Basketball is a game that requires a certain type of “education.” From learning the rules to watching movies, there is constant learning associated with the game. Very often, players need guidance on their path to mastering the game, and that is where coaches come into the picture.
Discussing the coaching aspect itself, WNBA legend Candace Parker joined Dwayne Wade on a recent episode of Wade’s new show. The why with Dwayne Wade. As the duo discussed training, Parker would reveal his father as his first real trainer. Speaking about her father, the three-time champion revealed:
“My dad was the one who forced me to look at the game differently. Breaking down the “why” of things… he was always very much a believer in “you should know why you’re doing things.”…later in my career, when I asked why, coaches would take it personally…I have to know why we are doing this…so I can change and adapt…we were running a Princeton Set in sixth, seventh and eighth grade.”
The Princeton set refers to different variations of an offensive player coordinating with his teammates to make an easy drive to the basket. In most variations, the ball carrier passes the ball to the blocker, before the blocker hands the ball to another player. The initial blocker then also protects this player, allowing enough space to be created for a drive to the rim.
Parker’s ability to read the game would surely pay off, as the Las Vegas forward would move on to win two Most Valuable Player Awards. But Parker’s approach would not be without its drawbacks, as the 6’4 forward would reveal that coaches often had difficulty adjusting to Parker’s inquisitive nature. Building trust became a problem, as Parker often asked too many questions, a habit his father instilled in a young Parker. Regardless of the obstacles, Parker seemed to persevere.
Later in the interview, Parker revealed that Kobe’s coaching style reminded him of his father’s customs. Kobe’s philosophy of always understanding the game would be something that stood out to Parker, as the Las Vegas forward recalled her childhood after watching Kobe and Gigi play during practices and games. Parker would be visibly moved by the passing of Kobe and Gigi, as she would dedicate her 2021 WNBA championship to the father-daughter duo, reminding everyone of the legacy Kobe left behind.
Kobe only returned to the game because of Gigi
Kobe Bryant left a lasting impact on the NBA, as the Lakers legend spent every waking hour focused on improving his craft. But unlike Kobe’s unbreakable spirit, the human body has his limitations, as Bryant faced his mortality in basketball. Leaving behind the love of his life in 2016, Kobe would declare he was done with the sport after his retirement.
But unbeknownst to Kobe, another member of the Bryant family had the same itch as the Black Mamba. Gianna Bryant, better known as Gigi Bryant, Bryant’s then-youngest daughter, began playing sports shortly after Bryant stopped playing. Now that his daughter was playing the sport she had once been obsessed with, Kobe would return to basketball as a coach.
talking about his experience teaching the sport and watching his daughter grow up, Bryant revealed,
“Before Gigi took up basketball, she hardly watched it… Now that she likes basketball, they show it every night. He’s on every night. I mean, every game. She asked me to get the league pass on her phone and everything, she looks at everything. “
Unfortunately for the sport of basketball, Bryant and Gigi died in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020. Even four years later, the sport of basketball has not adequately recovered from the Bryants’ shocking loss.
