he can make to players. 2.) His progression of teaching players how to shoot. 3.) Mike's advice to up-and-coming trainers on how they can become financially comfortable to live their passion full-time I sincerely thank Mike for coming onto the show and I really look forward to meeting him in person.

The equation of Pain+ Reflection= Progress is nothing new, it's been around before any of us were even thought of. It's an unbelievably simple formula but not at all easy to do. We talk about putting ourselves too emotional pain, the worst kind of pain that we can go through, which makes us feel inferior, humiliated and worthless. But in order to become the player/person that we want, it is unavoidable that we undergo serious emotional pain on our journey. However, it is not enough to simply go to emotional pain without any reflection, because this would be serious waste of emotional and physical time which could have been great lessons learned. This is one of my favorite episodes of "Will's Weekly Thoughts" and I know it's going to bring you a ton of value.

Yannie Chan is the first ever locally school girl in the history of Hong Kong to play in the NCAA. Today I have the good fortune to sit down with her and talk to her about her experience as a sophomore in college. Discussions that I have with Yannie are: 1.) Her outlook on the future of Hong Kong basketball. 2.) Her future plans in terms of basketball and life. 3.) What needs to be done for Hong Kong to reach its full potential in basketball.

For this episode of "Will's Weekly Thoughts" we discuss the concept of adaptability and how it plays a huge role on the court and in life. Growing up in the early 2000s you were always told that repetition was the mother of all skill. Fast forward 20 years we now know that that is not true and adaptability to your task and environment is what seperates a medicore player from a great player. Find out how you can add elements of adaptability into your skill development sessions and become a much more robust basketball player who is able stay calm and composed regardless of the situation they're in. Learn how you can also become more adapable in daily life which will make you a far more successful student, player or a business executive.

Glen Yang is a professional basketball player who has played for clubs such as South China athletic Association, Bay Area Dragons, as well as most recently the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Glen is actually the first player from Hong Kong who has played in Europe as well as professionally in Canada. Glen and I discuss: 1.) His background and how we going to basketball, 2.) Behind the scenes of professional basketball that the every day person may not see. 3.) The work ethic that you need in order to go from a small school in Canada tour professional basketball player who has played in more than three countries. 4.) 10 questions to get to know Glen as a person

After spending three weeks in the United States with nine girls from Hong Kong I feel like this trip has truly been the most important experience of my career. I speak about this eye opening experience being one of the first team in Asia to bring a girls team to play AAU against some of the highest level of competition in the States. Topics I go over include: 1.) My perspectives on what an Asian player needs to do if they have a dream of one day playing in the United States. I go into detail on what I think you will need in order to be successful at the higher levels. 2.) The cultural differences between Asian in American basketball and ways that we as Asians need to improve in order to play at the highest level. 3.) What needs to be done to narrow the gap, so the Asian athletes can reach their full potential on some of the biggest stages in the world.

Jason Thompson is a special guest. I had the good fortune of playing with him when I was in high school in New Jersey during some ad hoc tournaments. It has been so cool to watch Jason develop from a kid that went to Lenape High School, that was recruited by Rider University (Mid major D1) and make it to the NBA! I spoke with Jason about: 1.) How he beat the odds to go from a Mid Major D1 school to playing 8 years in the NBA 2.) His work ethic during those years that led up to the NBA 3.) Aspects of the NBA that we may not see from the outside. 4.) The JT foundation and what he is doing philanthropically. and a lot more! Thank you Jason so much for coming on. Was great to reconnect with you and love everything that you are doing from coaching to giving back to the community.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with! It is very likely you have heard this saying and there is any even better chance that you simply ignored it. Building a community of like minded people who have the same goals as you is abolsutley imperative that for you to reach your goals. Your circle needs to be tight and you need to protect who comes in at all cost.As a coach I now fully admit that we can have a huge impact over a player, but not as much as their entire community can have. Coaches need to humble themselves, we are only one piece. There parents, teachers and most of all their friends are going to play just as big, if not an even bigger role than we can have. BUILD A COMMUNITY

Ross Greenfield is one of the most innovative trainers in the fields of basketball and strength and conditoning. He does an amazing job combining the innovative and creative training methods along with scientific sound training technicques. Ross' passion has driven him to continue to improve and test out new thoughts and ideas on his players and clients for the best results. I am truly a fan of Ross's and have taken ideas out of his workouts and added my own tweak to them. Topics that Ross and I discuss includes: 1.) His background: His playing days, how he got into training and how he got to where he is now. 2.) Ross's definition of what a "Good Drill" is. 3.) How Ross combines scientific principles that have been around for a long time, with new approaches that he uses to get the best results.

Pat Dickert is a professional basketball player as well as a skill development coach. Pat is very well travelled. He has been to many countries including China where he has a large following eager to learn from him. During high school he went viral featured on different media platforms of him dunking from the free-throw line. But Pat it much more than a vertical jump expert. The topics that Pat and I discuss include: 1.) His travels around the world and how different countries view basketball. 2.) His Experiences in China. 3.) Pat's thoughts on skill development and what he feels is the best approach. Pat is a wonderful person and I am so glad to call him a friend. His passion for the game as well as life is unmatched!

Jon Giesbrect is the Owner and Lead Instructor of Play Free, a membership training service that helps players enhance their basketball mindfulness, improving their confidence, resilience and focus. I have been a fan of Jon’s for a long time and have followed many of his lectures and talks on social media (Instagram: @Playfreebball). The topics that Jon and I cover are: 1.) Where he is from and how he got into basketball 2.) How his career his transitioned within the basketball world. 3.) How he combines the technical, tactical and mental component to create a holistic program for this athletes and much much more! I truly learned a lot from Jon and look forward to having him on the podcast again!