How do you get an NBA coaching staff to actually use advanced analytics?
Former Phoenix Suns Assistant GM Ryan Resch explains how machine learning solved the communication gap by tying optical tracking data directly to game film.
Instead of needing technical coding skills to decipher player coordinates, front offices can now use algorithms to automatically identify specific actions and filter them into granular metrics that coaches instantly understand.
KEY INSIGHTS
• Machine learning removes the coding barrier. Algorithms track player actions automatically, eliminating the need to manually write code to interact with optical data.
• Granular metrics become actionable. Teams can filter plays by court location and evaluate efficiency down to exact points per possession.
• Film solves the communication gap. Showing coaches 30 video clips alongside the statistical data builds trust and clearly explains the numbers behind a specific play.
Ryan spent nearly a decade in the Phoenix Suns front office, rising from intern to Assistant General Manager and VP of Basketball Operations, and now leads data and AI work in private equity. From his conversation with guest host Jimmy Soni on Infinite Loops.
