WEBVTT - 76ers Coaches Corner: Matt Brase 0:00:27.093 --> 0:00:29.933 I'matari's Mexi and you're listening to the seventy six Ers 0:00:30.013 --> 0:00:31.253 Insiders podcast. 0:00:31.573 --> 0:00:34.133 This podcast is part of the seventy six Ers podcast 0:00:34.173 --> 0:00:36.053 network presented by Stern and Cohen Law. 0:00:36.173 --> 0:00:39.173 Search seventy six Ers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts 0:00:39.333 --> 0:00:41.853 Oh Brah. Have you suffered a work injury? You need 0:00:41.893 --> 0:00:46.773 a lawyer? Call Stern and Cohen Workers Compensation Lawyers Sterncohenlaw 0:00:47.293 --> 0:00:50.453 dot com. The consultation is always free. They will ring 0:00:50.493 --> 0:00:57.973 the insurance company's bell. Go Sixers. Welcome back to Sixers 0:00:58.133 --> 0:01:02.213 in sixty. I'm Matt Murphy with Lauren Rosen. Thanks so 0:01:02.333 --> 0:01:06.933 much to our fanatic basketball insider for joining us, Bob Cooney. 0:01:07.213 --> 0:01:11.573 We'll have Sixers assistant coach Matt Brozi coming up on 0:01:11.813 --> 0:01:15.413 the program. We're live for this one from the Center 0:01:15.533 --> 0:01:21.533 in Philadelphia before Sixers Bulls to contextualize any stats that 0:01:21.613 --> 0:01:24.533 we give throughout this segment. But some big news around 0:01:24.573 --> 0:01:27.733 the organization was the contract extension for President into Basketball 0:01:27.773 --> 0:01:32.933 Operations Darryl Moury through the twenty twenty seven twenty eight 0:01:33.373 --> 0:01:37.293 NBA season, adding to the continuity for this franchise. And 0:01:37.333 --> 0:01:40.733 it starts at the top with someone like Moury, and he. 0:01:40.653 --> 0:01:43.813 Talked in turn, of course about his relationship with Elton Brand, 0:01:43.973 --> 0:01:49.053 his relationship, his long term relationship and working with Nick 0:01:49.133 --> 0:01:53.053 Nurse starting with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers during Darryl 0:01:53.053 --> 0:01:55.293 Moury's time with the Rockets, but the two of them, 0:01:55.533 --> 0:01:57.693 there's a lot of continuity. There obviously a lot of 0:01:57.693 --> 0:02:00.773 continuity now between Daryl Moriy and Elton Brand over the 0:02:00.853 --> 0:02:03.253 last few years, and the way that Daryl wants to 0:02:03.493 --> 0:02:07.733 continue to build up upon that continuity. Clear. He also 0:02:07.773 --> 0:02:09.293 just talked about how much he loves his team, how 0:02:09.373 --> 0:02:11.173 much he loves this city, how much the city has 0:02:11.213 --> 0:02:14.053 embraced him, the good and the bad. He loves when 0:02:14.133 --> 0:02:16.053 people So if you're listening and you ever see Daryl 0:02:16.093 --> 0:02:18.293 Moray in the street, he wants to know what you think. 0:02:18.333 --> 0:02:20.453 He wants to know what people think about his choices 0:02:20.493 --> 0:02:22.493 when he's out getting his morning coffee. Talked about it 0:02:22.493 --> 0:02:25.333 in his press conference. He's embedded in this city. He 0:02:25.413 --> 0:02:27.653 loves this city, and it's cool to just know if 0:02:27.693 --> 0:02:30.773 you're a Sixers fan that your sort of core leadership 0:02:31.053 --> 0:02:33.333 and your core on the court. When you think about 0:02:33.373 --> 0:02:36.173 Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey figure two be the same 0:02:36.213 --> 0:02:38.093 group of people for the next few years, and if 0:02:38.093 --> 0:02:40.773 this season is any indication, it's a group that's humming 0:02:41.013 --> 0:02:42.973 very well together. When you think about Nick Nurse in 0:02:42.973 --> 0:02:46.133 his first season with of course that supporting cast that we. 0:02:46.173 --> 0:02:51.093 Just mentioned, Coach Brasi is part of that contingent that 0:02:51.533 --> 0:02:55.773 has connections earlier in his career with both Nick Nurse 0:02:56.333 --> 0:03:00.373 and Darryl Moury, and now Moriy and Nurse their contracts 0:03:00.453 --> 0:03:05.293 run through that same season together, Tyrese Maxi being included 0:03:05.293 --> 0:03:07.653 with the names Elton Brand Joel Embiid as well by 0:03:07.813 --> 0:03:12.533 Darryl at his press conference after the announcement, and what 0:03:12.613 --> 0:03:16.893 we found very interesting is that he mentioned the jump 0:03:16.933 --> 0:03:21.413 that Maxie has taken in year four is very very 0:03:21.493 --> 0:03:24.013 rare because you always hear a year two jump. 0:03:23.973 --> 0:03:27.413 And of course Tyree's Maxie famously fell to twenty one. Goodness, 0:03:27.613 --> 0:03:29.413 but Daryl talked about the way that a player that 0:03:29.453 --> 0:03:33.493 falls in the draft can sometimes exceed expectations their rookie season, 0:03:33.493 --> 0:03:36.653 the way that Tyrese Maxey did despite his rookie season 0:03:36.693 --> 0:03:38.973 not really knowing how much he was going to play. 0:03:39.013 --> 0:03:40.813 I'm thinking, of course, back to that thirty nine point 0:03:40.853 --> 0:03:43.693 performance in a game where he wasn't sure how many 0:03:43.693 --> 0:03:45.733 minutes he was going to have. And of course that 0:03:45.813 --> 0:03:47.813 was a strange day that was the COVID season. The 0:03:47.853 --> 0:03:51.453 team was severely shorthanded on that day. But to think 0:03:51.453 --> 0:03:54.253 that that was just a little over three short years 0:03:54.293 --> 0:03:56.893 ago and to see how he's grown. Daryl reflected on 0:03:56.933 --> 0:03:59.613 the fact that, like I said, getting drafted and then 0:03:59.653 --> 0:04:01.933 making a leap, making a leap in year two, those 0:04:01.933 --> 0:04:03.733 are things that you kind of expect out of players 0:04:03.733 --> 0:04:05.853 that are going to end up being good in the NBA. 0:04:05.973 --> 0:04:08.133 But what he said has set Tyrese Maxey apart so 0:04:08.213 --> 0:04:11.293 far is the third year jump and the fourth year jump. 0:04:11.333 --> 0:04:13.533 And Matt, if you're hearing a theme here, you're correct. 0:04:13.653 --> 0:04:17.093 That's a jump every single season and you can expect 0:04:17.093 --> 0:04:19.373 that now moving forward from Tyrese Maxey. It's not a fluke. 0:04:19.373 --> 0:04:20.853 If he's done it four years in a row. It's 0:04:20.853 --> 0:04:22.453 something that you can get used to. It's something that 0:04:22.533 --> 0:04:25.453 Darryl Moray has been really impressed by, and like you said, 0:04:25.493 --> 0:04:28.813 it was cool to hear him named among the mount 0:04:28.893 --> 0:04:31.893 Rushmore of this organization right now, right the pillars of 0:04:31.893 --> 0:04:34.493 this organization right now, Darryl Morey and Nick Nurse, of course, 0:04:34.653 --> 0:04:37.853 but Joel Mban and Tyrese Maxey as a partnership in 0:04:38.013 --> 0:04:40.973 just three short seasons, the beginning of a fourth Darryl 0:04:41.013 --> 0:04:44.573 of course, Darryl's tenure in Tyrese Maxie's tenure match up 0:04:45.013 --> 0:04:48.053 exactly almost to the day in terms of how long 0:04:48.053 --> 0:04:50.453 they've been with this team, and just watching the way 0:04:50.493 --> 0:04:52.933 that Maxie has risen to stardom has been a pleasure 0:04:53.133 --> 0:04:54.733 of course to you, to me, and to six Ers fans, 0:04:54.733 --> 0:04:55.893 but to Darryl as well, and it was cool to 0:04:55.933 --> 0:04:56.733 hear him talk about it. 0:04:56.893 --> 0:05:00.933 One of the most fun duos to watch in the NBA, statistically, 0:05:01.493 --> 0:05:02.693 the best. 0:05:02.333 --> 0:05:05.573 The highest scoring duo in the NBA as of this recording. 0:05:05.893 --> 0:05:07.133 I mean, Matt, we knew they were going to be 0:05:07.173 --> 0:05:09.453 good together. We know that they've been developing chemistry. We 0:05:09.533 --> 0:05:11.813 know that Joel has had a soft spot for Tyrese 0:05:12.053 --> 0:05:14.813 throughout the last three seasons, But we didn't know that 0:05:14.853 --> 0:05:17.573 they were going to be the best duo arguably in 0:05:17.653 --> 0:05:22.853 the NBA. In their first season as permanent starting stars together, 0:05:23.653 --> 0:05:25.053 They've just been awesome. 0:05:25.133 --> 0:05:26.533 It's like the ball is on a string when they're 0:05:26.573 --> 0:05:28.493 pass it to each other in the two man game. 0:05:28.493 --> 0:05:31.733 It's very impressive and it's chemistry that's developed over the 0:05:31.813 --> 0:05:34.893 years and since training camp with this new coaching staff 0:05:34.893 --> 0:05:38.093 empowering Maxi to use his voice more at practice. We've 0:05:38.093 --> 0:05:41.013 seen it firsthand all year and when you think back 0:05:41.053 --> 0:05:44.453 to training camp with this coaching staff, and that's something 0:05:44.493 --> 0:05:47.853 that I talked to coach Brossey about, is it's a 0:05:47.893 --> 0:05:51.693 new staff inheriting the reigning league MVP and someone like 0:05:51.773 --> 0:05:55.413 Maxi who is on his way to potentially all start 0:05:55.453 --> 0:05:58.933 them this season as soon as this season. But they've 0:05:58.933 --> 0:06:02.013 been building this chemistry up since the Fort Collins, Colorado 0:06:02.493 --> 0:06:04.973 training camp, where there was a lot of messaging going 0:06:05.013 --> 0:06:07.893 around and some of that directed towards Tyres and using 0:06:07.933 --> 0:06:10.173 his voice, but a lot from just this coaching staff 0:06:10.213 --> 0:06:13.613 putting their imprint on this existing group with some key 0:06:13.653 --> 0:06:16.213 additions from the offseason too, and things. 0:06:16.133 --> 0:06:18.333 Of course felt really different when you think back to 0:06:18.373 --> 0:06:20.573 Fort Collins, a whole new staff and a lot of 0:06:20.573 --> 0:06:22.973 new players, lots of roster turnover this season, so there 0:06:23.013 --> 0:06:25.773 was a newness a spirit that was different at that 0:06:25.893 --> 0:06:28.893 training camp. And to see how quickly they've all sort 0:06:28.933 --> 0:06:31.613 of assimilated to one another. Matt, I think has been 0:06:31.613 --> 0:06:33.253 really cool. You mentioned the way that the coaches have 0:06:33.293 --> 0:06:35.933 been communicating with the players. They were speaking a different 0:06:35.973 --> 0:06:39.173 language at first, right, someone like Tyrese who we continue 0:06:39.173 --> 0:06:41.893 to mention, but a Jaden Springer another great example. Those 0:06:41.933 --> 0:06:44.253 two have only ever had one coaching staff in the 0:06:44.333 --> 0:06:46.973 NBA ahead of this season, so every NBA rep they 0:06:47.013 --> 0:06:49.933 associate with their former coaching staff. So to get up 0:06:49.973 --> 0:06:52.413 to speed with a brand new staff that has different expectations, 0:06:52.413 --> 0:06:55.173 a different style, a different way of communication, and to 0:06:55.293 --> 0:06:57.413 just be a couple months into that tenure and be 0:06:57.493 --> 0:07:01.813 playing this well. This is a really impressive coaching staff, Matt, 0:07:01.853 --> 0:07:04.773 and I'm looking forward to listening to our first assistant 0:07:04.773 --> 0:07:05.573 coach interview tonight. 0:07:05.773 --> 0:07:10.293 Yes, unpredictable staff, creative coaching staff spearheaded by a head coach, 0:07:10.573 --> 0:07:14.133 Nick Nurse, and players who are eager to take what 0:07:14.173 --> 0:07:16.453 they have to say and try to see if it 0:07:16.493 --> 0:07:19.213 will work on the court. And Joelle Embiid is always 0:07:19.213 --> 0:07:21.733 watching games afterwards on his phone and stuff like that 0:07:21.853 --> 0:07:24.333 and just getting ideas of what might work for him 0:07:24.373 --> 0:07:27.773 and his teammates in an NBA basketball game. And this 0:07:27.853 --> 0:07:29.933 is like the perfect coaching staff for that type of 0:07:29.933 --> 0:07:32.533 thing because they are just so interested in basketball and 0:07:32.533 --> 0:07:34.413 how to gain any sort of advantage. It's a perfect 0:07:34.413 --> 0:07:36.933 fit for a coaching staff like Brozzie and Nurse and 0:07:36.973 --> 0:07:39.133 others that have made their careers from this. 0:07:39.453 --> 0:07:41.853 Yeah, Coach Nurse said it on media day, I believe 0:07:41.853 --> 0:07:44.533 if I'm not mistaken, if not, his first media session 0:07:44.573 --> 0:07:46.733 in Port Collins, that the first thing he asked of 0:07:46.773 --> 0:07:49.173 his players this season was to keep an open mind. 0:07:49.413 --> 0:07:50.933 He said he was going to throw stuff at them 0:07:50.973 --> 0:07:52.853 that they've never seen. He was going to throw stuff 0:07:52.853 --> 0:07:55.253 at them that he's never thrown at players before. Because 0:07:55.453 --> 0:07:58.133 of that creativity that you talk about, the innovation that 0:07:58.133 --> 0:08:01.853 has made Nick Nurse a household name in the coach 0:08:01.893 --> 0:08:04.573 that won a championship in his first season as an 0:08:04.653 --> 0:08:07.373 NBA head coach. He asked this team to keep an 0:08:07.373 --> 0:08:11.013 open mind. Thematically speaking, He's talked about the fact that 0:08:11.253 --> 0:08:13.373 he wants them to try things and then throw it 0:08:13.413 --> 0:08:15.933 away if it doesn't work. So the way that they 0:08:15.973 --> 0:08:18.133 have done so that they have embraced it. Matt over 0:08:18.133 --> 0:08:21.773 the last few days, weeks, and months has been very impressive. 0:08:21.973 --> 0:08:24.293 And now our first coach is corner with assistant coach 0:08:24.333 --> 0:08:28.613 Matt Brosie, Matt Murphy with seventy six ers assistant coach 0:08:28.733 --> 0:08:32.253 Matt Brazi and Matt for those of you for those 0:08:32.253 --> 0:08:35.373 out there who don't know your shared history coaching wise, 0:08:35.453 --> 0:08:38.373 with seventy six ers head coach Nick Nurse and Darryl 0:08:38.453 --> 0:08:42.613 Moriot as the president of basketball Operations. Where have you 0:08:42.653 --> 0:08:43.773 been with them before? 0:08:44.453 --> 0:08:44.693 Yeah? 0:08:44.693 --> 0:08:47.653 So I started out with the Houston Rockets as an 0:08:47.653 --> 0:08:53.013 intern and Darryl was the the GM at the time, 0:08:53.093 --> 0:08:55.053 So got to know Darryl and my first year and 0:08:55.093 --> 0:08:57.853 that was that was Nick's first year as a J 0:08:58.013 --> 0:09:00.133 League head coach, so met him a little bit in 0:09:00.213 --> 0:09:03.773 training camp. It was actually the lockout year, so everything 0:09:03.813 --> 0:09:05.853 started a little bit later. 0:09:05.893 --> 0:09:08.853 I got to Houston, met Nick real quick during training camp. 0:09:08.893 --> 0:09:12.533 They went down and Nick had his season down in 0:09:12.613 --> 0:09:17.813 Rio Grand Valley, and then the next summer, you know, 0:09:17.853 --> 0:09:20.133 they kind of put Nick and I together and interviewed 0:09:20.133 --> 0:09:21.413 for a job on his staff. 0:09:21.893 --> 0:09:23.493 I had coached college basketball. 0:09:23.133 --> 0:09:24.973 Before, and my role as intern was more in the 0:09:24.973 --> 0:09:27.493 front office side with Hugh Houston, so it was an 0:09:27.533 --> 0:09:29.893 opportunity to me to get. 0:09:30.373 --> 0:09:32.093 Coaching experience at the professional level. 0:09:32.133 --> 0:09:34.613 And so I met with Nick and uh, you know, 0:09:35.573 --> 0:09:38.533 fortunate enough that Nick hired me on the staff and 0:09:39.293 --> 0:09:41.693 you know went down with Nick to RGB with with 0:09:41.773 --> 0:09:43.773 Doug West, who's on our staff here now. So just 0:09:44.533 --> 0:09:48.053 you know, a great opportunity, right place, right time to 0:09:48.133 --> 0:09:50.573 get my first start, to be with a coach like 0:09:50.773 --> 0:09:51.413 coach Nurse. 0:09:52.533 --> 0:09:54.973 How does it feel to be reunited with them and 0:09:55.053 --> 0:09:57.173 have things come full circle in Philadelphia. 0:09:57.413 --> 0:09:57.893 It's awesome. 0:09:57.933 --> 0:10:01.413 It's it's a great, great, uh great thing that happened 0:10:01.453 --> 0:10:04.573 to me. And I think think all of us involved 0:10:04.533 --> 0:10:05.853 in this situation that. 0:10:06.173 --> 0:10:08.253 You know, kind of being reunited. Everyone's kind of done 0:10:08.253 --> 0:10:08.773 their own thing. 0:10:09.533 --> 0:10:12.533 You know, Nick obviously very successful head coach in the league, 0:10:12.533 --> 0:10:15.853 won a championship, had great success at Toronto, and then 0:10:16.013 --> 0:10:16.933 an opportunity here and. 0:10:16.933 --> 0:10:18.773 I'm just very fortunate to be a part of it. 0:10:19.813 --> 0:10:20.013 You know. 0:10:20.733 --> 0:10:22.773 I was stayed in Houston for a couple of years 0:10:23.493 --> 0:10:26.093 after that, I was in Portland for a year, I 0:10:26.133 --> 0:10:28.013 was in Italy last year, but then just to come back, 0:10:28.053 --> 0:10:30.693 it's just you know, awesome experience with an awesome group. 0:10:30.733 --> 0:10:32.493 And you know, in life, you want to work with 0:10:32.493 --> 0:10:33.893 people that you respect and. 0:10:33.853 --> 0:10:35.893 You enjoy working with every day and you know Nick 0:10:35.933 --> 0:10:36.253 fits that. 0:10:38.093 --> 0:10:41.893 So you mentioned Doug West, who went from Villanova to 0:10:42.573 --> 0:10:45.293 the Houston affiliate, the Rio Grand Valley Vipers, and he 0:10:45.373 --> 0:10:47.373 was in charge of the defense that I've gathered. You 0:10:47.413 --> 0:10:49.773 were in charge of the offense for Nick Nurses D 0:10:49.933 --> 0:10:52.773 League now G League staff. Is it true that the 0:10:52.853 --> 0:10:55.453 guys preferred your drills in practice because you were the 0:10:55.453 --> 0:10:58.013 fun offensive coach and Doug had to lay down the 0:10:58.093 --> 0:10:59.133 law on the defensive end. 0:10:59.333 --> 0:11:01.613 I don't know about all that, you know, I think 0:11:01.653 --> 0:11:03.733 we had a great group of guys. I mean, Douck 0:11:04.293 --> 0:11:06.533 Doug ran the defense, and you know a lot of 0:11:06.533 --> 0:11:07.733 players want to have the ball and they want to 0:11:07.773 --> 0:11:09.573 score the basketball, so you know, but we had a 0:11:09.573 --> 0:11:11.573 tough group. We had a resilient group. They fought hard 0:11:11.573 --> 0:11:13.493 and you know, we ultimately won a championship. So they 0:11:13.493 --> 0:11:15.413 were locked in on both sides of the court. That 0:11:15.933 --> 0:11:18.653 you know, we valued it all, you know, being very 0:11:18.653 --> 0:11:21.053 efficient on the offensive side of the ball, which we were, 0:11:21.413 --> 0:11:24.173 and then just being tough and gritty on the defensive end. 0:11:24.493 --> 0:11:27.093 You know, a Nick Nurse type team that you'd back 0:11:27.133 --> 0:11:27.933 to see in the NBA. 0:11:28.253 --> 0:11:31.573 We had the D League that year, so Yeah, just 0:11:31.653 --> 0:11:36.133 kind of a cool, you know, synergy of three different 0:11:36.213 --> 0:11:38.973 people with different you know, kind of personalities that all 0:11:39.013 --> 0:11:40.413 all messed together in the right way. 0:11:40.613 --> 0:11:44.373 Which current seventy six ers players did you cross paths 0:11:44.373 --> 0:11:47.213 with and coach before they got to the NBA or 0:11:47.213 --> 0:11:48.613 when they were in the G League. 0:11:49.293 --> 0:11:52.293 So we had Patrick Beverly his first year when he 0:11:52.333 --> 0:11:53.973 came over, he played a couple of games for US. 0:11:54.013 --> 0:11:57.093 That year he was over in Russia, came back and 0:11:57.213 --> 0:11:59.653 played a couple of games for US, and then went 0:11:59.733 --> 0:12:02.413 to the the Rockets after a couple of games. So 0:12:02.613 --> 0:12:04.293 and then when I was in Houston, I was with 0:12:04.333 --> 0:12:06.133 Pat for a lot of years. So I've spent a 0:12:06.173 --> 0:12:07.933 lot of time with UH. 0:12:08.773 --> 0:12:11.573 With Pat when I was a. 0:12:14.293 --> 0:12:18.293 Player development coach was Robert Covington's rookie year and Robert 0:12:18.413 --> 0:12:20.413 was back and forth between the T League Nevada. Smith 0:12:20.453 --> 0:12:22.853 was our head coach at the time, but spent I 0:12:22.893 --> 0:12:25.253 was director of player development, so he'd be doing you know, 0:12:25.293 --> 0:12:27.493 player development stuff with us and being assigned to the 0:12:27.573 --> 0:12:30.173 G League a bunch and actually Covington and I as 0:12:30.213 --> 0:12:33.133 our fourth stint together. Wow, we had we had two 0:12:33.173 --> 0:12:36.973 different ones in Houston. One in Portland and then now here. 0:12:37.053 --> 0:12:39.693 So a guy I've known a long time, danielell House, 0:12:40.973 --> 0:12:42.693 when I was a head coach in the G League. 0:12:43.653 --> 0:12:45.533 It was his second year. He had his first year 0:12:45.573 --> 0:12:49.733 with the Wizards. Then he came down his second professional 0:12:49.813 --> 0:12:52.013 year and played for me for I want to say, 0:12:53.013 --> 0:12:53.973 fifteen games or. 0:12:53.933 --> 0:12:56.293 So before he got a two way contract with the Sun, 0:12:56.453 --> 0:12:56.933 So I. 0:12:56.853 --> 0:12:59.853 Think the year before he actually was assigned to Delaware 0:13:00.133 --> 0:13:02.773 Oka by the Wizards because they didn't have a G 0:13:02.853 --> 0:13:04.613 League team at the time, so he believed they or 0:13:04.653 --> 0:13:07.453 not played for the Sixers G League team while not 0:13:07.493 --> 0:13:09.373 being in the six Ers organization early. 0:13:09.173 --> 0:13:09.773 In his career. 0:13:09.853 --> 0:13:11.853 But yeah, so that's that's just a great story of 0:13:11.893 --> 0:13:15.373 you know, a guy and using the the G League 0:13:15.373 --> 0:13:17.733 system to you know, carve out a good career. And 0:13:17.773 --> 0:13:20.413 all those guys have carved out great careers so far 0:13:20.573 --> 0:13:23.453 with with the use of you know, a developmental league. 0:13:23.773 --> 0:13:27.013 Matt Murphy here with seventy six Ers assistant coach Matt 0:13:27.133 --> 0:13:30.773 Brazi and what are some of your responsibilities within this 0:13:31.133 --> 0:13:32.093 Sixer staff. 0:13:32.933 --> 0:13:34.893 Yeah, so with the staff, you know, I help out 0:13:34.933 --> 0:13:37.773 a little bit with the offense. You know, Nick has 0:13:37.813 --> 0:13:40.053 a lot of great ideas that you know, he's he's 0:13:40.093 --> 0:13:41.853 brought to the team that we kind of you know, 0:13:41.893 --> 0:13:43.573 back it all up with him where there's certain drills, 0:13:43.573 --> 0:13:47.173 helping out with them, put it in different aspects of 0:13:47.213 --> 0:13:49.573 the offense, helping with that, and then you know a 0:13:49.573 --> 0:13:52.973 handful of scouts. You know, we kind of split up 0:13:52.973 --> 0:13:55.893 the scouts throughout the staff, So I got a couple 0:13:55.933 --> 0:13:58.013 of those that we do. But just you know, the 0:13:58.333 --> 0:14:01.253 great thing about our staff is we're very versatile. A 0:14:01.293 --> 0:14:05.653 lot of us have coached in the G League that 0:14:05.813 --> 0:14:07.813 we've all worn a lot of different hats, and Nick 0:14:07.853 --> 0:14:10.453 doesn't want guys that are you're just this. 0:14:10.453 --> 0:14:11.493 Guy, You're just this guy. 0:14:11.573 --> 0:14:13.053 So we all kind of have like a lot of 0:14:13.093 --> 0:14:16.053 different roles that kind of maybe are a little different 0:14:16.093 --> 0:14:19.373 than your traditional NBA staff and we kind of, you know, 0:14:19.613 --> 0:14:21.933 mix and match different things together that you know a 0:14:21.973 --> 0:14:24.573 lot of staffs don't and it makes it better for 0:14:24.573 --> 0:14:27.613 for ideas and decisions are based on the group rather 0:14:27.653 --> 0:14:30.053 than I'm the offensive guy, or I'm the defensive guy, 0:14:30.093 --> 0:14:32.573 or I'm this that you know, we kind of share 0:14:32.613 --> 0:14:34.613 a lot of things within each side of the ball 0:14:34.653 --> 0:14:36.093 and that you know, makes. 0:14:35.853 --> 0:14:37.773 Our decisions when we work together as. 0:14:37.653 --> 0:14:41.733 A group, you know, more fluid, and you know, it's 0:14:41.853 --> 0:14:44.693 kind of more open mindedness instead of making decisions to 0:14:45.053 --> 0:14:46.693 help maybe what might be your segment. 0:14:47.213 --> 0:14:51.133 It's largely a new staff with the reigning MVP. What's 0:14:51.173 --> 0:14:52.733 it like to coach Joel Embiid? 0:14:52.933 --> 0:14:54.573 It's awesome. I mean, Joel is incredible. 0:14:54.613 --> 0:14:59.093 I mean, he's super talented, he's a great team guy. 0:14:59.173 --> 0:15:02.453 He's you know, he's a he's a willing learner and 0:15:02.773 --> 0:15:05.413 wants to be coached. And you know, he's got a 0:15:05.413 --> 0:15:07.693 great personality as a lot of people see when when 0:15:07.693 --> 0:15:09.533 they watch him play, and you know that's that's a 0:15:09.613 --> 0:15:12.413 daily thing. So being around the talent of you know, 0:15:12.453 --> 0:15:15.773 obviously Joel is our guy, but you know all the 0:15:15.813 --> 0:15:19.213 supporters around him too or is just just an awesome group. 0:15:19.253 --> 0:15:23.333 And you know, because they are very coachable, it gives us, 0:15:23.533 --> 0:15:25.213 like you said, a brand new staff that we. 0:15:25.173 --> 0:15:26.773 Can throw ideas out. 0:15:26.893 --> 0:15:29.213 They're they're receptive to them and they want to do 0:15:29.253 --> 0:15:31.053 it and you know, if it doesn't work, we try 0:15:31.093 --> 0:15:32.493 the next one. And so so that's kind of the 0:15:32.733 --> 0:15:35.813 fun part about you know, working for a team that 0:15:35.933 --> 0:15:37.693 Nick runs is you know, we try a lot of 0:15:37.773 --> 0:15:39.813 different things, and we want to see what works, and 0:15:40.493 --> 0:15:43.493 you know, creative ideas are strongly encouraged. 0:15:44.413 --> 0:15:47.973 Ending with a little bit more about your own individual path. 0:15:48.093 --> 0:15:50.573 When you were playing and you were on the team 0:15:50.613 --> 0:15:52.933 at the University of Arizona, you were coached by Hall 0:15:52.973 --> 0:15:56.493 of Fame coach Luke Olsen, who is your grandfather. Rest 0:15:56.533 --> 0:16:01.013 in peace, of course. But what was that experience like 0:16:01.173 --> 0:16:02.693 to play for him? 0:16:03.373 --> 0:16:03.973 It was awesome. 0:16:04.053 --> 0:16:07.213 I mean his resume speaks for himself of you know, 0:16:07.293 --> 0:16:09.173 as a coach and a Hall of Famer, and win 0:16:09.213 --> 0:16:10.973 in a bunch of games, in a national championship, in 0:16:11.053 --> 0:16:13.493 multiple final fours, but you know, just being able to 0:16:13.573 --> 0:16:15.973 learn from him every day, you know, going to the 0:16:16.013 --> 0:16:18.333 coaching profession. I mean, my sister was a coach in 0:16:18.413 --> 0:16:20.813 the WNBA for seventeen years with the Phoenix Mercury. She's 0:16:20.813 --> 0:16:25.253 won multiple titles too. That I mean, that was just 0:16:25.733 --> 0:16:28.013 all we knew as kids. That's all I know as 0:16:28.053 --> 0:16:30.053 an adult is how to coach basketball. That it's uh, 0:16:30.493 --> 0:16:31.813 you know, he would pick us up and take us 0:16:31.813 --> 0:16:34.173 to practice as we're kids, and then you know, as 0:16:34.213 --> 0:16:36.773 we got older, you know, going to his camps and 0:16:37.173 --> 0:16:39.093 working his camps and you know, I went to to 0:16:39.173 --> 0:16:41.053 junior college to play, and then you know, you have 0:16:41.093 --> 0:16:45.333 a couple opportunities to go to maybe smaller schools to play, 0:16:45.373 --> 0:16:47.373 and you know, I had a conversation with him about 0:16:47.373 --> 0:16:49.653 being a walk on his team and you know, kind 0:16:49.653 --> 0:16:51.933 of learning basketball at that level at you know, what 0:16:52.013 --> 0:16:53.933 I believe was the greatest school in the world, the 0:16:54.013 --> 0:16:54.493 University of. 0:16:54.453 --> 0:16:57.093 Arizona number one as we speak in mid December and 0:16:57.093 --> 0:16:57.773 the a people. 0:16:57.893 --> 0:17:00.893 For sure, we got a big one against purdueing in 0:17:00.933 --> 0:17:03.573 Annapolis this weekend that we'll get done. But yeah, just 0:17:03.733 --> 0:17:05.293 you know, to be able to learn from him, and 0:17:05.373 --> 0:17:07.413 you know, I had the unique opportunity of being a 0:17:07.413 --> 0:17:09.893 walk on his team and seeing the day to day 0:17:09.973 --> 0:17:13.653 stuff of preparation and getting the team ready to go. 0:17:13.773 --> 0:17:15.933 And then you know, I had. 0:17:15.773 --> 0:17:19.773 A unique opportunity after that, after my graduation that I 0:17:19.813 --> 0:17:21.613 was on his staff as well. So just kind of 0:17:21.613 --> 0:17:24.693 seeing everything he did and learning from him, and you know, 0:17:24.773 --> 0:17:27.613 he taught a lot of life and basket well lessons 0:17:27.613 --> 0:17:29.973 to me that you know, I'm fortunate to be able 0:17:30.013 --> 0:17:33.573 to you know, have a grandfather that was, you know, 0:17:34.253 --> 0:17:36.773 in the same profession that I'm in, and the type 0:17:36.773 --> 0:17:38.413 of character that he was and just kind of learn 0:17:39.093 --> 0:17:41.533 from him firsthand that I'm I'm very fortunate to be 0:17:41.573 --> 0:17:44.213 able to have that opportunity. 0:17:44.773 --> 0:17:48.253 And finally, how did you end up coaching Haities national 0:17:48.293 --> 0:17:49.933 basketball team? And when did you do that? 0:17:50.733 --> 0:17:52.733 So I'm still currently the head coach. 0:17:52.773 --> 0:17:54.573 There's a lot of you know, hoops that we go 0:17:54.653 --> 0:17:58.373 through with FIBA and competition and stuff like that. But 0:17:58.573 --> 0:18:01.973 I was coaching CHI League team in Real Grand Valley 0:18:02.013 --> 0:18:05.693 and one of one of our guys on staff, Nick Friedman, 0:18:07.013 --> 0:18:09.693 He's went to grad school at University of Miami. He 0:18:09.733 --> 0:18:11.973 was on staff there and then he was with me 0:18:12.053 --> 0:18:15.013 and rgv's currently with the Charlotte Hornets. 0:18:15.093 --> 0:18:16.253 Kind of came up to him. He was like, hey, man, 0:18:16.253 --> 0:18:17.213 we got this opportunity. 0:18:17.253 --> 0:18:20.533 We know these Haitians they want to have a national 0:18:20.573 --> 0:18:23.453 team hadn't played in like thirty seven years, and they 0:18:23.453 --> 0:18:25.053 want to have a team. They want to have a program, 0:18:25.533 --> 0:18:27.373 but you know they want to have a coach that 0:18:27.653 --> 0:18:30.133 coach at the professional level, and you know, would you. 0:18:30.093 --> 0:18:31.013 Be interested in doing that? 0:18:31.053 --> 0:18:33.413 I said, yeah, let's do this. He said, well, they 0:18:33.413 --> 0:18:35.133 don't pay any money. Then I said that's fine. We 0:18:35.213 --> 0:18:35.933 have the opportunity. 0:18:36.013 --> 0:18:38.933