The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Hansen Wong, Manager of G League and International Scouting for the Indiana Pacers. Wong has built a unique career with the Pacers, starting as a video intern and working his way through roles as Assistant Video Coordinator, Video Coordinator, and Director of Basketball Information and Technology before reaching his current position, while also serving as an Advanced Scout for the Nigerian National Team. In this episode we discuss his unique journey from student manager to the NBA and what his NBA interview process looked like, how scouts balance what their eyes tell them with data and analytics, which information matters most when evaluating a player, and whether watching a player live or on film provides the best understanding of their game.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Assistant Coach with the New York Knicks. Ahelegbe played at Northern Iowa before continuing his career professionally in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Austria, eventually transitioning into coaching with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Windy City Bulls, and Knicks. In this episode we discuss how coaches can help injured players stay mentally strong and come back stronger, the impact Coach Ben Jacobson had on his development as a leader and point guard to help his preparation for the professional level, and how players can make an impact without the ball and become stars in their roles no matter the level.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Michael Huger, Associate Head Coach at Temple University. Huger played professionally in Finland, Holland, and Belgium before coaching at Longwood, George Mason, Miami, and Temple, along with serving as the head coach at Bowling Green. In this episode we discuss what European basketball can teach American player development, the lessons from Coach Larrañaga that stayed with him from player to coach, and the toughest parts of leading a program and what he would do differently the next time he’s a head coach.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Joe White, Assistant Coach at the University of South Dakota. White’s journey includes playing at Southern Oregon and professionally in Ecuador before transitioning into coaching, with stops at Tacoma CC, Lane CC, Idaho State, and South Dakota, along with head coaching experience at Lane CC. In this episode we discuss how head coaches can delegate while developing their assistants, the biggest mistakes young coaches make when trying to advance, and the habits and mindset that help coaches separate themselves.