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DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Utah Jazz for an NBA preseason game on Thursday. Mavs fans will certainly recognize one of the assistant coaches for the Jazz, as Jason Terry is on the coaching staff. Terry, who was a star in Dallas and helped the Mavericks win an NBA championship, took some time after the recent preseason game for an interview with ClutchPoints.
Before diving into the interview, it is important to note that Terry is already highly regarded as an assistant coach. Both Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Jazz head coach Will Hardy had nothing but positive things to say about the former Mavericks star.
“I think Jet (Terry), when you talk about Jason Terry, his history, he’s been a star in college, he’s been a star in the league,” Kidd said at practice on Friday. “It’s funny, they had an old game of Atlanta against Minnesota today, he was playing point guard. So he can talk about playing the point guard… to playing off the ball, to being a sixth man… His work ethic, coming back at night, working on his game. So he has a lot to give to these young men. He’s doing a great job in Utah. Utah believes in his coaching.
“It seems like every year he’s getting upgraded from the fifth seed to the fourth seed to the third seed. Will Hardy believes in his skill set and he will be a guy that’s going to be recognized to be a head coach in this league. Also, he’s easy to talk to. I think he loves to talk (Kidd said with a smile), so that’s a big part of being a coach.”
Hardy appreciates having Terry on the coaching staff.
“Jet is maybe the funniest person I've ever met in my life,” Hardy said before Thursday's game. “He is a basketball savant. His experience and his resume speak for themselves. I think Jet has an unbelievable way of communicating with the players. His personality for the people that know him, it's like he has this knack of being humorous and telling you the truth without hurting your feelings all at the same time. I think he holds our young players accountable, he's obviously been in their shoes so I lean on Jet a lot because he can say things that I can't. I never played in the NBA so I don't know what it feels like, I only have my own perspective having been… you know, somebody who has kind of worked his way up in the coaching side.
“I think Jet brings, obviously a lot of knowledge, but he brings a lot of empathy for the players. He understands what they're doing is hard. You know, he's had hard moments in his own career. So he knows how to approach the players in those moments. He's a massive part of our staff. He helps me so much during the games, but I'm grateful for how he's able to kind of give me perspective in between the games, especially as it relates to our players. Not to mention I would say if you guys see me chuckling on the sideline, 75 percent of the time it's because of him. He just brings a lot of joy into our building everyday and he's a hell of a coach.”
Jason Terry clearly has respect from both coaches. In the following interview, Terry discussed his coaching career, goals and more.
Jason Terry exclusive interview
Joey Mistretta: When you were playing, was coaching something you thought about doing?
Jason Terry: While I played, since 2007, my offseason was dedicated to coaching young women in the Dallas metroplex. I coached AAU basketball, drive a 15 passenger van all across the country, coaching these young women. That was kind of like my preparation. That was my training ground so to speak. So as I got in my career, I kind of knew what life after basketball was going to be for me. I'm a teacher, I'm a student of the game, I love giving back… I live it, I breathe it every single day. And so I knew my career path after basketball would be in coaching.
Joey Mistretta: When talking to coach Hardy, he was saying that he didn't play in the NBA, you have. What kind of impact do you think you've had on that element of the game for him?
Jason Terry: For him, it's just having a barometer on what the players are going through on a nightly basis, what their mentality is. Kind of where their headspace is at. Obviously I've sat in that seat. You can't just rely on that alone. You have to be a student of the game. You got to know personnel, you got to know all of the little nuances that go into coaching. You got to be disciplined, you got to know how to talk, you got to know how to treat people. And I think that's more than coaching than any X and O you can draw up. It's about people and how you communicate and how you relate to your players.
Joey Mistretta: What's been the most challenging part of coaching for you?
Jason Terry: That I can't get out there and make the pass or make the shot. That's probably the most frustrating. Hey, my playing days are long gone.
Joey Mistretta: Speaking of your playing days, Jason Kidd is somebody you played with. He's the coach of the Mavs now, what do you think about his coaching performance?
Jason Terry: I think he's been doing a hell of a job. I mean, obviously thrust right into coaching after playing with no coaching experience. We knew he was a coach his whole career because on the floor that's how he carried himself. Every game that he went into you knew he'd be prepared, you knew he'd make his teammates better. It's no different as a coach for him. He sees the game. He sees the game before it happens, he knows how to move the pieces on the chess board. He has the ultimate respect from his team as well and I think that's when you know you got a good coach.
Joey Mistretta: Being back here in Dallas, what's it like? You are kind of a legend around here, so what's it like being back here?
Jason Terry: It's always special coming back here. From the security guys to the fans to the season ticket holders… To management, obviously coach Kidd is still here. So I have so many relationships in the city, within the organization. It's always home. Then (Mark) Cuban. I mean, Cuban is one of those guys that he always told me… ‘you will always have a home coming back here. You will always be a Maverick.' And he stayed true to his word. So I have nothing but love and respect for this organization. This organization kind of birthed me. I was drafted to Atlanta, but I say I became an NBA player when I got to Dallas.
Joey Mistretta: Last question, what are your goals for your coaching career? Do you want to be a head coach someday?
Jason Terry: Eventually my career path will lead to being a head coach. So like I said, right now I am just focusing on our guys, developing this young team, getting them to where they need to go. And continue to grow as a coach. Continue to grow as a teacher and as a mentor.
