Stoudamire really turned that Pacific program around from being a bottom feeder to one of the best teams in the WCC in a couple years.
Celtics hire Ime Udoka as HC
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
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He's going to be someone that the Jays can instantly respect and take advice from having played in the league for so long. Instant credibility.
So you think the best NBA coach of his time had a guy at the top of his coaching ranks that wasn't a good coach? That's an interesting take.
I’m not disagreeing but your post reminded me of this story I found very funny the first time I read it:
https://www.complex.com/sports/2017/01/giannis-antetokounmpo-stopped-questioning-jason-kidd-after-looking-up-his-career-on-google
The story goes like this: during Kidd's first season as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, he banned Antetokounmpo from shooting threes. Not surprisingly, this led the second-year Antetokounmpo to question this ban.
Furthermore, Antetokounmpo was angered when he was first sent to the bench by Kidd. "I was like, 'Let's see what this guy did in his career, anyway,'" Antetokounmpo told SI. At that point he pulled up his bio on his phone, and was in awe of the long list of accomplishments Kidd stacked up during his 19-season career. "I saw Rookie of the Year, NBA championship, USA Olympic gold medal, second in assists, fifth in made threes, blah, blah, blah," Antetokounmpo said. "I was like, 'Jesus freaking Christ, how can I compete with that? I better zip it.'"
View: https://twitter.com/RedsArmy_John/status/1412889080724135940?s=20
John Karalis: Tatum on Udoka: what stands out the most is ... I can tell he's really really excited. It's going to be fun. We're going to try to accomplish something big
John Karalis: Tatum on Udoka: what stands out the most is ... I can tell he's really really excited. It's going to be fun. We're going to try to accomplish something big
Thrilled with the Stoudemire hire. Great rep, long career at a position with multiple young developing players on the roster, I'm just a touch surprised he left college to be an assistant, but the relationship with Udoka helps explain that.
The cool thing about these hires is that its likely to enhance the Celtics as a destination team. In addition to Tatum/Brown they now have a buzzy young coach but this time the person comes with a well rounded NBA pedigree. Furthermore, these coaches have been doing actual development work in the trenches with players from across the globe so they likely have insight into fits, personalities and tendencies which may prove useful.
Given where the Cs are on their development curve, the choice of Udoka and the timing of his arrival may be optimal as far as the Cs taking the next step. The Udoka hiring feels a bit like when Kerr joined the Warriors in terms of where the teams were on their respective progressions.
I don't disagree with your point in general, though Brad Stevens playing the role of Mark Jackson doesn't exactly compute.
I had a longer paragraph qualifying that part of the equation. I failed by editing myself.
In any event, I agree that the circumstances around the teams prior head coaches are almost diametrically opposed.
I know people like to think money didn’t matter to those who have made a lot of money in the past. Salary is stature and in most cases leads to career progression. He just signed a 5-year extension at Pacific likely for (relative) peanuts. I’d guess his Celtics deal is 3-4x larger as an Assistant than as the Head Coach of his college team. It’s also a much quicker path toward his likely ultimate goal of being an NBA Head Coach.
Here's the full quote from Pop:
“The guy is a stalwart. People overemphasize Os-and-Xs in the league. All the coaches know their Os-and-Xs. It’s basketball. It’s not analytical geometry or something like that. That stuff’s not tough, but to understand how to get the most out of people, to develop relationships with players, to make people accountable and make them want to play for you are really the keys and he’s got all that. He’s really a gifted communicator, although with him less is more. He’s not a talker, he’s a communicator and more than anything he’s genuine.”
At least for myself, I like to think that people are individuals, and what motivates may be different. You clearly don't.
I don’t understand what this means. What do you think motivates Stoudamire (and 99.9% of those involved in coaching at this level?)
I’m guessing career advancement and money are at the top of everyone’s list. If you feel that Damon got involved in coaching to be the head guy at Pacific University for the next 20 years then I’ll disagree with that opinion.
Some people would rather be the head guy where they are than an assistant somewhere else, even if that pro assistant job is the fastest way to advance. It's not the only way to advance. Would it be weird to keep that Pacific job until a better D1 job opens up first, then try to get NBA attention that way?
Thanks. I expected that there was a lot left out. Stalwart is more a term I would use for 20-30 year career assistant rather then a rising young coach. Both coaches and journalists use words for a living and their word choices carry meaning above and beyond the dictionary.
I would read this as Pop feels that he is not a tactician but a motivator. No surprise.
Yes very much so as it would prolong the time to each what is likely his desired goal as a former NBA player when he has that attention right now.
Yeah, you're right. The D1 rising star former player coaches get lots of love, but best way to get noticed is to take these jobs.
There are multiple ways to get to the same goal, as not every NBA head coach is a former NBA assistant obviously, but there are a shitload that are.
My point is that I (and you) have no idea what motivates Damon Stoudamire. You can guess all you want.
That’s as narrow and limited a reading of Pop’s words as I can imagine. He is quite explicitly saying that all NBA coaches know the tactical side of things, and is clearly including Udoka in that. He’s also saying that being a mere tactician is insufficient for being a top-notch head coach. He is quite literally saying that what separates Udoka is precisely the skill set required to be a top notch coach. In other words, he is both a tactician AND a communicator/motivator. I mean, this is the best coach in modern NBA history, and he is giving the Celtics’ new coach a full-throated endorsement. There are no caveats in his statement.
It’s not really a guess though. “Guessing” would imply that we have no idea if Stoudamire wants to be an NBA Head Coach in two years or the Head Coach at Pacific. I’m pretty confident I know the answer.
FWIW, Miles coached guys like Juan Toscano-Anderson, Kendrick Nunn, Chris Boucher and Georges Niang. Also, a bit of trivia I just read - when Miles was cut from the Trailblazers back in 2006, the person who got his roster spot was Udoka.
From what I've seen, Miles also has credibility around the league. At the very least, Udoka is giving the C's a completely new coaching perspective but again, there is some leverage here. At the margin, you would hope these hires might swing a player or two towards Boston in free agency or when requesting a trade.
From what I've seen, Miles also has credibility around the league. At the very least, Udoka is giving the C's a completely new coaching perspective but again, there is some leverage here. At the margin, you would hope these hires might swing a player or two towards Boston in free agency or when requesting a trade.
It’s certainly worth something that the new development coach on the Celtics has those four success stories on his resume. I wonder if they will retain Joe Mazzulla, who seemed to have a role in player development.
There has already been multiple reports and a confirmation that Mazzulla will be retained.
FWIW, USA Today says Mazzulla and video assistant Evan Bradds will be the holdovers.
View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1423675154622783488
Celtics nag Ben Sullivan from MIL as an assistant. He started out under Pop in SA then Budenholzer in ATL and MIL
Celtics nag Ben Sullivan from MIL as an assistant. He started out under Pop in SA then Budenholzer in ATL and MIL
They're his ages 24-26 seasons. He's supposed to improve. This past season he was worse than his age 23 season from 16-3p, on 3p & on ft.
He may very well be an amazing shooting coach, but I don't see where he's done much for Giannis.
Imagine if every piching coach and batting coach were judged by the worst players on the team. Some guys get better, some don't. These cats are judged against their peers, not some impossible standard where everyone turns into Steph Curry.
FTFY.
Giannis may have been even worse shooting if not for this guy in theory, right? I'm not sure what the objective measurement criteria would be for a shooting coach, given the variables in an NBA game - but perhaps assessing his performance would be influenced by his charges winning the last game of the NBA season.
“We got two elite scorers and I want to help them be playmakers,” Udoka said. “We got a ton of great shooters, so we want to play more team basketball. Obviously, have a defensive mindset, do a lot of different things, because we can go big-small, a lot of different ways there. In general, an exciting brand, just share the ball a little bit more. In general Jaylen and Jayson can take a huge step as far as that."
Music to my ears.
Music to my ears.