- 6’9″, 250 lbs
- All State, Fairfield (CT) Prep School
- D-1 at Dartmouth College (2 sports–basketball and GOLF)
- European player (France), L’Equippe de Blois
- Played professional golf 1991-96, based in North Carolina. Info here
- Founded Basics Sports in 2006
- Coaching Seminars run by Coach McGannon here
- Mental Strength Training service developed in 2018.
- Using an online assessment, players learn to improve their confidence, their ability to handle failure and to honestly address their level of commitment and attitude.
- See Basics Three-Legged Stool here (SKILL, CONDITIONING and MENTAL STRENGTH)
CONTACT INFORMATION
- 616.402.1600
- Jim@BasicsSports.com
PHILOSOPHY/APPROACH
Coach John Wooden led UCLA to 10 NCAA Men’s D-1 basketball championships, including 7 consecutively. He is considered by many to be the greatest basketball coach of all time, at any level.
Our approach to the game begins and ends with Coach Wooden’s anthem of helping develop the players to their full potential ON and OFF the court. The players who attend our instruction receive strong reinforcement with many issues that apply whether they have a ball in their hands or not. A few examples would be: school is first always, respect for one another, hard work, showing up on time, making eye contact, learning from mistakes, handling disappointment, frustration and defeat, winning and losing with dignity, developing poise and composure, improving listening skills. These are just a few of the traits that apply to competitive players on and off the court.
Coach Wooden’s father, Joshua Wooden, was a huge influence on his life. The elder Wooden gave his son John a card called “Two Sets of 3’s” that Coach carried all his life. Basics does our best to follow these time tested truths.
- Never Lie. Never Cheat. Never Steal.
- Don’t Whine. Don’t Complain. Don’t Make Excuses.
TECHNICAL APPROACH
Coach McGannon’s coach at Dartmouth College was Gary Walters, the recently retired athletic director at Princeton. Coach Walters played at Princeton in the 1960’s with Bill Bradley. Our technical approach to the game mirrors the discipline, work ethic, precise nature of skill development and execution of these skills as taught by Coach Walters. Sharp skills, great conditioning and then competing with YOUR HEAD are all hallmarks of Basics Basketball.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Our service with Special Needs kids: No More Sidelines
- Assisting kids in financial need with Basics Memorial Fund
- Our connection to the Sandy Hook kids in Newtown, Connecticut
- INFO HERE
MEDIA
- Pandemic Videos–QuaranTeam
- BASICS CANDID SHOTS VIDEO LOGS
- BASICS PODCASTS
- BASICS SKILLS VIDEOS
- BASICS TRAINING STAPLE-the IBL (Instructional Basketball League)
Coach McGannon also played golf at Dartmouth, winning the college golf championship his senior year (The Thomas Keene Cup). He went on to play for 5 years professionally based in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Golf lessons are available when the grass is green.
Coach McGannon’s home in Spring Lake below. This home may be for sale now that the kids are all gone! What a special place!!
