Get it now
The Basketball Podcast: EP391 with Tammi Reiss on Energy, Skill and No Skipping Steps
In this week’s basketball coaching conversation, Rhode Island head coach Tammi Reiss joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on energy, skill and no skipping steps.
Tammi Reiss has led the University of Rhode Island women’s basketball program to unprecedented success since becoming head coach. In the 2022–23 season, she guided the Rams to a program-record 26 wins and their first-ever Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship. The year prior, Rhode Island posted 22 wins, marking the first time in program history the team achieved back-to-back 20-win seasons. Under her leadership, the Rams advanced to the WNIT Super 16 in 2023, earning two postseason victories for the first time.
Reiss was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in both 2020–21 and 2022–23. She was also recognized nationally as ESPNW Coach of the Week on February 14, 2022, and again on February 6, 2023.
Before arriving at Rhode Island, Reiss served as an assistant coach at Syracuse, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State and Virginia, contributing to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and conference titles. Her professional coaching experience includes roles with the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars and Utah Starzz, as well as her alma mater, the University of Virginia.
In addition to her collegiate achievements, Reiss was an assistant coach for Team USA’s 3×3 squads, helping lead them to a Bronze Medal at the Olympics and a Gold Medal at the World Championships.
She was a four-year starter for the Cavaliers, earning All-American honors in1992. She led UVA to three ACC regular-season titles, two league tournament championships, and three Final Four appearances. Reiss earned All-Conference honors three times in her career and was named to the All-ACC TournamentTeam twice. She ended her collegiate career ranked first in school history in 3-point field goals made (139) and 3-point field goal percentage (.416) and was second in points (1,842) and free throws made (437).
Reiss was the fifth overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft by the Starzz. She played two seasons for Utah, serving as team captain.
Listen Here:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube
Stitcher
Art19
Tammi Reiss Quotes:
“Every coach in my life has been unbelievable . . They’re still in my life today, some over 50 years, because of the relationships . . it was so successful in leading me to be successful, whether it was as a player or a coach, I tried to just emulate that.”
“We’re leaning more towards a business now [in college basketball] . . but I never want to lose my ‘why,’ and that’s to develop and mentor young women and to be in their life forever . . The number one thing when anyone comes into our program is our culture, and it’s built on relationships.”
“I adapted from transition defense to our half-court defense . . our philosophy is, ‘No easy basket.’ So, transition is no layups, no open threes. We want everyone to take mid-range, contested jump shots and we finish every possession with a box out.”
“Great communication is the focal point of all our defense . . and we finish every possession with a box out so we can run.”
“Players win games, not coaches. And so if you don’t know what you’re going to have next year and you don’t know who’s staying, you’d better go out and get players for that one-year freshman and transfer that are pretty skilled.”
“We want to play fast, we want to play furious, and we want to play with passion. It’s fun and that translates off the court.”
“Passing is one of the worst skills in women’s basketball right now . . because they don’t play with others. They’re always doing individual work with their trainer. And then after that they don’t go play on playgrounds or pickup or they don’t practice . . That’s why we value IQ and the ability to play well with others.”
“The small-sided games are so important because you’ve got to give them the ability to read without the whole . . then you open it up to now I’ve got to read the weak side. And now not just the first action, the next best action. And so, you layer it for them. How you teach it is extremely important. Then you can really start playing and letting them make a lot of mistakes.”
“You must be able to pass, dribble and shoot. You can’t hide in 3-on-3. You need to be able to do those things. And so, you’ve got to be uber-skilled, not only offensively, but defensively, too. You’ve got to be able to stop, guard the ball, guard your yard so people don’t have to constantly help you. And the last two things that I love about it . . The first is how fast it is. It is such great conditioning. And then the second thing is the physicality of it.”
“In a perfect world, no one would get beat. But when you’re beat right from jump, that midline help is extremely important . . we may switch it up to where you just don’t know what we’re going to do. But the biggest thing for us is teaching our help and our scramble . . it’s just scrambling and talking and getting matched back up so we can box out and run. Our philosophy is you’ve got to have your sister’s back.”
“One of our biggest things is communication in this drill. If you don’t communicate, we can’t rotate. And so, if we can’t do step one, there’s no need to do the drill. It’s just a drill. There’s a reason we’re doing it. And again, there’s a process. Every step is needed. Once you skip a step, we’re in trouble. And if you skip the first step, well, we’re really in trouble. So, in every thing we do, you’ve got to know your purpose.”
“Do you just recruit rebounders or do you teach them how to rebound? Number one, how to defensive box out, and then number two, how to just annihilate the boards, pursue the basketball with resilience and passion . . we do a great job at breaking it down and teaching it, because our basic philosophy is we have to end every possession. Who wants to guard multiple 30-second shot clocks? Who wants to do that? Not me as a player.”
“We teach a hit-and-hold method. The most athletic way where you hit side view so you stay locked on the rim and you can see the flight of the ball and you can move your feet . . Hit and hold and then we pursue the basketball. Great rebounders know how to track a miss.”
“When you start putting an emphasis on rebounding, you’ll get what you want. It’s not for the faint of heart. We go after people. You’re going to hit and you’re going to hold and sometimes you’re going to hit them so hard that they’re not going to come in the paint. You make a point of it. The first play of the game, you’re going to crack them between the chest with your elbow and you’re going to nail them.”
“They all have one thing in mind. We’re going to go out and win the championship, and we’re going to have fun doing it. It makes for a really fun season. And that’s what basketball should be. You should love the journey.”
Tammi Reiss Breakdown:
Tammi Reiss Selected Links from the Podcast:
Tammi Reiss
Tonya Cardoza
Geno Auriemma
Shea Ralph
Dawn Staley
Breanna Stewart
Jonquel Jones
Elena Delle Donne
Candace Parker
Lisa Leslie
Napheesa Collier
A’ja Wilson
Magic Johnson
Sue Bird
Kelsey Plum
Jen Fay
Quentin Hillsman
Cierra Burdick
Please Support the Podcast
As we build our podcast following please take the time to support the Basketball Podcast. Our goal is to openly share as much useful basketball coaching info to stimulate your coaching.
- Tell your friends about us.
- Give us a shout out on social media.
- Give us a five star review wherever you listen to podcasts.
How to leave a podcast review at iTunes
Go to the iTunes page of the Basketball Podcast.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-basketball-podcast/id1398261897
Click the View in iTunes button.
View in iTunes
At iTunes, click the Ratings and Reviews tab.
Select Ratings and Reviews
Rate the podcast using 1 to 5 stars.
Submit a brief honest review.