Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has been around the NBA long enough to know the kind of impact that great coaching can have, and that wasn't lost on him in a win over the Orlando Magic. Dinwiddie gave Nets assistant coach Kevin Ollie his flowers after the game, via Erik Slater.
“He’s a guy that’s played at the highest level who has won championships,” Dinwiddie said of Ollie. “Sometimes you just need that other voice, that kind of stern voice. Everybody has the uncle that might be on him a little bit tougher than his pops, right? You kind of tune out your pops sometimes, right? But your uncle steps in and keeps you on track. So I think it's kind of that vibe.”
Kevin Ollie playing big role on Nets' coaching staff
There are lots of different roles an assistant coach can take on in a locker room, and it sounds like Kevin Ollie has the respect and attention of both the veterans and young players on the Brooklyn Nets roster. Ollie won an NCAA championship as the head coach of UCONN in 2014, so players both young and old know what he's capable of as a coach and a mentor.
Ollie also played in the NBA from 1997 to 2010 and enjoyed a long career as a journeyman point guard who was always one of the smartest players on the floor. It sounds like the Nets know how lucky they are to have him, and the kind of impact he's had for Jacque Vaughn and the Nets this season.
Brooklyn is 10-9 so far this season, but a convincing win over the surprising Orlando Magic could be the spark the team needs to rattle off some more wins as the season progresses.
Follow Us
Subscribe