RIP Pete Newell

Pete Newell passed away today. For anyone who has enjoyed the game of basketball over the last 50 years, and especially if you, like I, have enjoyed watching the great post-players of the last half-century, then you understand why I couldn't sleep tonight without mentioning coach Newell first in this space. He has influenced nearly every post-player in the world and EVERY coach who teaches Low Post/High Post offense or defense on the West Coast.

I first learned about Pete Newell through his Big Man Camps because my favorite team, The Lakers, employs one of the longest tenured coaches for the Camp (Stu Lantz) as a color-commentator. Through his tutelage, and his philosophies on Post play and "Big-Man" play, some of the most famous and successful players have increased their skill level and overall knowledge of the game. Coaches the world over teach his techniques to their players because he his nuanced, results-oriented training approach has produced a list of basketball legends who quickly credit Pete Newell with helping them to improve their game as long as any coach you can name: Bobby Knight, Coach K, John Wooden... Pete Newell.

Here's a few of the names on that list that I can think of right now:

Kareem Abdul Jabaar
Jack Sikma
Bill Walton
Shaquille O'Neal
Alonzo Mourning
Hakeem Olajuwon
Moses Malone
Karl Malone
Patrick Ewing
David Robinson
Stu Lantz
Tim Duncan
Andrew Bogut
Shareef Abdur-Raheem
Derick Coleman

and plenty of others

A moment of silnce for Pete Newell:

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