"If you really aspire to become a basketball player, find a gym to practice in during the winter, and find a playground to play on during the summer months. Once you commit to becoming a "Team Player" the "work" becomes easy, the 1-2-3 hr. practices go by so fast, you wish there was more time."
- Tom Newell
(Pictured: Tom Newell has been involved in Coaching in the NBA and around the Globe for the past 25 years.)
"I think every player on any team has the potential to be "great"...Great as a sub...great as a backup Point, Post, Forward or an end of the bench player who never gets to play but is invaluable to his/her team in practice because of their hustle and effort plays...Great as role player...Great as a Team Player...Great in the locker room...Great in the community, volunteering to help where help is needed...Great at making "value decisions" socially...Great in school...Great with fellow students and fans and in the stands."
-Tom Newell
"Steve Nash. Watching him play in college and pro development in the NBA, there is no other guard in the NBA today that has the tools and pizzazz to score AND make ALL of his teammates better in any game he's playing in (my choice for MVP in All Star game and perhaps the NBA)"
- Tom Newell
(Pictured: Formerly the Head Coach of the Japan National Mens team, Newell has co-authored "Offensive Post Play" with his father, legendary Coach Pete Newell.)
"Every team I have ever been associated with was a "great experience" for me...Why? Because I learned new things from new players and they taught me great lessons about patience and better communication so they would not fail in competition."
- Tom Newell
(Pictured: After working for several NBA teams Coach Tom Newell (above right) founded 'Coaches Who Care Intl.' which assists volunteer coaches with a proper teaching model and development programs that enable coaches and kids to have a positive experience with sports.)
COACHES CORNER: TOM NEWELL - "COACHES WHO CARE INTL."
"Success is having the courage to experience failure"
- Tom Newell '94'
Coach Tom Newell runs basketball camps for kids around the globe and has helped positively impact thousands of people’s lives. He is a wonderful ambassador of the game and DRIVE was fortunate enough to sit down with the Veteran basketball coach to find out his thoughts and opinions about the game. Tom Newell has spent the past 21 years in the highest levels of professional and international basketball programs. Formerly the Head Coach of the Japan National Men's Team and President of the Coaches Who Care Intl., Youth Coaches Certification program, Newell is also working on his second book, having already co-authored "Offensive Post Play" with his father, legendary coach Pete Newell.
Newell began his professional career in 1980 as an east coast scout for the Golden State Warriors. In 1984, he moved to Indiana to become the Director of Player Personnel for the Pacers. After two years in Indiana, Newell moved to the bench as an assistant coach with the Seattle Sonics. From 1990-1997, Newell worked with the New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks while also for the first time entering the realm of international basketball. In 1995, Newell became head coach of the Greek professional team Iraklis, then in 1997 began working for the United States Basketball Academy as Director of International Clinics in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Coach Newell was also an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Portland Fire.
Since Newell began his work with international programs, much of his time and focus has continued in the area of basketball fundamentals and curriculum both in the United States and abroad. In addition to his coordination of basketball camps and clinics throughout Asia, he has also developed videos, publications, and programs that have focused on youth participation in basketball, teaching young people, parents, and coaches the necessary skills to be a successful participant in the game. He runs non-profit organization, Coaches Who Care, Intl. It is specifically designed to assist volunteer coaches at every level with a proper teaching model and participant/player development programs that will enable coaches and kids alike to have a positive experience with youth sports.
DRIVE: From your many years of coaching on every level, in your opinion what makes player great?
TN: I think every player on any team has the potential to be "great"...Great as a sub...great as a backup Point, Post, Forward or an end of the bench player who never gets to play but is invaluable to his/her team in practice because of their hustle and effort plays...Great as role player...Great as a Team Player...Great in the locker room...Great in the community, volunteering to help where help is needed...Great at making "value decisions" socially...Great in school...Great with fellow students and fans and in the stands...Now the 2nd part answer is the other "great" that you are alluding to...Michael Jordan-type "GREAT"...
TN: that came about because of the adversity he experienced very young in his life, actually in high school his 1st year, getting cut from the team the first time he tried out : "you're not good enough to play at this level, Michael, is what the coach told him...", and he took those words to heart and determined to prove that coach wrong, went out and began practicing and playing on his own, pushing himself unlike his peers, dedicating himself to outworking everyone who tried to play against and with him...he had what you know well: DRIVE...it was this word that inspired his dream to play on the Varsity while he was in high school and he did...playing only 2 years of Varsity and then getting a full ride scholarship to UNC and the Legend began there...and still reigns today all over the world...
DRIVE: From your various coaching experiences all over the world, could you list the top players you have (Scouted) or coached (pg, sg, sf, pf, & C) and why?
TN: All International Team (In the Backcourt) Pt. Guard Steve Nash. Watching him play in college and pro development in the NBA, there is no other guard in the NBA today that has the tools and pizzazz to score AND make ALL of his teammates better in any game he's playing in (my choice for MVP in All Star game and perhaps the NBA)...2G the late Drazen Petrovic, Croatia...taught and coached him in New Jersey for two years...he was killed in a car accident in Germany in 1993; by far the hardest working player I have ever been around in my entire coaching career. Kevin Garnett C/PF, a true "gift to basketball" at any level, plays only one way: all out...PF Tom Chambers... Seattle Sonics 2 years...really gifted 6'11" athlete who ran the lanes hard and finished strong with a dunk or lay-up...SF Dale Ellis...also a shooting guard as well...the best pure shooter I have ever worked with...6th Man: Xavier McDaniel... Sonics...tough cookie, wouldn't back down to anyone...brought "it" every night...thoroughbred athlete who competed at the highest energy level of any player I've ever taught or coached...Best Coach: Tex Winter, Triple Post Architect, Asst. with Phil Jackson in Chicago and LA...9 Championship Rings to date...
DRIVE: What has been your greatest experience in coaching?
TN: Coaching in the WNBA, by far...the women play hard, together and WANT to improve their skills...plus they "ask" questions, unlike NBA players today who "seem" to have ALL the answers UNTIL they get waxed 1 on 1 in crunch time of a game, which is known as "EXPOSED"...Every team I have ever been associated with was a "great experience" for me...Why? Because I learned new things from new players and they taught me great lessons about patience and better communication so they would not fail in competition...My best international experience was in Japan...wonderful culture...wonderful people and the players were a joy to teach and coach when I was the Men's National Team Head Coach in 2000.
DRIVE: What advice would you give to young kids growing up in BC about the game
of basketball?
TN: If you really aspire to become a basketball player, find a gym to practice in during the winter, and find a playground to play on during the summer months.
Once you commit to becoming a "Team Player" the "work" becomes easy, the 1-2-3 hr. practices go by so fast, you wish there was more time. Find a special Coach/Trainer who your parents check out and see if he or she is as good as recommended. Find a player you respect at any level and "watch" him or her play in competition, whether it's in college locally, high school, or in the US but you must find someone you really respect and define why you like him or her as a Team Player. Participants only practice when the team practices. True Team Players practice on their own, improving upon the drills and skills their coaches taught them in the previous practices..."If you aspire then you must have desire..."TN
DRIVE: What are some of the "lost" fundamentals that young players are lacking?
TN: The two biggest deficiencies today in basketball worldwide are: ball handling (dribbling skills) and Passing skills. Most players only practice shooting outside shots, 3s and jumpers, never working on how to get separation from a defender with footwork (ala Steve Nash) and a one, no more than two dribble one on one move...
DRIVE: What separates good players from great players?
TN: I believe players “know" who the Team Players are and the ones that are pretenders...What separates these two players are:
1) Character
2) Leadership ability
3) Commitment
4) Self discipline on and off the court.
5) Trust and loyalty to Coaches and team
5) Respect of your teammate's position and role on team
6) Best effort every practice and every game, whether you play or not
7) Having a blast playing and being on a TEAM...
DRIVE: Why is basketball the best game in the world?
TN: Because it surpasses all language barriers, elevates the emotions to compete for one's school, college, National Team. Another reason why Basketball is so attractive is that it truly imitates life: teamwork, communication, trust, and success with some experiences of failure along the way, but learning from past mistakes.
DRIVE: Could you list the top 5 things players should do to become great
shooters?
TN: 1) Visualize making every shot BEFORE you practice or play in competition. Dale Ellis use to dream as a kid that he would always get the ball for the last shot and make it to win the game. Dream about being in the position to take winning FTs, Layups, Jumpshots to win games. It’s fun and guess what? NO ONE KNOWS what your "dreams" are but you!!!
2) Practice shooting from 15' in daily, if you can't make 80 out of 100 shots inside 15' , then you will have a difficult time making any shot consistently beyond that range. Why? Because the mechanics and consistency of one's shot release is the same from that range and will become a discipline beyond.
3) Learn how to ball fake shots, and then step off one dribble to the left and pull up, one dribble to the right and pull up, all 15'ers. Incorporate using or learning how to shoot a "bank shot" from both sides, it's the least practiced shot but the most accurate by far, just look at Tim Duncan of the Spurs, great bank shooter.
4) Find 2 spots on the floor that are your "money" spots: places where you know if you pull up there it's "money" cause the shot is going down sometimes I see players never shoot the same shot twice. Their elbow is out on one shot, they don't follow thru on the next and they overshoot on their 3s. Learn how to discipline your shot mechanics to perfection so you don't look discouraged when the shot doesn't drop.
5) The best for last: Practice shooting 100 FTs a day...yes, 100, imagine on each FT a game situation: "down two, 1 plus 1 penalty to tie game...2 seconds on game clock...etc." IF you can't make 75 out of 100, then you better keep practicing until you can OR find a teacher at DRIVE basketball academy to help you!!!
DRIVE would like to thank Coach Newell for his time and commitment to the game we all love. Coach Newell is a true ambassadar of the game.
