SPT 15 Z — Seeing the Game: A Basketball Masterclass
Quarter: Fall
Instructor(s): Tara VanDerveer
Date(s): Oct 20—Nov 10
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Tuesdays
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 6:30—8:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $355
Refund Deadline: Oct 22
Unit(s): 0
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Fall
Day: Tuesdays
Duration: 4 weeks
Time: 6:30—8:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Oct 20—Nov 10
Unit(s): 0
Tuition: $355
Refund Deadline: Oct 22
Instructor(s): Tara VanDerveer
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Basketball can look fast and chaotic from the stands or the couch, but beneath every possession lies an intricate series of calculated decisions, adjustments, and tactical battles. Timed for the start of basketball season, this focused new edition of legendary Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s popular course is designed to deepen the way participants watch, understand, and enjoy basketball.
Intended for devoted fans and newcomers alike, the course explores the strategic side of the modern game—the Xs and Os that shape everything from spacing and tempo to defensive adjustments and matchup decisions. Through video breakdowns, chalk talk sessions, and analysis of real game situations from college, the WNBA, and the NBA, VanDerveer combines decades of coaching insight, behind-the-scenes stories, and her signature humor to reveal how coaches create advantages and adapt under pressure. Led by one of the greats of the game, participants will learn to see basketball with new eyes, recognizing the momentum shifts, strategic gambles, and split-second adjustments that decide outcomes at the highest level.
Intended for devoted fans and newcomers alike, the course explores the strategic side of the modern game—the Xs and Os that shape everything from spacing and tempo to defensive adjustments and matchup decisions. Through video breakdowns, chalk talk sessions, and analysis of real game situations from college, the WNBA, and the NBA, VanDerveer combines decades of coaching insight, behind-the-scenes stories, and her signature humor to reveal how coaches create advantages and adapt under pressure. Led by one of the greats of the game, participants will learn to see basketball with new eyes, recognizing the momentum shifts, strategic gambles, and split-second adjustments that decide outcomes at the highest level.
Students can choose to attend this course on campus or online. Sign up for Section H if you think you might attend class on the Stanford campus at least once. There is no commitment—you can still choose to attend via Zoom for any session. Sign up for Section Z if you know you will exclusively attend via Zoom.
TARA VANDERVEER
Former Head Women's Basketball Coach, Stanford
Tara VanDerveer was the head women's basketball coach at Stanford from 1985 until 2024. When she retired after the 2024 season, she held the record as the winningest coach in the history of NCAA basketball, with 1,216 victories, and had led her Stanford teams to three NCAA Championships, one of four coaches in the history of the sport to win three titles. She advanced the Cardinal to 14 NCAA Final Four appearances, 26 Pac-12 regular-season titles, 15 Pac-12 Tournament crowns, and 35 trips to the NCAA Tournament. She is the author of Shooting from the Outside, which chronicled her 1996 gold-medal Olympic and 60-0 National Team experience. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.