Level Up Basketball
The Level Up Blog
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News, analysis, and training from the pros to the playground — built to make you a smarter fan and a better player.
Latest Articles
College & International
A Comprehensive Overview of the Basketball Africa League
An overview of the Basketball Africa League and its player development pathway.
High School & AAU
College Basketball Recruiting in 2026: A Practical Guide for High School Players
A clear, evidence-first recruiting plan for players and parents - from NCAA eligibility and useful film to coach conversations, events, offers, and roster fit.
Basketball IQ & Film
Mastering Pick-and-Roll Coverages: Drop, Switch, Hedge, Blitz, and Ice
A comprehensive guide for players, coaches, and fans on the geometry, individual techniques, and tactical trade-offs of modern basketball's most critical defensive actions.
Training & Skills
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Training & Skills
10 Basketball Shooting Drills: A Game-Speed Practice Progression
A source-backed shooting progression from close-range mechanics to movement, decisions, pressure, and fatigue-aware practice.
Training & Skills
How to Shoot Like Stephen Curry: A Coach's Breakdown
An evidence-backed breakdown of Curry's shot preparation, balance, footwork, dip, release, and the progression that connects them.
Training & Skills
How to Build a Basketball Practice Plan: From Assessment to Game-Speed Decisions
Stop running disconnected drills. Learn how to structure a basketball practice plan that moves systematically from baseline assessment to game-speed decision-making.
Basketball IQ & Film
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Basketball IQ & Film
What Is a 2-3 Zone Defense? Rotations, Weaknesses, and Counters
Learn the starting alignment, rotation rules, rebounding responsibilities, common breakdowns, and practical ways to attack a 2-3 zone.
Basketball IQ & Film
Mastering Pick-and-Roll Coverages: Drop, Switch, Hedge, Blitz, and Ice
A comprehensive guide for players, coaches, and fans on the geometry, individual techniques, and tactical trade-offs of modern basketball's most critical defensive actions.
Basketball IQ & Film
The Pick-and-Roll, Explained: Reads, Coverages, and Spacing
A possession-by-possession guide to screen angles, ball-handler reads, roller decisions, defensive coverages, and weak-side spacing.
High School & AAU
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High School & AAU
College Basketball Recruiting in 2026: A Practical Guide for High School Players
A clear, evidence-first recruiting plan for players and parents - from NCAA eligibility and useful film to coach conversations, events, offers, and roster fit.
High School & AAU
Basketball Recruiting Skills: What College Coaches Can Evaluate
A practical guide to translatable skills, decision-making, defense, academics, film, exposure, and program fit without recruiting guarantees.
High School & AAU
The Parent and Player Guide to AAU and Club Basketball
A comprehensive, realistic guide to youth club basketball: understanding tournament structures, managing costs, prioritizing player safety, and navigating college recruiting.
College & International
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College & International
A Comprehensive Overview of the Basketball Africa League
An overview of the Basketball Africa League and its player development pathway.
College & International
EuroLeague Explained: Format, Rules, and How It Differs From the NBA
The current EuroLeague format, domestic-league overlap, Final Four path, rule context, and the limits of direct NBA comparisons.
College & International
NCAA Transfer Portal Explained: Rules, Rosters, and Decisions
What the portal does, why immediate eligibility and roster limits matter, and what players should verify before transferring.
Basketball Technology & AI
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Basketball Technology & AI
Can an AI Coach Your Basketball Shot From a Phone Camera?
Mobile AI apps promise to perfect your jump shot using just a smartphone camera. We break down the underlying computer vision technology, its physical limitations, and how to separate real mechanical insights from false precision.
Basketball Technology & AI
Smart Basketball Sensors: What Connected Balls Can Actually Measure
Smart basketballs are often marketed as AI-powered coaches, but they are actually highly calibrated physics packages. By capturing raw inertial data through invisible in-valve sensors, they measure spin, launch angle, and velocity without compromising the ball's natural feel.
Basketball Technology & AI
The Science of Basketball Player Tracking: Beyond the Vendor Hype
A guide to understanding what basketball tracking systems actually measure versus what they estimate, grounded in FIBA's latest validation standards.
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