Basketball Analytics FAQ
Understanding Basketball Analytics
What are analytics in basketball?
Basketball analytics are the statistics and models teams use to evaluate player production and efficiency beyond the traditional box score. Coaches and front offices use them to build game plans and decide who plays and when.
How are analytics used in the NBA?
Analytics help coaches and players see the game beyond the game. They show a player’s efficiency, rebounding, and defensive impact, and they help staffs plan lineups and game plans that can give a team an edge over an opponent that looks stronger on paper.
Which NBA Teams use Analytics?
Every NBA franchise has an analytics department, and the NBA league office has its own analytics staff as well. That makes analytics one of the most promising ways to build a career in the league.
How do you become an NBA Analyst?
There are many paths. Most include a bachelor’s degree in math or statistics, a deep understanding of basketball, and knowledge of the analytics used in the game. Many people take SMWW’s Basketball Analytics course, taught by Dean Oliver, a former Washington Wizards assistant coach and a longtime NBA and ESPN analyst who is often called the godfather of basketball analytics.
Can I work in basketball analytics without playing or coaching experience?
Yes. Dean Oliver himself started out as an environmental engineer before writing Basketball on Paper and becoming the NBA’s first analytics consultant. Analytical skill, curiosity, and basketball knowledge matter more than a playing career.
How else can I break into the basketball world?
David Morway, a former Indiana Pacers GM, worked as a sports agent for a time. If you cannot start your career over, SMWW’s Athlete Management course shows you how to represent NBA and overseas players, which builds knowledge and contacts.
About the SMWW Basketball Analytics Course
Will the Basketball Analytics course help me get a job in basketball?
It can help, though no course can guarantee a job. For eight weeks you learn live with Dean Oliver, Dr. Lashbrook, and classmates who are pursuing basketball careers, and you learn the techniques that basketball teams use. The skills and contacts you gain can be what beats out the competition.
Who teaches the Basketball Analytics course?
Dean Oliver, a former Washington Wizards assistant coach and the author of Basketball on Paper, teaches the course. He pioneered NBA analytics and helped build ESPN’s sports analytics group.
Do I really get to talk with Dean Oliver every week?
Yes. Dean Oliver leads a one hour live video chat each week, and Dr. Lashbrook leads a weekly one hour live audio chat on job strategies with students from all courses. If you miss a session, it is archived so you can listen later.
What topics does the Basketball Analytics course cover?
The course covers the role of analytics in the NBA, advanced basketball statistics, data driven advanced scouting, in game preparation, and how to capture and analyze basketball data.
Who takes the Basketball Analytics course?
Students include coaches, front office staff, and players. Nick Nurse, the head coach who led the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship, has been among them.
Should I take Basketball Analytics or Sports Analytics and AI?
Take both if you can. Basketball Analytics focuses on how analytics is used in basketball, and Sports Analytics and AI goes deeper into technical skills such as R, SQL, Python, and data visualization that apply across all sports.
What happens after I complete the course?
You receive an SMWW Certificate of Accomplishment, and SMWW helps you redesign your resume to highlight your new skills and list Dean Oliver as a reference.
What if I need one-on-one assistance?
SMWW staff are available by phone throughout the course for one on one help with coursework, live sessions, or career questions. Call 1 877 SMWW NOW in the United States and Canada, +44 0 871 288 4799 in the United Kingdom, or +1 503 445 7105 from anywhere else. Our offices are in Portland, Oregon, and London, England.
Do you have more questions?
Call the office and ask! 1-877-SMWW-Now in the US or Canada. In London at +44(0) 871 288 4799 Everywhere else at +1-503-445-7105