New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks throughout Jazz media day at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. After a profitable run as an NBA assistant coach, Hardy is starting his first stint as a head coach within the NBA this season. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Portland Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups argues a name made by referee Ben Taylor throughout sport towards the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, April 1, 2022, in San Antonio. Billups is aware of the struggles and challenges Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy will expertise in his first yr as a head coach within the NBA. Nick Wagner, Related Press
This complete factor that Will Hardy goes via — being a first-time head coach of the Utah Jazz, a group with quite a lot of younger gamers and a few uncertainty concerning the future — is a state of affairs that Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is aware of very nicely.
“Identical to our group has to proceed to enhance, I've to proceed to enhance. So that you replicate on all these issues postgame and stay up for getting after it once more.” — Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy
To be honest, all head coaches know what it’s prefer to be a head coach for the primary time. However for Billups, the reminiscences are contemporary.
In June 2021, Billups was named head coach of the Blazers after serving as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers beneath Tyronn Lue. Billups thought that his 17-year NBA enjoying profession and his expertise on a training employees would have ready him for the leap to being the pinnacle coach. He was in for a impolite awakening.
“Each day is a primary, so you possibly can’t put together,” Billups mentioned forward of the Jazz’s preseason win over the Blazers on Tuesday night time. “I got here into camp final yr and I assumed that I used to be ready for lots of various conditions and issues and it’s simply powerful. Issues all the time come up, you understand. This job is about a lot extra than simply basketball.”
Early on, Billups realized how a lot he would depend on his assistant coaches for small issues. The necessity to delegate duties in order that the smallest of moments can run easily was of paramount significance. Take for instance, a timeout huddle in the course of the course of a regular-season sport.
“There was a few occasions the place I bought to the huddle and I’m wanting round like, OK, he’s in, he’s in. Oh, man, I can’t run that ’trigger he can’t dribble. Can’t convey him off the double. And earlier than you understand it the horn is ringing,” Billups mentioned, laughing recounting his early days. “Then I discovered that I must put the names down earlier than I come out to the huddle … you begin to get a rhythm and also you begin to delegate tasks. ‘All proper, coach, you've the names prepared. You might have defensive changes. You go inform the squad.’ That’s typical first-year stuff.”
The Jazz’s first preseason sport was extra eventful than most. Part of the NBA’s 2022 Canada collection, the Jazz performed towards the Toronto Raptors in Edmonton, Alberta, and the Roger’s Place enviornment was completely packed. It felt extra like a extremely anticipated regular-season sport than a standard preseason exhibition matchup.
“So drained after the sport,” Hardy mentioned. “I positively haven't talked that a lot throughout a sport in my life. Most likely quite a lot of that was adrenaline and pleasure with it being the primary sport, after which the group in Edmonton was unbelievable.”
Was there something that occurred that stunned Hardy or got here at him quicker than he anticipated?
“Yeah, all of it occurred,” he mentioned with amusing. “That was the primary sport in that seat and there’s quite a lot of various things that go into it. It’s communication with the gamers, it’s communication with the employees and managing all these parts in actual time. It was positively an adjustment and quite a lot of enjoyable.”
It gained’t all be enjoyable and thrilling, although. As Billups continued to clarify, he famous that he by no means realized the time calls for of being an NBA head coach. At his workplace on the Blazers apply facility, he mentioned that he spends all day placing out fires and going via conferences and caring for logistical issues. It’s the prep work that results in his actual work.
“I’m there all day, and I hardly ever get to do basketball stuff, as a result of I’m coping with all the things else,” he mentioned. “If you lead so many individuals, you type of have to go away the workplace to go residence to truly work. I didn’t know that. I actually didn’t know that as an assistant coach.”
Going into his second season in Portland, Billups feels extra ready than he did final yr, however can be keenly conscious that the very best sort of preparation that may be finished is being adaptable and prepared for something, as a result of it doesn't matter what, there'll all the time be one thing new.
Billups additionally identified that the time calls for and the must be somebody who can take care of household points, group points and participant points are all simply as essential because the basketball aspect of issues. As a result of on the finish of the day, the pinnacle coach is in control of much more than successful and shedding. The burden of the place needs to be one thing that a head coach just isn't solely prepared for, however invitations.
“You’ve bought lots of people’s careers in your palms,” he mentioned. “Not solely my employees — folks that got here right here and are dedicated to me and my success and our success — however the gamers. And everyone’s in a distinct place. So it’s an awesome place to be in, however it carries quite a lot of accountability. I find it irresistible, and it’s one of many explanation why I wished to do it.”
Hardy has simply two preseason video games beneath his belt. He gained’t coach a reputable NBA regular-season sport till Oct. 19, when the Jazz open the season at residence towards the Denver Nuggets. However he’s excited and keen and nervous and searching ahead to the entire challenges forward of him.
“Identical to our group has to proceed to enhance, I've to proceed to enhance,” Hardy mentioned. “So that you replicate on all these issues postgame and stay up for getting after it once more.”
Portland Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups argues a name made by referee Ben Taylor throughout sport towards the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, April 1, 2022, in San Antonio. Billups is aware of the struggles and challenges Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy will expertise in his first yr as a head coach within the NBA.
Nick Wagner, Related Press