Never Panic Before the Big Game Again (Jeff Van Gundy Method)

There’s a striking scene that used to play out in NBA locker rooms before big games. While other coaches would be frantically reviewing last-minute strategies, legendary coach Jeff Van Gundy would be found casually sipping a Diet Coke, relaxed in conversation with his staff.

This wasn’t laziness — it was mastery.

As former NBA analytics director Corey Jez reveals, “If you would go see Jeff right before a game, sitting in his office in the locker room… he’s drinking a Diet Coke, shooting the crap with his coaches… it almost seems too lackadaisical.” But there was a method to this apparent madness: “He’d already done his work. He’s already done his prep.”

Van Gundy lived by a principle that defines champions across all domains: “You win the battle before the war begins.”

This philosophy isn’t just about sports — it’s about how elite performers in any field prepare for moments of execution. Here’s why it matters and how to implement it:

The Cost of Real-Time Decision Making

Think about a quarterback analyzing defensive coverage at the line of scrimmage. As Jez points out, “A quarterback does not walk up under center and go, ‘huh, I wonder what kind of defensive coverage they’re going to be in on this play.’ He damn well knows they’re going to cover two in 3rd and long situations.”

Every decision you make in the moment consumes cognitive energy that could be better spent on execution. This is why PGA Tour professionals spend Monday through Wednesday meticulously planning their strategy for Thursday’s opening round.

“Let’s cover as much of that universe as we can from our decision making process,” Jez explains. “Maybe the caddy’s the one doing a ton of thinking, but for the athlete, they’re just standing up there and executing.”

The Analytics Advantage

Modern champions use data not just to improve technique, but to eliminate uncertainty. When a golfer steps up to the fourth tee at TPC River Highlands, they shouldn’t be starting from scratch. As Jez describes, “We know this is Driver, off the left edge of the trap here… Oh wow, the wind is doing this. Let’s slide that line just a little bit.”

The goal isn’t to predict everything perfectly — it’s to start with “80 or 90 or 95% of the answer and just fine tuning at the edge.”

Practical Implementation:

1. Front-Load Your Decision Making — (1) Identify the key decisions you’ll need to make in competition (2) Use data and past experience to pre-plan your responses to common situations (3) Create clear decision trees for various scenarios

2. Practice Your Pre-Planned Responses — Study how NBA teams drill pick-and-roll scenarios: “They’re drilling that stuff, drilling that stuff… so when Mike Conley sees that in NBA game… he’s just reading and reacting.”

3. Leave Room for Adaptation — Your plan shouldn’t be rigid. As Jez notes, you’ll always have “known unknowns” — like changing wind conditions or an unexpected opponent strategy. The key is having a strong baseline strategy that can be adjusted rather than starting from zero.

The Bottom Line

The true power of this approach isn’t just in the immediate performance boost — it’s in the compound effect over time. When you consistently prepare this way, you build what Jez calls “an integrated strategy” where every decision supports your overall performance goals.

Remember: The most stressful moment in competition isn’t when you have to make a difficult decision — it’s when you have to make any decision you haven’t prepared for.

So next time you see someone who seems surprisingly calm before a big moment, ask yourself: Have they mastered the Van Gundy Method? Have they already won their battle before it began?

Your Challenge for the Week

1. Pick your next big performance/competition and spend 15 minutes listing three key decisions you’ll likely face

2. Before your next practice/training session, write down your exact plan. No winging it. Note how different this feels

3. At the end of each day this week, identify one decision you can “pre-make” for tomorrow (what to eat, what to wear, when to train)

4. Create a simple “If X happens, then Y” plan for the most common challenge in your sport/domain

Remember: The goal isn’t to plan everything. It’s to start shifting decisions from game-time to prep-time, one small choice at a time.

Want More?

If you got this far, I bet you will like the full podcast episode I did with Cory Jez! We talk about how sports analytics is changing from 1.0 to 2.0, how teams effectively integrate data, and much more!

Watch:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple 

Book Recommendation

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art — https://amzn.to/42ZeLdu

Looking to get your mind right before a big game or presentation? Your breath could be the key. There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences.

Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren’t found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe.