David Fizdale newest Head Coach of the New York Knicks talks about how to build a program from the ground up in his latest clinic at Coaching U Live 2018.
Vision
Me and Spo started our vision in 1997 in the video room
What do you believe? How do you think the game should be played?
How do you think offence and defence should be played?
Accumulate your vision with information, then be flexible enough to change when you’re wrong.
We are going to be wrong a lot.
Every step of the way, take something from the people that you work for and make it your own.
Influences
Eric Musselman’s incredibly fast paced offence and ability to take advantage of isolations.
Mike Woodson’s dealing with knowing you’re going to lose a lot, but still preaching habits every single day. ATO’s he was the best too.
Miami Heat: how we look at defending, evolving as a coach, humility, building a culture.
Memphis Experience
Amazing growth and learning experience. Gun’s blazing for 18 months.
I learnt a valuable lesson: you cannot rush culture, relationships, trust and judgement.
Evaluate the talent that you have, fit it within your vision and system.
Unless you are in charge of absolutely everything, you better work out how to work with people.
New Job
Starts in the press conference, starts in your interviews.
Makes you put your vision, philosophy and how it works with your organisation, your personnel and your team.
Paint that picture for an organisation and you can be successful.
I prepared for 5 interviews in 11 days.
Offence, Defence, Player Development — how does that overlap with what the team has right now?
Never sacrifice what you’re players are truly great at, fit it into your coaching philosophy.
Press Conference: you better have your message, clear as hell.
“If you don’t win the people in your building, you cannot win a game.”
Listen, with no judgement.
HOW DO I SERVE? When people know that you are there for that, you will earn trust and support.
“There is no job too small.” — Miami Heat
Your Code
What are your core values?
Respect, serve, growth mindset, competitors only.
It has to be genuine. Can’t fake it.
From the moment I got fired to the moment I got a new job — I HAD 42 meetings.
Spending time with people who could teach me how to manage egos. Whoever would talk to me about how to manage people I listened to.
You will never reach a point where you don’t have to get better.
New York Knicks
Try and build relationships with my organisation.
Get your guys together right away, get to know them as soon as possible.
It only takes one person to screw up your whole deal, because they don’t feel valued.
When we won in Miami, the janitors got rings. Every single person. Can you imagine what that means to those people? Value and pride in your organisation.
Create an environment where (a) your players feel safe and (b) where your players enjoy being there.
Go and do fun shit with your team, remember to have fun! That is from the great Pat Riley.
If you are in the moment and forget about you, you will have fun with your team.
If you are straight with them they will fall in line. Consistency, spell it out early and you can conquer your battles.