Other Notable Wizards' Front Office Hires (John Thompson III & Sashi Brown)

[Illmatic12]

Way to pick up on that Japanese connection, Doc -- well done indeed!

& Oliver... count me impressed. I've been dinging Ted, but this is evidence that I may well have been wrong. I'd be delighted if that were so!

What I’m saying. The things they’re doing they are doing with forethought and intent. Why I said take a look at who they picked up and try to guess why. Instead of racing to bd the first to be unimpressed. I’m saying there’s a shape in all the things they’re doing and I’m wondering why.

I like that Corey Gaines coached the Phoenix Mercury to a title. On the heels of that press conference where they hinted about integrated training and cross pollination between the NBA, G League, and Mystics. The idea that players will pick up inspiration and tips from all sources.

Maybe it means nothing that our WNBA stars ranged Bigs pouring it in from outside. And costarring a guard with range and dribble drive. I’m just curious if it’s something intentional. I dunno.

I think Mike Forde (the sports consultant ) is probably instrumental in making a lot of these hires seeing as Ted turned over much of the process to him.

It’s going to take a little bit of time but the groundwork is being laid for a great basketball franchise in DC.

Now I just wonder if all of these analytics guys are going to tell them when it’s time to replace Scott Brooks..

[keynote]

Oliver is a pioneer, no doubt. But has he stayed on the bleeding edge of basketball analytics? Has he continued to innovate? Not a critique; I don't know either way.

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[closg00]

Pity that Ted was sleeping-walking with Ernie for so-long and squandered much of John's time here, it's going to take some years for these guys to gel and turn the Wizards around.

[Illmatic12]

Oliver is a pioneer, no doubt. But has he stayed on the bleeding edge of basketball analytics? Has he continued to innovate? Not a critique; I don't know either way.

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Lol.

Yes, he’s regularly been active in the NBA Twitter community , still teaches classes/seminars and apparently was in the process of publishing a follow-up book

https://twitter.com/DeanO_Lytics


Kevin Broom points out that his strength is in communicating concepts to lay-people (and lord knows Scott Brooks isn’t a numbers guy)

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[payitforward]

Great point -- I'd been thinking about this from the POV of player evaluation (i.e. for the draft, trades, etc....), but of course it has a lot of potential impact on lineups, etc.

Of course the two aren't unrelated -- it'll make more difference who we put out there & how we use them when we have a better list of players on our roster to pick from!

[Ruzious]

Dean Oliver is the Godfather of basketball analytics as we know it, this an excellent hire.. EXCELLENT. Ever heard coaches talk about the “Four Factors of Basketball” ? Oliver first published that theory 2 decades ago. Well done Ted

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Wow, scoring Dean Oliver is quite a move for the organization. I think it goes a long way towards credibility. And the other guys... uh yeah... okay, I have no idea who they are.

[WallToWall]

Ok, these new hiring do seem very interesting, and on the surface, point to an organization that could be very good. There seems to be a much higher reliance on analytics, which is a good thing, if coupled with folks who just have a "feel" for the game. I think the pendulum has swung in the other direction, in the sense that we now have a lot of folks who base decision on numbers. Not a bad thing at all. But, numbers aren't everything. I'd like to see how all this comes together. Kudos to Leonsis for changing direction and making bold moves.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The grandmaster of Basketball analytics. The OG DO. Alright.


And Corey Gaines' mother is Japanese, like Hachimura's. He played a year in a Japanese pro league amid his 14 year pro career. He has guest coached the Japanese Women's Olympic team

Back in the day Corey Gaines played in the CBA. He and Tim Legler were teammates with the Omaha Racers. Gaines was a really good player in that league.





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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Ok, these new hiring do seem very interesting, and on the surface, point to an organization that could be very good. There seems to be a much higher reliance on analytics, which is a good thing, if coupled with folks who just have a "feel" for the game. I think the pendulum has swung in the other direction, in the sense that we now have a lot of folks who base decision on numbers. Not a bad thing at all. But, numbers aren't everything. I'd like to see how all this comes together. Kudos to Leonsis for changing direction and making bold moves.

Yes, this is a shifting point for the Wizards.

Many years ago while studying mathematics I learned about critical points. In calculus there are points of inflection. Can't explain it cuz I don't remember it that well! Has to do with curves changing on graphs. Relatively speaking they've bottomed out and are going to rise.

All I know is it this is the point at which the Wizards have changed the game. Dean Oliver is a pretty exciting hire!

All the Grunfeld years of tears are behind. The collateral damage remains but there IS now hope.

[Ruzious]

Ok, these new hiring do seem very interesting, and on the surface, point to an organization that could be very good. There seems to be a much higher reliance on analytics, which is a good thing, if coupled with folks who just have a "feel" for the game. I think the pendulum has swung in the other direction, in the sense that we now have a lot of folks who base decision on numbers. Not a bad thing at all. But, numbers aren't everything. I'd like to see how all this comes together. Kudos to Leonsis for changing direction and making bold moves.

Yes, this is a shifting point for the
Wizards.

Many years ago while studying mathematics I learned about critical points. In calculus there are points of inflection. Can't explain it cuz I don't remember it that well! Has to do with curves changing on graphs. Relatively speaking they've bottomed out and are going to rise.

All I know is it this is the point at which the Wizards have changed the game. Dean Oliver is a pretty exciting hire!

All the Grunfeld years of tears are behind. The collateral damage remains but there IS now hope.

Oh gawd, I remember taking calculus in my first semester at U of MD - a total nightmare. It was a class of 500 people, and the professor acted like he hated every single one of us. He had a thick German accent, looked like Colonel KlinK of Hogans Heroes, and he might as well have been talking German. On calculus - I know Nothink!

[payitforward]

CCJ (Ken) -- so great that you're back on the Board! You had me a little worried, dude. First you hinted that "things weren't going well," but with no indication of why or how, then all of a sudden you were gone. Nervous-making.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Resilience, pif.

I'm doing my best. Things are starting to look up. I'm glad to still be here and to have HOPE.

[payitforward]

Excellent, my friend! Keep us in your sights; we're a team for you.

[Illmatic12]

Dean Oliver is the Godfather of basketball analytics as we know it, this an excellent hire.. EXCELLENT. Ever heard coaches talk about the “Four Factors of Basketball” ? Oliver first published that theory 2 decades ago. Well done Ted

Read on Twitter

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Wow, scoring Dean Oliver is quite a move for the organization. I think it goes a long way towards credibility. And the other guys... uh yeah... okay, I have no idea who they are.

Longabardi was a defensive assistant on the championship winning 2008 Celtics and 2016 Cavs.

Sheppard mentioned in a radio interview that the Wizards are installing a new defensive system called “SOS scramble defense” - Longabardi is another experienced mind who can help coach up the younger guys on that end.


Think it’s notable that the Wiz are beefing up the coaching staff around Brooks. Clearly they are applying pressure on him to step his game up (as they should). Everyone in the org should be on notice and laser-focused every day on improving.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

Dean Oliver is the Godfather of basketball analytics as we know it, this an excellent hire.. EXCELLENT. Ever heard coaches talk about the “Four Factors of Basketball” ? Oliver first published that theory 2 decades ago. Well done Ted

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Wow, scoring Dean Oliver is quite a move for the organization. I think it goes a long way towards credibility. And the other guys... uh yeah... okay, I have no idea who they are.

Longabardi was a defensive assistant on the championship winning 2008 Celtics and 2016 Cavs.

Sheppard mentioned in a radio interview that the Wizards are installing a new defensive system called “SOS scramble defense” - Longabardi is another experienced mind who can help coach up the younger guys on that end.


Think it’s notable that the Wiz are beefing up the coaching staff around Brooks. Clearly they are applying pressure on him to step his game up (as they should). Everyone in the org should be on notice and laser-focused every day on improving.

I don't know how much was due to Longabardi, but every team he coached for seemed to prosper defensively for the most part---even the bad Phoenix teams that Markieff played on.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

It's good news learning that the WIzards will at least make an attempt at implementing a defensive system; I've felt forever that a defensive system was necessary to transform the team into a perennially good defensive team.

The preaching on defensive effort, season after season, by the head coaches got so tired and was obviously fruitless in the long run.

[queridiculo]

The grandmaster of Basketball analytics. The OG DO. Alright.


And Corey Gaines' mother is Japanese, like Hachimura's. He played a year in a Japanese pro league amid his 14 year pro career. He has guest coached the Japanese Women's Olympic team

Back in the day Corey Gaines played in the CBA. He and Tim Legler were teammates with the Omaha Racers. Gaines was a really good player in that league.

Welcome back!

What's your take on the Wizards draft, Hachimura in particular?

[Illmatic12]

Another hire from the Clippers . At this point we’ve gotta bring Sam Cassell back!

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[MikeTheKid]

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[Ruzious]

Well, I think he can help with things related to work ethic, but uh... hopefully he won't be involved in anything related to defense. He never learned basic things like keeping his hands up on defense.