Luck and Legacy | Isaiah Thomas

Mike Malone is having a lot of success as the head coach of the Utah Jazz. He was Isaiah Thomas's coach in Sacramento, and on the All The Smoke Podcast, Matt Barnes asked Isaiah what it was like playing for Malone (34:35 time mark).

Isaiah said that Malone was a player's coach. Isaiah said that everybody was in his ear about trying to be a pass-first point guard, but that wasn't who he was - he was a scoring guard who makes plays. Isaiah said that Malone pulled him aside and told him that he would never be John Stockton. Malone told him to be Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah said he took that confidence that Malone instilled in him and ran with it.

Isaiah said that the NBA is about opportunity and situations. Everybody can play, but if you are in the right situation where there is confidence poured in you, 9 times out of 10 you are going to succeed.

The coach can be the best defender for most players. He can be first-team all defense. You have to figure out ways to get past it, but it can be tough.

Coaches, we have the power to inspire players and the power to hold players back. Give them the confidence they need to be the best that they can be. Tell them that you believe in them, and create an environment where they can be successful.

One of my coaching friends and I say that so much of an NBA player's legacy is due to luck. We call it 'Luck and Legacy.' If you look at any NBA legend's legacy, you will see some luck to it. Michael Jordan worked hard to become who he is, but he came into the NBA in the middle of Bird and Magic's prime, so he was able to learn and grow at the back-end of their careers and took the mantle and ran with it. Bird and Magic were amazing talents themselves, who had some luck tied to how they were drafted to the two most historic and legendary franchises in the NBA. Isaiah said himself that he was in the right situation.

Be the coach that players are lucky to have. Be the coach that players, and their parents, remember forever and are forever thankful for.