The second assumption is that if you press long enough you will fatigue your opponents. Few teams or players ever train to that level to fully accomplish the second objective. Now I am not going to suggest that either of these two highly successful coaches are incorrect. In fact they recruit for quickness and athleticism, they condition so that they can run all day long, and they do not just pressure, but attempt to pressure you into errors. But simply applying pressure is not good basketball, nor does it guarantee a winner.
Smart pressure is simply smart basketball on the defensive end of the court.
I want to borrow some key defensive teaching phrases from one of the great masters of the game, retired Hall of Fame Coach, Ralph Miller. He coached many great players including A.C. Green and Gary Payton. Coach Miller taught a concept called Pressure Basketball . I have highlighted a few basic defensive concepts here which, while seeming simple, are of tremendous importance for you as a young player to understand and execute. Follow along with them and I will give you a few more in depth pointers along the way.