Mike Brey turned down an SEC head coaching job and chose Delaware instead. Why did he believe the smaller program offered the better opportunity?
Notre Dame’s winningest men’s basketball coach joins Nick Elam on Sports Rule Pod to share the career decisions, mentors, and leadership lessons behind his journey from DeMatha High School to Duke, Delaware, Notre Dame, and the Atlanta Hawks.
Mike reflects on learning from Morgan Wootten and Mike Krzyzewski, recruiting basketball players at a football school, and helping players and assistant coaches develop confidence. He also discusses his transition to the NBA, broadcasting TBT, and why he’d like to use the Elam Ending in practice.
Then Mike’s brother, Shane Brey, joins Nick for a special innovation segment about 360 Hoops. What began as a solution to kids waiting for a turn at basketball camp became a three-basket system and a new game played on a circular court. Shane explains the rotating three-team format, the requirement to pass three times before shooting, and how years of prototypes and player feedback helped move the concept from idea to implementation.
What You'll Learn:
• Why Mike Brey prioritized career fit when choosing Delaware over Auburn
• What his mentors taught him about preparation, teaching, and giving players confidence
• How he built basketball support at Notre Dame and empowered his coaching staff
• What changed when he moved from college basketball to the NBA
• How 360 Hoops encourages passing, movement, defensive communication, and greater youth participation
Chapters:
00:00 A Dreamer’s Finish Line
00:39 What’s ahead: Mike Brey, 360 Hoops, and overlooked sports history
01:50 What changes when a college coach moves to the NBA?
11:00 How do great coaches give people confidence?
20:15 Why did Mike Brey choose Delaware over Auburn?
31:15 How do you develop and empower a coaching staff?
36:04 How does Shane Brey’s 360 Hoops work?
55:34 Unlayered: Accountability, rehabilitation, and returning to work
01:01:50 Next to Last: Jim Edmonds and Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS
Also In This Episode:
In Unlayered, Nick examines the discussion surrounding Tony Romo’s departure from CBS and asks a broader question: how should accountability, rehabilitation, and opportunities to contribute through work fit together?
In Next to Last, revisit the Cardinals–Astros series that unfolded in the shadow of the 2004 Red Sox–Yankees ALCS. Jim Edmonds’ 12th-inning walk-off home run in Game 6 kept St. Louis alive and delivered a postseason moment worth remembering.
About The Guests:
Mike Brey is Notre Dame’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach and the 2011 AP National Coach of the Year. His career includes coaching at DeMatha High School, assisting Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, leading Delaware and Notre Dame, and serving on the Atlanta Hawks coaching staff.
Shane Brey is the co-founder and inventor of 360 Hoops, a three-basket basketball system and game developed to get more players involved.
Explore 360 Hoops: https://play360hoops.com/
Got a sports rule change or innovation you'd like to see implemented? Send it to Nick for consideration, and vote on other innovations here: https://act-3-agency.link/srp-rule-yt
#MikeBrey #360Hoops #BasketballCoaching #SportsInnovation #SportsRulePod
