Coach Todo's BASKETBALL DIARY ユタには縁があります。
2003年に初めてコーチ研修した地もユタで、その後2回ユタに行き様々な出会いがありました。
2003年
ESPNで『最も知識のあるバスケットコーチ』に選ばれた故リック・マジェラス氏。
自分のスカウティングの基礎とコーチとしての心構えはここで学びました。
相手のセット、特徴を全て知っているスコット・ギャリソンコーチには時間をかける重要性を、後に滋賀レイクスターズの伊藤大司選手の大学のアシスタントコーチになるエリック・ジャクソンコーチからはどんなに働いても練習では選手よりも熱く声を出したり動き回る熱量を教わりました。
後にNBAチャンピオンにもなるアンドリュー・ボーガットは1年生。毎日マジェラスコーチから『おまえはソフト過ぎてNBAでは通用しない』と叱咤激励されていました。
ユタが自分にとってはこの長いコーチの旅路のスタートだったのです。
I have been somewhat attached to Utah. Utah is the place where I learned numerous things about the game of basketball and coaching. Utah is the place where I met so many basketball geniuses and role models.
My first coach training in 2003 was in Utah, and I’ve visited there twice.
In 2003, I took a two-months trip to US to learn coaching and the first stop was University of Utah Man’s Basketball Team.
Coach Rick Majerus, who was once named as one of the most Knowledgeable Basketball Coaches by ESPN, was the head coach then.
From him, I learned the fundamentals of my scouting and how to prepare for practices and games as a coach.
Coach Scott Garrison, who knows all his opponent’s sets and individual traits, taught me the importance of devoting my time for this game and Coach Eric Jackson, who would later become a college assistant coach for Taishi Ito of the Shiga LakeStars, taught me that you have to be the most energetic person on the floor no matter how long you work on the previous day.
I still remembered every moment of two weeks I spent there. Lessons I learned from those coaches are my core values and foundation of my coaching to this day.
Andrew Bogut, the future NBA champion, was a freshman coming out from Australia. Coach Majerus would get on him really hard every single day, saying, “You ain’t ready for NBA. You are still too soft. I talked to Donnie (Nelson), he told me your European finesses style ain’t work in NBA, you gotta grow up!” That was very interesting and left a strong impression on me. We all know how good he became since…
Utah was the start of my coaching journey…
（東頭コーチ談 スタッフ書）