Training camps may be exciting, but they are always interesting and highly important. Camps set the tone for the entire season. It is very rare that a team that doesn’t gel well in camp will have a successful season.
Case in point was my first year with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach. At the team’s first dinner at camp, one of the key players on the team came into the dinner right before it was to start. He had a choice to join one of the tables that was occupied with players. Instead, he decided to sit at the table with the ball boys, trainers and equipment managers. Seeing that, I knew we were in trouble, and indeed we were. All through camp, there were problems with the chemistry between players, especially our best guys. I have never seen such discourse between players, and we ended up having a chaotic season.
My first camp was with the Virginia Squires of the old American Basketball Association, as a player. It was really a rookie camp that was being held a week before the regular training camp opened with the veterans. There were over 20 rookies and free agents in this camp hoping to advance to the veterans’ camp. The best player was Charles Scott, the Squires’ first pick. Charles was the first Afro-American to play at the University of North Carolina. 6-6, 185 pounds, Charlie was highly talented and a blessed athlete. Unbelievably quick, he could handle, pass and score.
Along with Charlie we had a 5-9 point guard, a 6-3 guard and myself, who played forward in college. The rest of the players were post men, ranging in size from 6-6 to 7-2. The most interesting matchup was between the 7-2, 185 pound center versus a 6-10, 285 pound center who was built like a brick s**thouse. I thought the 7-2 guy was going to be broken in half.
Quite the crew. Early in our first scrimmage, I was bringing the ball up the court, being hounded by Charlie, who was trying to impress his new coach with his defense. I was pretty uncomfortable trying to handle versus his pressure. As I got into the front court to start the offense, my three frontcourt teammates were all posting up. All down on the low block, with their arms up, calling for the ball. Nobody out on the wing to start the offense. Quite a difference from my college, where my college coach, Tex Winter, emphasized spacing, ball movement and player movement. Here there was no player movement, no spacing and certainly no ball movement. Once the ball got to one of the frontcourt players, it was shoot and follow for the offensive rebound.
I was excited, but nervous when I got out of rookie camp and was invited to veterans’ camp. In rookie camp I roomed with Charlie. In veterans’ camp I was to room with a veteran. As the trainer was introducing me to my new roommate, the vet didn’t look at me but instead he told the trainer,” Sh*t, I don’t want to room with some damn rookie.” Nice start.
In that camp was the first time I met Larry Brown and Doug Moe. Larry was great and took me under his wing. On the other hand, Doug treated all rookies the same, like pieces of garbage. Don’t speak, just listen. I learned so much from those two guys in that camp, it was unbelievable. No surprise to me that later Larry and Doug went on to be great coaches. I just listened and learned. Of course, Doug wouldn’t let me talk anyways.
A few years later, the Squires traded a draft pick and myself to the Denver Nuggets for 4 players, including 2 All-Stars. Larry was the head coach, and Doug was his assistant. I was excited to be back with them. Larry’s camp was very hard, but very good. We went on to have a terrific season. Of course, Doug still didn’t let me talk.
