4. Analytical Knowledge
Mar 23, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Fred Hoiberg talks to his team during a timeout in the first half of a men
Thibodeau scoffed at the idea of advanced statistics and would get visibly upset whenever certain stats would be mentioned to him by reporters. It was understandable for him to get frustrated by such things but it was pretty closed-minded of him at times.
Hoiberg, on the other hand, loves analytics and advanced statistics and applies a lot of these findings in his system. Bleacher Report’s C.J. Moore wrote back in January of 2014 about Iowa State’s style of play saying, “What has been just as integral to Iowa State’s success is a free-flowing, pro-style offense that would be difficult to replicate without Hoiberg’s mind.”
He added that:
"“The Cyclones were the second-highest-scoring team among BCS conference schools last season and rank third this season. (That’s a stat Hoiberg likes to share with recruits.) They led the country in three-pointers made and attempted last season and have attempted more than 40 percent of their shots from deep each of the last three seasons.”"
A high-scoring team that attempts a lot of three-pointers sounds like some of the teams that were in the NBA Conference Finals this season, one of whom could end up winning the championship.
The NBA is heading towards a new era and the Bulls’ decision to hire Hoiberg keeps them closer to the front of the pack for years to come.
Next: Three & D