HoopPrint: The Blueprint to Better
Confidence
While watching the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2025 playoffs, I heard a sideline reporter share a soundbite from an interview she had with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earlier that day. He told her that during his early years with the LA Clippers, he was frustrated and that there were times when he wondered if he truly was good at basketball.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was an 11th overall pick in 2018 and averaged 11 PPG at 48% shooting, which was not a bad rookie season but left a lot to be desired. After his rookie year in 2019, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded along with 5 first-round draft picks and other assets to OKC in exchange for All-Star forward Paul George.
Six years later at just 26 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander became the world’s best basketball player. He was crowned the 2025 scoring champion, secured the 2025 Most Valuable Player award, averaged 33 points per game, and led Oklahoma City to an NBA Championship. Paul George at 35 years old has been struggling with injuries and is still seeking his first trip to the NBA Finals.
If I could wave a magic wand, I’d want everyone reading this to experience what SGA did—rising from quiet self-doubt to owning his greatness, rebuilding his confidence piece by piece, and stepping fully into the player he was always meant to be.
AI-assisted coaching: Meeting you where you are
There’s no shortage of advice out there — skills trainers, strength coaches, former players, data analysts, and influencers. But the truth is, it’s unlikely that one individual trainer will meet you exactly where you are in your journey. We each occupy different skill levels with different needs and preferences for learning. One coach might have over 100 students or clients, making it nearly impossible to devote 100% of their energy and time to helping every player. Too many players and not enough time may lead to coaching burnout and underdeveloped players.
That is why I wanted to introduce AI-assisted coaching, complementing real-life human coaching, not replacing it. AI-assisted coaching to me is using data mining to supplement your learning and development. It is personalized for you, on-demand, and right now it’s free. There’s a wealth of basketball information out there and using AI to efficiently curate insights, advice, and practice plans has extraordinary potential for player learning. Whether you’re a beginner, a casual hooper, or a former high school/college player, there will be basketball insights here for you.
About Me
I’m a basketball amateur at best, but the feeling we all share for the game is similar. The highs are high and the lows are low. When you win, you feel very confident and proud of what you did on the court. When you lose, you sometimes can’t stop thinking about how you lost and what you could’ve done differently. Losing is a horrible feeling, but if we won all the time, sports wouldn’t be any fun. Competing is fun, and it’s what drives us to get better.
I’m not a professional coach, but I know where to find good data. As a data analytics professional, a fan of the game, a Master’s degree from a top public university in the country, and a Bachelor’s of Science degree from an Ivy League institution, I believe I have the skills to build the tools to help you maximize your basketball IQ and growth potential. If you’re “retired”, that’s great too, the content I share can still be used for entertainment and motivation.