Five years ago, the Cavaliers did not renew the contract of interim Head Coach Keith Smart. Smart's departure followed the exits of John Lucas and Randy Wittman. Paul Silas took the helm but only lasted about 1 1/2 seasons before he was replaced by Brendan Malone. Prior to Silas's start as Head Coach of the Cavs, Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer asked that Cavalier fans send in advice for the new coach. My advice was among the commentary selected for posting. Here it is:
"With a team as young as our Cavaliers, you should consider using a mix of man-to-man and zone defenses. Then, emphasize to the players the importance of controlling the tempo of the game. If the opposing team goes on a 6-0 mini-run, do not be afraid to call an immediate time-out (better a 6-0 mini-run than an 18-0 run).
Most importantly, make sure that every player on the team knows that you are here to make them better players. It is one thing to criticize a player; it is another thing to help a player to improve. The worst thing a coach can do is scold a player for failing to do something without teaching that player how to do better next time.
Lastly, make sure to reiterate that basketball is a team game (EVERY player on the roster has the ability to contribute) and please emphasize the importance of good conduct on and off the court.
With that said, I know that your sense of discipline and your ability to relate to players is a good fit for the Cavaliers. Good luck to you and welcome to Cleveland!"
While I stand corrected because Paul Silas turned out to not be a good fit for Cleveland, some of the advice given to Coach Silas is applicable to any coach, including current Head Coach Mike Brown. Oddly enough, Silas's failure to acknowledge advice such as this reflected his shortcomings while coaching the Cavaliers. Silas was notorious for looking at the team as "LeBron and Four Guys" (except during the 1st quarter, when Z got the ball in the post); his departing interview reiterated this. Likewise, he angrily scolded players like Eric Snow and Ira Newble, which quickly became public news. He never made it clear that he was trying to help players become better players. Although he showed he related well to players when coaching the Hornets, he did not do so well while with the Cavs.
After successful collegiate coach Skip Prosser passed away in 2007, an article from The Cincinnati Enquirer noted about him: "Prosser always considered himself a teacher first and foremost. He was constantly looking for ways to teach his players lessons that would help them later in life." The article then quoted Prosser as saying: "Coaching isn't wins and losses. [...] It's teaching. That's the reason I got into coaching and the reason I've stayed in coaching." What coaches need to remember is that they are teachers. They need to help their players to grow on and off the court. This means career development and personal development through good times and bad times. This includes providing individual attention to each unique player while shaping team identity and unity.
Coach Brown's reputation as a solid teacher of the game helped him land the job with the Cavaliers. As Brown showed two years ago, his commitment to teaching defense directed the Cavaliers toward the Eastern Conference Championship and their first NBA Finals appearance. He, too, sometimes falls into the pitfall of excessively leaning on LeBron James through difficult stretches, but he has turned to James as much as any other player to embrace becoming a better defender. Overall, he seems more trusting of his players than Silas, Lucas, or Wittman were. In the days and months ahead, Coach Brown can build on what he has taught and what the team has achieved. If he continues to exemplify his role as teacher, the team should improve on last year's performance.
Basketball players often talk about 'schooling' each other, but perhaps they need to see themselves more as tutors passing on the knowledge of coaches. In turn, coaches need to act less like critics and more like teachers. The basketball court is more than just a sports or entertainment venue--it really is a classroom. Remember, not every classroom has desks.
"With a team as young as our Cavaliers, you should consider using a mix of man-to-man and zone defenses. Then, emphasize to the players the importance of controlling the tempo of the game. If the opposing team goes on a 6-0 mini-run, do not be afraid to call an immediate time-out (better a 6-0 mini-run than an 18-0 run).
Most importantly, make sure that every player on the team knows that you are here to make them better players. It is one thing to criticize a player; it is another thing to help a player to improve. The worst thing a coach can do is scold a player for failing to do something without teaching that player how to do better next time.
Lastly, make sure to reiterate that basketball is a team game (EVERY player on the roster has the ability to contribute) and please emphasize the importance of good conduct on and off the court.
With that said, I know that your sense of discipline and your ability to relate to players is a good fit for the Cavaliers. Good luck to you and welcome to Cleveland!"
While I stand corrected because Paul Silas turned out to not be a good fit for Cleveland, some of the advice given to Coach Silas is applicable to any coach, including current Head Coach Mike Brown. Oddly enough, Silas's failure to acknowledge advice such as this reflected his shortcomings while coaching the Cavaliers. Silas was notorious for looking at the team as "LeBron and Four Guys" (except during the 1st quarter, when Z got the ball in the post); his departing interview reiterated this. Likewise, he angrily scolded players like Eric Snow and Ira Newble, which quickly became public news. He never made it clear that he was trying to help players become better players. Although he showed he related well to players when coaching the Hornets, he did not do so well while with the Cavs.
After successful collegiate coach Skip Prosser passed away in 2007, an article from The Cincinnati Enquirer noted about him: "Prosser always considered himself a teacher first and foremost. He was constantly looking for ways to teach his players lessons that would help them later in life." The article then quoted Prosser as saying: "Coaching isn't wins and losses. [...] It's teaching. That's the reason I got into coaching and the reason I've stayed in coaching." What coaches need to remember is that they are teachers. They need to help their players to grow on and off the court. This means career development and personal development through good times and bad times. This includes providing individual attention to each unique player while shaping team identity and unity.
Coach Brown's reputation as a solid teacher of the game helped him land the job with the Cavaliers. As Brown showed two years ago, his commitment to teaching defense directed the Cavaliers toward the Eastern Conference Championship and their first NBA Finals appearance. He, too, sometimes falls into the pitfall of excessively leaning on LeBron James through difficult stretches, but he has turned to James as much as any other player to embrace becoming a better defender. Overall, he seems more trusting of his players than Silas, Lucas, or Wittman were. In the days and months ahead, Coach Brown can build on what he has taught and what the team has achieved. If he continues to exemplify his role as teacher, the team should improve on last year's performance.
Basketball players often talk about 'schooling' each other, but perhaps they need to see themselves more as tutors passing on the knowledge of coaches. In turn, coaches need to act less like critics and more like teachers. The basketball court is more than just a sports or entertainment venue--it really is a classroom. Remember, not every classroom has desks.