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