The most important thing in coaching is communication. It's not what you say as much as what they absorb.
To be a successful coach you should be and look prepared. You must be a man of integrity. Never break your word. Don't have two sets of standards. Remember you don't handle players-you handle pets. You deal with players. Stand up for your players. Show them you care-on and off the court. Very important-it's not 'how' or 'what' you say but what they absorb.
You see, in sports you have so many things that aren't expected. There's so much uncertainty. So when players find themselves in a situation where management has a great deal of integrity and they can depend on my word or anybody else's word in the organization, they feel secure. And if the players feel secure, they don't want to leave here. And if they don't want to leave here, they're going to do everything they can on the court to stay here.
An acre of performance is worth a whole world of promise.
Basketball is like war in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it always takes a while for the defense to catch up.
The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind.
I never took a position we were going to be a good ball club. I took the position we were going to be a winning ball club.
He has the players too happy.
