Interim head coach Kevin Ollie is growing into his own as the Nets’ tactician. His system is evolving as he continues to grow alongside his players. A good achievement so far is how he is maximizing Cameron Thomas’ skill set.
The 22-year-old guard has been superb since he returned from injury, and Coach Ollie deserves to be one of the main reasons behind Cam’s success. Thankfully, Thomas loves having Coach Ollie around, as the coach gets the most out of him.
“We have a great relationship. Even when I first met him this year at training camp. I felt like we connected, we clicked really well,” Thomas said about his relationship with Coach Ollie.
“He’s a fiery guy. He’s edgy, really competitive. I feel like he’s really honed in on trying to get us playing and wants us to finish strong. He’s a real competitor in the locker room.”
Ollie challenges his players to be better
Ollie loves coaching his players and motivating them to their fullest potential. A recent example is Lonnie Walker IV in the Nets’ March 6 win against the 76ers. Coach KO subbed Walker out after giving up an offensive rebound. Ollie did that to challenge and motivate Walker to perform better,
Lonnie responded well, scoring 19 points off the bench. It was a superb performance from the 25-year-old, but he still credited Ollie for the win.
“He put some more energy in my soul, as far as I gotta lock in and really pick it up and understand we're not taking these possessions for granted,” Walker said after the game.
The same goes for Cam, who also receives challenges from his head coach. That kind of treatment from KO makes his players better, as it forces them to step up to the plate and take the objective head-on.
Ollie has the potential to be a star coach
Ollie is barely into his first month as an NBA head coach, showcasing tons of potential with him as a head honcho. KO has already been accomplished as a coach in the collegiate ranks after he led UConn to a National Championship, but he’s ready to do that in the NBA.
With how Thomas talked about him, Ollie is doing a fantastic job with the Nets. He might not get the permanent head coach position, but he’s cemented himself in the NBA landscape and can be a candidate for plenty of teams around the league in the future.
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