Gregg Popovich Raves About Brad Stevens During All-Star Weekend
BOSTON (CBS) – The Celtics organization has plenty to feel good about in the midst of a lengthy All-Star Break. The team has been scorching hot of late, winning 13 of its last 17 games overall to catapult itself into the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference. In addition to the team's play on the court, the front office has plenty of options at its disposal with trade deadline week looming.
An impressive collection of draft picks and young players with plenty of potential, Danny Ainge has the team's rebuild ahead of schedule. However, Ainge's most important asset may not be a future first-round pick from Brooklyn or an All-Star in Isaiah Thomas.
According to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, it's the man sitting behind the Boston bench: head coach Brad Stevens.
The coach of the Western Conference All-Stars raved about the 38-year-old Stevens this weekend in Toronto, who is just in his third season with Boston.
"I've said this before, Danny Ainge deserves a lot of credit," Popovich said. "First of all, truth be known, Brad looks like he's 18, and Butler basketball has been fantastic. Before he was even in the NBA, I would watch tapes of their games and look at some of the things that he did.
"So among basketball people, it was common knowledge that he was a heck of a coach. But to bring this young-looking guy into the NBA and say, okay, you're going to have to command the respect of these guys, that took some courage on Danny's part. And he did it, and it's turned out to be the right choice because Brad is one of the top coaches in the league. He's a clinician, he's a technician, he's detailed. He knows what he's doing with his demeanor, and how young he is, he's unbelievable the way he carries himself. He's truthful and straight up with players. And in this league, that's the biggest thing they respect. That you're comfortable in your own skin. You don't try to trick them. You just tell it like it is, and he did that and gained their respect very quickly."
With the league's most prominent coach showering that kind of praise on Stevens, it's sure to spread to some of the league's players and could impact the team's moves in free agency. Boston will be maneuvering for a big-name free agent in the next year or two with its salary cap space, even though they will have plenty of competition across league for stars that become available.
It's becoming more clear though as the years go by that Stevens' coaching ability is one edge Ainge and the Celtics will have in their corner as they attempt to recruit those top names and return to its perch as an elite team in the East.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
