Reflections from Raptors Coaches Open House

Raptors fans and community coaches congregated at Scotiabank Arena this morning to learn from James Wade, Pat Delany, Jama Mahlalela, and Darko Rajakovic at Raptors Coaches Open House.

As soon as I walked in, I saw clipboards, iPads, and people meticulously diagramming plays in front of me. We were all trying to soak up hoops knowledge from the Raptors’ coaching fountain and apply it to our own teams, clinics, and communities.

Darko referred to this open house (it’s also free) as the only one of its kind in the NBA. It was truly special – an intimate experience that deepens the connection people already have with this team. We got to witness the Raptors do a walk-through before their pre-season game against Brooklyn after Delany’s on-ball defence clinic was interrupted by a fire alarm and Mahlalela ran a transition offence clinic.  

Terms like “UCLA” and “motion rip” could be heard from the seats. They also prepared for Brooklyn’s aggressive switches on on-ball screens. It was the first time I ever watched the Raptors practice, and getting a peek into their day at the office was a rare and unique experience. 

After the walk-through, IQ and Darko addressed the crowd. IQ talked about doing some track work during the off-season to prepare for the demands of full-court pressure defence and referred to the NBA becoming more like AAU ball.

One common thread I noticed between the coaches was their player-centric coaching philosophy. That might sound trite, but it’s a theme that came up in each session. A gentleman asked Wade about how to get quieter players to communicate on the floor. Wade answered by emphasizing the need to create an environment that’s conducive to getting players to talk. Yelling at them doesn’t accomplish this. He mentioned how so many players see the court as a “safe haven,” and how a coaching approach that may jeopardize its sanctity could stray from realizing this goal. 

Mahlalela displayed player centricity when he ran a 4-on-3 transition drill. When a volunteer made a mistake, he asked them what they think they did wrong, rather than tell them what the error was. That’s a big difference. He said that most players already know that they made a mistake, so helping them actualize what they can do differently is more effective than a top-down approach. 

When Darko fielded questions at the end, a man had the courage to ask how one walks this line between being a player coach and drill sergeant – in reference to how Scottie went through practice in what appeared to be a cape (his practice jersey hanging from his neck). Rajakovic said he barely noticed and said he had two standards for his players – to be on time and to be respectful – and how most other things didn’t matter much.

In a results-driven business, a player-centric coaching philosophy is venerated when teams win. When they lose, it’s derided as being too soft, too modern, too bending-over-backwards for players.  

But it’s a coaching philosophy that’s been consistent throughout and received praise shortly after the Larry O’Brien came up here. I’m glad we stuck to it and to see its consistency through the coaching personnel.

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