Coach & Founder
The philosophy, the standards, and the person behind Perimeter Basketball.
Sam Smith
Owner and lead trainer of Perimeter Basketball, working with youth through college players across the greater Michiana, Indiana area.
I started Perimeter Basketball to give players real, individualized development — not a generic drill list. Every session is built around what a specific player actually needs to get better, whether that's a 5th grader learning to catch and shoot on balance or a college guard sharpening decision-making at game speed.
"I love this game, and I gravitate toward others who love it just as much — so I went all in on helping players reach their goals and train relentlessly like I did."
We develop highly skilled players — elite shooters and elite decision-makers. To make good decisions in live game situations, you need the tools first: the movement patterns and skills that let you read and react fast, on instinct, without hesitation. Without those tools, you can't play at that speed.
The two traits that translate through every level of basketball are shooting and decision-making — paired with the intangibles that make them stick.
The Game Wasn't Finished With Me
I played through serious hip pain for most of high school, doing whatever I could to stay on the floor despite it. I was later diagnosed with FAI, a joint condition that had fractured both hips and torn both labrums. I scored 1,000 points in three years playing 4A basketball in Indiana — as a senior, averaging 19 a game making over 3.5 threes a game at 43% and hold the all time record for career three pointers made at Northridge — all on two broken hips.
After graduation I had surgery and tried to come back and play in college. The same pain returned, and my playing career ended before it really started. I had put everything into the game, and losing it that way nearly broke me.
I had a second surgery and a long recovery — about a year and a half. By the time I was ready again, it was too late for college ball to happen. But I never left the gym.
I joined the Northridge staff as head of player development for the JV and varsity, in Middlebury, Indiana — the same program I played for — helping put together back-to-back 20-plus win seasons and a Final Four run at 26-2. I coached middle school ball too, and trained players on the side while I finished school.
I felt like I had more to give to the game of basketball, so I went all in on helping players reach their goals and train relentlessly like I did. When I graduated, I went full-time into Perimeter Basketball — and I still coach player development at Northridge part-time today.
The Intangibles That Make It Stick
Trusted Across Levels
Development that holds up as the competition gets tougher.
Youth
Building fundamentals early — ball handling, movement patterns, and the habits that everything else is built on.
High School
Sharpening the skills and decision-making that separate varsity-level players.
College
Refining the details that matter against faster, more physical competition.
Professional
Part-time work this past offseason with a current NBA player.
Training In Action
