About me

I’m Marko Zarkovic — and I believe coaching is about more than basketball. It’s about connection. It’s about heart. It’s about leaving a mark on people’s lives that lasts long after the final buzzer!!!

Over the past 15 years, I’ve been fortunate to walk the coaching path across continents — from the heart of Serbia to the courts of Germany, from youth gyms in Latvia to training halls in India.

But wherever I’ve been, one thing has always stayed the same: my desire to inspire.

This blog was born from that very place — not just to share strategies, plays, or training techniques (though you’ll find some of that here), but to reach deeper. To tell the real stories behind the sideline. To share the human moments — the hard lessons, the quiet victories, the breakthroughs that happen when no one’s watching.

I coach because I love the game. But more than that, I coach because I believe in people. Basketball has been my passport to the world, but even more importantly, it’s been a bridge — connecting me with young players full of potential, with passionate assistants and staff, and with fellow coaches on the same journey.

At its best, coaching is a form of leadership that comes from the soul. We shape character, not just skills. We inspire belief, not just effort. And that’s what I want this blog to reflect.

What You’ll Find Here

This space is for all of us who see coaching as a calling. Whether you're managing a youth team in your hometown or chasing promotion in a pro league, my hope is that something here will speak to you.

Here’s what you can expect:

Coaching philosophy and leadership insights drawn from real-life experiences across clubs and cultures
Lessons from mentors and players, because the people we coach teach us just as much as we teach them
Practical tools for team building, player development, and navigating the highs and lows of a season

From One Coach to Another

This isn’t just a blog. It’s a place for reflection, growth, and community. A reminder that you're not alone in the work you do — the long hours, the emotional investment, the belief that every player matters.

I created this blog to touch the heart and soul of coaches everywhere. If even one story helps you find clarity, motivation, or joy in your own journey, then it will have served its purpose.

Thank you for being here.

Let’s grow the game — and each other.

Comments

Who Killed Creativity in Coaching Basketball? And How We Can Bring It Back

Who Killed Creativity in Coaching Basketball? And How We Can Bring It Back Basketball was once a game filled with improvisation, flair, and individuality. But take a look around today—from youth leagues to elite programs across the globe—and it seems everyone is playing the same way. The same plays. The same sets. The same drills. So, who killed creativity in coaching basketball? And more importantly, how do we revive it? The Death of Creativity! The primary suspect? Copy-paste coaching . As the NBA grew in global popularity, so did the urge to mimic its stars and systems. Coaches at all levels—especially youth and grassroots— started copying professional schemes, terminology, and philosophies without adjusting for context or age-appropriate development. Basketball became a game of rigid structure: motion sets, horns actions, read-and-react sequences—borrowed from the pros but often misunderstood and poorly executed by kids still learning how to dribble and pass. Global Uniformi...

Modern Spacing: Rethinking Offense from the End First

Modern Spacing: Rethinking Offense from the End First When you ask most basketball coaches what the most important element of offense is, they’ll tell you: spacing . But while this term gets thrown around constantly in clinics, practices, and strategy sessions, its true meaning is often misunderstood—or at least, underdeveloped. Here’s the problem: most coaches talk about spacing only in terms of the initial setup . Whether it’s a 5-out, 4-out-1-in, or any other alignment, the focus tends to be on where players start. And sure, every team from youth leagues to the pros uses some form of modern 5-out spacing today. But let’s ask the real question: Are they truly playing 5-out offense—or are they just starting in a 5-out formation? My opinion is, if your big begins on the perimeter and then sets a ball screen before diving and staying in the paint, is that still 5-out? Technically, no. You've started with five players spaced wide but finished with clogged lanes and com...

The Art of Random Offense: Coach Carlisle's Vision for Modern Basketball – Could It Work in Youth Basketball?

When you hear the word "random" in basketball, you might think of chaos or disorganization. But for Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, "random offense" is anything but. It’s a philosophy rooted in creativity, improvisation, and trust—qualities that define the Pacers’ style of play today. This approach sparks an intriguing question: could the same philosophy work at lower levels, such as high school or youth basketball? While it might inspire creativity and freedom in young players, it also raises challenges around structure, fundamentals, and consistency. What is Random Offense? At its core, random offense is about playing without rigid set plays. Instead of relying on scripted actions, the offense flows from principles and instincts. Each possession is unique, driven by player reads, spacing, and chemistry. For defenses, this unpredictability is a nightmare—there’s no single playbook to scout. Carlisle describes it as more than just basketball strategy; it’...

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