2nd round picks, Short contracts, and Player Development
By: Dan Barto, Director of Player Development PTC and The Basketball Academy
As our team practices begin to heat up, we have slowly gotten away from the volume of individual skill training that started the year. For many players this is a great change because nothing breeds improvement like competition. For other players it is a challenge because they may have weaknesses that need I think need direct attention. Areas can include but are not limited to gaining or losing weight, improving off hand, decelerating under control in scoring areas, keep contact in the post, or something as simple as holding one's follow through longer.
The reason that the individual challenges are so complex is when you start adding new things you lose what got you their to begin with. I think this is why coaches must see the big picture of what has made the player successful in the past(motivation), and how those skills could be used in the current system.
An example of this would be "journeyman" Jelani McCoy. In the summer of 2007, I got to spend time with Jelani while he prepared for summer league with the Dallas Mavericks. During one of our conversations, Jelani mentioned he played for so many coaches that did so many things to my game and all he wanted was more game minutes. He would then basically try to do things that were not strengths. This is like someone getting hired in sales and told they can make more money in accounting and they get to accounting only to feel daily pressures of being under qualified.
Jelani can bring it but is not a skill guy who needs to be in pick and pop situations. He is going to hit people, fight for position, rebound-rebound-rebound, and meet everything at the rim. He also is going to bring a little punishment as an enforcer.
He has had his trials and tribulations with different organizations but when digging deeper into his development it would be interesting to see what would happen if he was given one year with coaches that knew his game and knew how to use him in their system.
Jelani was recently cut by the Denver Nuggets. He now has officially been out of the league for 2 years. He has only played 12 games in the NBA since 2003. Jelani will be the first to admit that he could have done some things differently. However had someone grabbed him early on and had him focus on what made him a game changer, I think he would be able to demand Verajo type money today. Would Verajo be holding out if he played in Houston last year?
95-98 UCLA
Statistically never improved. Lavin could really recruit pros but his ability to develop them on and off the court is still up for debate. Did not complete his junior year. Entered the 1998 draft and was selected by Seattle with the 34th pick.
98-99
After the George Karl debacle, McCoy plays for Paul Westpaul. Statistically he thrives in limited minutes. At 21 he is surrounded by professionals like Detlef Schrempf, Hersy Hawkins, Don McLean, Dale Ellis, John Crotty, Olden Polynice, Billy Owens, Aaron Williams, Gary Payton and Vin Baker.
5.1 ppg 3.0 reb 73% fg%
99-00
After a minor shake up in the roster. McCoy continues to impress in Westpaul's style where Payton dominates the ball offensively and everyone plays off him. Team makes the playoffs. McCoy's numbers slip as opposing teams see his effeciency and make the adjustments. As he tries to expand his game (add skill and muscle), McCoy begins to move away from his greatest asset the ability to run, jump, play with unlimited emotion, and intimidate people to become more methodical with moves and reads.
4.3 ppg 3.1 reb
00-01
Roster continues to change as Westpaul tries to bring in veterans to make another playoff run. At McCoy's expense. Patrick Ewing enters town. Though McCoy sees an increase in minutes he is now the 3rd center, playing power forward with Ewing and Baker getting most of the touches.
4.5 ppg 3.6ppg 16mpg
01-02 Los Angeles
Off to LA. Figures to be a piece in the championship puzzle by getting back to what he does. Now spends a whole year learning the triangle from Tex Winter and waving a towel. Gets the ring but takes a huge step back in minutes and productivity.
1.2ppg 1.2 reb 5mpg
02-03 Toronto
Crosses the border for his best year so far. Veteran team with dominant guards. Runs around blocks shot from the weakside, grabs rebounds all over the court. One of the few bright spots in the very unstable Canadian basketball mecca.
6.8 ppg 5.3 reb
03-04 Cleveland
Signs a free agent contract with Cavs. Paul Silas makes early statement in his coaching tenure and cuts McCoy after 2 games. Easier to make big money over seas than get the veteran minimum.
At age 21, McCoy showed great promise for a young, under disciplined, athlete first-player. Five years later, with the exception of six months under Nate McMillian, it is easy to see that Silas, Wilkens, Westpaul, and Woodson had little vision for where Jelani should take his game.
These coaches collectively have not proven consistent success in any of their recent tenures. Granted, they are paid to win games but coaches that build franchises understand the importance of mentoring, shadowing, and using game time to allow young players to use their most intrinsically motivating skills.
I just wonder what would have happened if McCoy had been drafted by the Spurs, Suns, Pistons, or Heat and developed in a system that would have a vision for the franchise and the player's fit within the franchise. Franchises should be responsible for a player's development not coaches. When coaches change young players get hurt. With the collective bargining agreement changing from three year guarenteed contracts to only two, teams should look at something other than "send him to the D-League".
