Returning as National Coach and Living in City No. 5

We have now made the move from Chennai to Bangalore. This is where I am training the Indian National Team. This is stop number five for us in this country. It is hard to believe, we are starting our 13^th year in India. (7 years with the NBA and 5 years as the national coach) We continue to experience new adventures and I am always compiling new stories to tell.

It is always a challenge in a country where basketball is not prioritized. But we have seen some historic successes in the last year. We were able to beat two higher ranked teams (Kazakhstan and Bahrain) These victories qualified

us for the Asia Cup, as well as the World Cup Qualifier. It also moved us up 5 positions in the World FIBA Rankings. This coming year we have been placed in a pool with Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar.

If you know me, it goes beyond wins and losses. We originally came to India with a greater vision. That has not changed. It has been rewarding to see nine of our NBA Academy youth players come to us a the age of 14 and now are main players on the national team. Two of our former NBA academy players are now coaching at independent academies in India and Abu Dhabi.

Let me tell you another story. I met Sarah when I was coaching with the Dallas Mavericks G League team. (Texas Legends) She was an intern with the team serving in several capacities. She made such an impression on me that years later I invited her to come and serve as a short term coach with NBA India. After that she went on to work for the Milwaukee Bucks, followed by being named as the first woman to coach a men’s team at Bresica University. When I took over again as the Indian National coach in 2024 the Federation asked me to recommend a Women’s National Coach. Sarah’s name came to mind right away. She checked all the boxes. Needless to say,, after some struggles with visa, red tape, etc. she is now the Indian Women’s National Coach. I knew she would not only bring coaching expertise, but a desire to make a difference in the lives of her players.

After our first World Cup Qualifier in late November, I plan to conduct a Coaches Clinic up in P

unjab and then run a U14 National Camp in Chennai. After that, Chawn and I are really looking forward to spending Christmas with our daughter, Tory, in England. She is presently in a masters program at Northumbria University in Newcastle.

If you are receiving this you have made an impact on my life somewhere along the way. Keep making a difference. SALT & LIGHT