The Coaching Staff

[C_note]

Watching today's Summer League championship game, I started looking into our coaching staff for the upcoming season.

We've got Chauncey - don't need to say much. Championship-level experience, PG and defensive mentality.

What stood out to me though, was the well-rounded staff he's got around him.

Scott Brooks - NBA head coach since 2008 with OKC (2008-15) and Washington (2016-21). 2010 Coach of the Year. And he's our assistant. NBA player experience. Wow.

We've got more NBA experience with Roy Rogers, a long-time assistant coach in the league.

Rodney Billups/Matt Brase - Lengthy collegiate-level playing and coaching experience.

Edniesha Curry - Former WNBA player, and extensive player development experience, both internationally and collegiately.

Last but not least - Steve Hetzel. Current Summer League head coach.
Steve might be one of the more interesting paths to NBA-level coaching. An outside nonplayer perspective beginning with video coordination in 2006 with the Cavs, and working his way up through player development roles/assistant coaching in the league.

I know NBA fans don't often give much thought to the coaching staff, but wanted to call out the interesting and experienced group Chauncey has built around him.

 

[Wade Garrett]

Coach Curry pretty much runs practices.
The players, 100% would run through a brick wall for her.
Coach relies a lot on Roy Rodgers...
They are a confident, cohesive group.

 

[Scalma]

Hetzel has been a riser and was considered a future head coach not long ago. Brase also has great bloodlines, he’s lute olsons grandson.

 

[riverman]

Is Scott Brooks gone now? I think Chauncey's brother is also on the coaching staff as well

 

[damianlillard]

How do one go about and apply for video coordination job?

 

[YamTastic]

A player's coach surrounded by experienced assistants, taking over to help make a superstar finally reach his potential. Where have I heard this one before?

*glances over at Rick Adelman circa 1989*

 

[Natebishop3]

A player's coach surrounded by experienced assistants, taking over to help make a superstar finally reach his potential. Where have I heard this one before?

*glances over at Rick Adelman circa 1989*

That was Kerr's model too, no?

 

[Mediocre Man]

That was Kerr's model too, no?

Kerr’s model was to have a top 1-2 pg in NBA history on his team

 

[Natebishop3]

Kerr’s model was to have a top 1-2 pg in NBA history on his team

Ohhhhhhhhhh hot take.

I think we almost need a sub category of "lead guard" or something to that effect. I have never really thought of Curry as a point guard. Not in the same vein as a Magic Johnson, or John Stockton, or Jason Kidd, or Steve Nash.

He's a pure scorer, so it almost feels wrong to call him a point guard. Dame is in kind of the same boat though. Dame has only averaged 8 assists once in his career. Curry has also only done it once.

Is Curry a top 5 player of all time?

 

[Wade Garrett]

Is Curry a top 5 player of all time?

Yes.
After these past Finals, he is.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yes.
After these past Finals, he is.

Interesting. Between Jordan, Lebron, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Russell, Chamberlain, Duncan, Olajuwon, O'neal--which 6 do you place behind Curry in the all-time rankings?

 

[Wade Garrett]

Interesting. Between Jordan, Lebron, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Russell, Chamberlain, Duncan, Olajuwon, O'neal--which 6 do you place behind Curry in the all-time rankings?

Yep, I understand.
These rankings.....it's like when people ask me my favorite Rolling Stones songs/albums (obsessive follower here!), it is absolutely impossible to do.
However, maybe even more than most, Steph completely changed the way the game is played with his 3pt shooting, so he is on any list for me.
Plus, he is a great Ambassador for the game.

 

[THE HCP]

Yes.
After these past Finals, he is.

Day drinking again sir?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

A player's coach surrounded by experienced assistants, taking over to help make a superstar finally reach his potential. Where have I heard this one before?

*glances over at Rick Adelman circa 1989*

Steve Nash says hi from Brooklyn.

 

[illmatic99]

How do one go about and apply for video coordination job?

https://www.teamworkonline.com/basketball-jobs/nbateamjobs/nba-league-office?employment_opportunity_search[query]=video&employment_opportunity_search[category_id]=&employment_opportunity_search[organization_id]=

Lakers are hiring.

 

[Wade Garrett]

Day drinking again sir?

I don't drink alcohol anymore. (reached my life's quota a while back)....but, today would be a great day for it!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yep, I understand.
These rankings.....it's like when people ask me my favorite Rolling Stones songs/albums (obsessive follower here!), it is absolutely impossible to do.
However, maybe even more than most, Steph completely changed the way the game is played with his 3pt shooting, so he is on any list for me.
Plus, he is a great Ambassador for the game.

I hear you--personally I differentiate "greatest" and "most influential". I think Steph is more the latter than the former.

 

[Natebishop3]

I hear you--personally I differentiate "greatest" and "most influential". I think Steph is more the latter than the former.

I think Curry is the hands down best shooter of all time. But is he a top 5 player? I don't know... Maybe?

 

[YamTastic]

I think Curry is the hands down best shooter of all time. But is he a top 5 player? I don't know... Maybe?

He holds records and he's got rings. He changed the way the game is played fundamentally. I don't see why we have to play coy here. He's, what... Top 2 in the last 20 years? I'd put him above Kobe and below LeBron, but only barely. He's gotta be Top 5 in the last 40 years surely.

 

[Natebishop3]

He holds records and he's got rings. He changed the way the game is played fundamentally. I don't see why we have to play coy here. He's, what... Top 2 in the last 20 years? I'd put him above Kobe and below LeBron, but only barely. He's gotta be Top 5 in the last 40 years surely.

It's not really playing coy... it's an extremely subjective topic. Different people value different things. For some people, the top five is something like:

Jordan
Kareem
Bird
Magic
Wilt

You could substitute in:
LeBron
Kobe
Steph
Durant

It's so hard. Do you go off rings? Do you go off accolades like scoring titles, All-NBA selections, MVP trophies, records like points or assists.... Or as you mentioned, do you go off of something like changing the game? If that was the case, I think the top 5 could be:

MJ
Wilt
Kareem
Steph
Magic

LeBron could also be on that list.

 

[YamTastic]

It's so hard. Do you go off rings? Do you go off accolades like scoring titles, All-NBA selections, MVP trophies, records like points or assists.... Or as you mentioned, do you go off of something like changing the game? If that was the case, I think the top 5 could be:

MJ
Wilt
Kareem
Steph
Magic

LeBron could also be on that list.

Fair and good points. I think when you're comparing guys who all definitely won rings and definitely hold records, you have to go by how the game changed in reaction to them. In this regard, I'd put LeBron ahead of Magic, mostly because (imho obvs) LeBron has done more to destroy the traditional positions in the game than Magic did (which is how I view Magic changing the game).

 

[PtldPlatypus]

He holds records and he's got rings. He changed the way the game is played fundamentally. I don't see why we have to play coy here. He's, what... Top 2 in the last 20 years? I'd put him above Kobe and below LeBron, but only barely. He's gotta be Top 5 in the last 40 years surely.

If by "in the last 40 years" we're saying players drafted in the past 40 years as opposed to those who played in the past 40 (thus excluding Magic, Bird, and Kareem), then I'd say Jordan/Lebron/Duncan...and then Curry is in the next tier with Shaq/Kobe/Hakeem. So sure, arguably top 5 drafted in the past 40 years.

Edit: didn't even think to include Durant, and now I kinda feel bad about that.

 

[YamTastic]

If by "in the last 40 years" we're saying players drafted in the past 40 years as opposed to those who played in the past 40 (thus excluding Magic, Bird, and Kareem), then I'd say Jordan/Lebron/Duncan...and then Curry is in the next tier with Shaq/Kobe/Hakeem. So sure, arguably top 5 drafted in the past 40 years.

Edit: didn't even think to include Durant, and now I kinda feel bad about that.

Yeah I did mean drafted; I personally wouldn't put Duncan in the top their simply because Shaq altered the game more than Duncan did, despite both of them being amazing players in their own styles.

Why feel bad about Durant? He's barely Top 10 lol If he'd been drafted by Portland, he'd probably not even be Top 20.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yeah I did mean drafted; I personally wouldn't put Duncan in the top their simply because Shaq altered the game more than Duncan did, despite both of them being amazing players in their own styles.

Why feel bad about Durant? He's barely Top 10 lol If he'd been drafted by Portland, he'd probably not even be Top 20.

If your criteria is how much a player changed the game, then sure. But if you're just looking at career accomplishments, Durant and Curry are basically on the same level.

Player Comparison: Stephen Curry vs. Kevin Durant | Stathead.com

BTW, am I the only one who for some reason didn't realize that Curry is older than Durant, though having entered the NBA 2 years later?

 

[Natebishop3]

Fair and good points. I think when you're comparing guys who all definitely won rings and definitely hold records, you have to go by how the game changed in reaction to them. In this regard, I'd put LeBron ahead of Magic, mostly because (imho obvs) LeBron has done more to destroy the traditional positions in the game than Magic did (which is how I view Magic changing the game).

This is why it’s so interesting to me because people compared LeBron to Magic when he was coming out. His size and playmaking. Plus, Magic was a huge catalyst for showtime, which changed the league.

LeBron is just a freak. The fact that he’s still this good at his age is nuts. Blows me away.

 

[Shaboid]

This is a really weird thread to discuss the GOATs.

Carry on.

 

[YamTastic]

This is a really weird thread to discuss the GOATs.

Carry on.

Sorry about that; I kept the tangent going.

 

[blazerkor]

Steph is the greatest shooter of all time but he's not even a good defender, let along a great defedner like everyone else on the list of MJ, LeBron, Magic, Wilt, Kobe, Bird, Kareem, Russell, Hakeem, Duncan, KD, the big O, Dr. J and Moses Malone. Those guys were all phenominal defenders along with dominant offensive players. I think Shaq was not only better than Steph overall but he was a better defender too even though he wasn't one of the best of his generation.

ESPN ranked Steph 16th... right now... in his heyday. Believe me when I say that he'll sink lower than that after his career is over.

 

[Shaboid]

Sorry about that; I kept the tangent going.

So apology necessary, just thought someone should mention it.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I hear you--personally I differentiate "greatest" and "most influential". I think Steph is more the latter than the former.

He’s certainly in the conversation. Look at the numbers the man has put up?