Building a Conceptual Offense with Dave Lepisto

• 2024-25 State Champions with a 29-1 record
• Five years averaging 1.08 points per possession
• 70% of baskets assisted in the state title season
• 2024-25 Wisconsin Coach of the Year

This is a complete look at how Coach Lepisto teaches his players to create individual and team space, connect actions, and play what makes sense.

With more than 30 years teaching elementary physical education and more than 30 years coaching basketball, Coach Lepisto uses the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) to help players recognize opportunities, make decisions, and solve basketball problems.

• 2024-25 Wisconsin Coach of the Year
• 2024-25 Fox Valley Coach of the Year
• 2025-26 Fox Valley Co-Coach of the Year
• 2024-25 State Champions
• 90-22 record as head coach

Points per possession in the 2024-25 state title season

1.09

Coach of the Year honors in 2024-25 and 2025-26

3

Years coaching basketball

30+

01

Add it to the offense you already run.

Use a cut, a spacing principle, a transition idea, or a way to connect actions. You don’t have to replace your current system.

02

You can still call the first action.

Conceptual Offense doesn't mean no structure - it means structure and freedom! You set the starting point, and players connect the next action.

03

Make your offense impossible to scout.

Players respond to the defense and combine actions as opportunities appear, so opponents can’t simply memorize a fixed sequence.

04

Learn to teach through CLA.

“I'm not a drills coach.” See how Coach Lepisto uses constraints and game-play so players learn contextually.

05

Keep developing players throughout the season.

Live 2-on-2 through 5-on-5 work and 1-on-1 skill drills create Gravity Players who can handle the ball, create space, and score.

06

Give players a style they enjoy.

Game-based practices keep players involved, competing, and solving problems, with ownership of how the offense unfolds.

07

Develop high-IQ players for any offense.

Players understand why they cut and where space is opening, preparing them for new offenses and the next level.

Coach Lepisto keeps coming back to a simple idea

Create Space. Give Your Players a Way to Think Through the Game.

Players learn how their positioning, cuts, and movement affect everyone else on the court: when to move, how to make space for teammates, and how to repair their spacing when things break down.

His spatial template gives those decisions a foundation, so players have more than a list of spots to memorize.

Keep the Action You Like

Maybe your offense starts with a ball screen or an away screen. Keep it. When it doesn’t produce a shot, players read, cut, and stack the next action.

Players Stack Actions

They learn to read, react, and build on each other’s decisions without another play call. That’s when the offense becomes especially difficult to defend.

No NBA Clips

Every game clip features Coach Lepisto’s own team using these concepts in live competition.

Do I have to change the offense we already run?

No. Take the pieces that fit your team and introduce them gradually. You can keep your motion offense or favorite opening ball-screen action, then use Coach Lepisto’s cuts, spacing principles, and teaching to help players keep playing when the first action doesn’t produce a shot.

Does conceptual offense mean we can’t run a set?

No. Coach Lepisto shows how scripted actions can get the offense started, with players making decisions and connecting the next action from there.

What if our spacing breaks down?

That is part of the instruction. Coach Lepisto uses examples to explain how players can adapt, adjust, and fix bad spacing when things go awry.

Where do I start?

The implementation conversation addresses exactly that question. Coach Lepisto discusses where he would begin and which cuts and actions he might introduce first. The system provides guidance for getting started rather than a fixed sequence every team must follow.

Can I use these ideas with younger players?

The system includes a separate conversation with Coach Lepisto about implementing conceptual offense with youth players, so you can consider his advice alongside your team’s experience and needs.

Do I need to use all of Coach Lepisto’s terminology?

No. The glossary gives you a reference for understanding his teaching. Coach Lepisto explains why naming matters, but you can choose the language and concepts you want to use with your players.

Are the practices full sessions?

Yes. You get three full beginning-of-season practices (days two, three, and four) and two full summer practices.

“I wanted to coach conceptually but had no idea how to start the process. Honestly I was scared. Coach Lepisto put me completely at ease. I realized it wasn’t about doing 20 things at once, rather implementing concepts gradually.

I have 25+ video products…I’m a junkie…but this is the best! If you are like me, you’ll learn so much about coaching from seeing Coach Lepisto in action!”

Matthew B. · Wisconsin

“I can honestly say that Coach Dave Lepisto is the best instructional coach that I've come across. He teaches in a way that is easy to understand...I feel like a better coach just having watched him.”

Eric B. · North Carolina

“If you want to see an expert coach and teacher in action, this is a must watch. There is so much in this Conceptual Offense Product - I love watching him break down actual game clips showing how the actions can look live.

Also I learned so much watching how he practices and incorporates live defense into almost every drill that he goes through. If you want to start teaching kids how to play basketball the right way and develop high IQ players, this is a must!”

John R. · Virginia

PART 1

The foundation: teaching conceptual offense

Whiteboard instruction: the spatial template, limiting initial concepts, why naming concepts matters, and what his practices look like (and how to adapt for youth).

PART 2

Learn what to look for in the game film

Space, pace, ball movement, and player movement, gravity players, and Coach Lepisto’s offensive pillars: the ideas behind every clip.

PART 3

See the cuts, spacing, and actions work together

Cuts diagrammed and defined, then game clips showing how players create space, connect actions, and adjust when possessions don’t go as planned.

PART 4

Footwork and finishing: “If you can pivot, you can play.”

Stride stop into a power layup, Cross-step starts and Stamped, Stride stop with Bagel, Floater, and Half Donut, taught against a defense.

PART 5

Where to start with your team

Which action he might introduce first, which cuts he would build around, and how to use the spatial template to help players create space.

PART 6

How to introduce it to youth players

Coach Lepisto’s tips for starting with younger teams and introducing conceptual offense at the youth level.

PART 7

Three full practices from the start of the season

Days two, three, and four of his season, with the key points of emphasis introduced before each drill.

PART 8

Two full summer practices

Experienced players and incoming high school players in the same practice, at different stages of understanding.

Don’t Decide Now

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Take the next 60 days to explore the program and implement the drills and concepts with your team. If you don’t feel it meets your coaching needs, simply email us for a full refund. No questions asked. No hassle. No worries.