Behind the Article: 5 Things To Do When Your (NBA) Head Coach Gets Fired
Working in the NBA
In regards to my article, 5 Things To Do When Your (NBA) Head Coach Gets Fired, when my time came up as ‘the last 1 standing,’ I was 3 for 5.
Would I do some things differently? Absolutely. I did enough to secure a job but I missed out on other (possibly better) opportunities along the way.
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1. Be the Bridge
I excelled as a Bridge. The Video Room is often split between those who want to be an NBA Head Coach and those who want to be a General Manager. The other two Video Coordinators in my office were on the Coaching Track and I was on the Front Office Track. So I worked both sides, making my transition to the Front Office seamless. Having relationships across the spectrum of Basketball Operations is key in a transition.
2. Take Care of Everything for Everyone
I came into the office one summer morning and was summoned into Neil Olshey’s office along with the Assistant General Manager. They told me they had fired the Video Coordinator but my job was safe. “Take the day off, go watch a movie, get away, come back tomorrow,” is what Neil told me.
I went across the street and waited. I knew something they didn’t and that was that no one else in the building knew how things operated and video was connected to everything. Around an hour later, I got a phone call, “John, can you come back in?” 5 minutes later, I was back in and ‘taking care of everything for everyone.’ I was working out players, joined the Summer League coaching / scouting staff, and helping prepare for coaching interviews.
3. Be Ready
This is my first blank. Honestly, I wasn’t ready.