- 3 months ago
Washington Wizards Head Coach Brian Keefe joins The Kevin Sheehan Show to break down his experience coaching the Wizards throughout the rebuilding process and what characteristics do they look for in players throughout the NBA Draft process.
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00:00All right. It is my pleasure to welcome onto the show the head coach of the Washington Wizards, Brian Keefe.
00:07The Wizards, of course, got number one overall in the draft lottery on Sunday.
00:12We'll talk to him about that in a few minutes. But, Brian, I wanted to start with this.
00:17You've been presiding as the coach over most of the last three seasons, you know, seasons which have been a
00:25commitment to the future,
00:27you know, a commitment to giving the franchise its best chance down the road to be an upper echelon NBA
00:35team consistently.
00:36We all understand what these last three seasons have been about.
00:41I want you to describe, in your words, what it's been like to be the head coach where the priority
00:49has been more about developing young players than actually trying to win games.
00:55What's that been like?
00:57I think the thing we've looked at as an organization is, and you kind of said it at the beginning,
01:02is we want to build something that's going to be sustainable.
01:06So we can have many cracks at the, you know, the championships as you can.
01:11And how are you going to do that?
01:12Well, we obviously were going to go through a little bit of a phase here where, you know, we were
01:15going to build the team through the draft.
01:17And the things that we thought were important is we were going to teach our guys the habits that go
01:22into winning.
01:23So that was always my focus is that we weren't going to skip any steps.
01:28We were going to build it brick by brick, and we were going to establish in a way of how
01:32we worked and how we trained and how we prepared every day.
01:36And I think, obviously, we had, it was like nine guys who were 21 and under on our roster to
01:42start the year.
01:43Right.
01:44And we're teaching those guys how to do that.
01:46And you can see that that is starting to pay off, and you can see that the jumps some of
01:50these guys have made, pretty much all of them have.
01:53But you can obviously see that with Alex and Keyshawn and Bob and Bilal and Adia and Trey Johnson and
02:00Will Riley.
02:01You saw the growth of them this year.
02:03They were going to be opportunities with them because of where we were as a roster.
02:07But they took advantage of those opportunities, but it was really the work behind the scenes and learning how to
02:13be a professional.
02:13Those are the things we focused on because we think that's what's going to make us sustainable.
02:17And that was the goal all along.
02:19That seems from afar, from the outside looking in, to be a challenge because what you're describing, it seems intuitive.
02:26It seems like there are certain habits that go into winning and being a professional.
02:32But at the end of the day, ultimately, when you got into the games themselves, winning wasn't necessarily the priority.
02:41That seems like a bit of a conflict.
02:44No?
02:48I disagree with that because there's a lot that goes into winning.
02:54Nobody just shows up and just wins.
02:56Even a veteran player just doesn't show up and win.
02:59Every team starts every year zero and zero, even when we go into next year.
03:03But you still have to build the proper habits.
03:06And what we wanted to see from our guys was we would get into these more competitive situations.
03:13And I think you saw that this year.
03:14You know, the amount of more competitive games were more crunch time games where you're in.
03:18And our record ended up being very good in those.
03:20But these guys were developing as we got into the mid-December, early January, into the all-star break.
03:27You saw us playing a brand that was growing as a team.
03:31I think that was really important because, like, yeah, we're all competitors.
03:35We want to win.
03:37We all are like that.
03:38We have competitive guys in our locker room.
03:40But are we building it the right way?
03:42Are we doing things the right way?
03:44Or am I going to try to do something where just maybe I get a one-off win because maybe
03:49I would do something to trick the game to just get that one night?
03:54Now, we want to build something that's going to be lasting and can handle under pressure.
03:59But to me, that was, like, an exciting, challenging, all of it's challenging.
04:03This is, you know, professional sports.
04:04But I think we were built for that and our organization is built for stuff like that.
04:10So, to me, it was, like, really exciting to help shape these guys in terms of being a team that's
04:15going to be able to be growing and competing as we go down the line.
04:19Will Dawkins told me, I don't know, maybe a month and a half ago when he was on the show,
04:23it was right after the Anthony Davis trades or two months ago or whenever that was.
04:28He said, you know, it's now time to develop players in kind of a new setting.
04:34One where the games, you know, he said, you know, for a lack of a better description, are more meaningful
04:40to the standings.
04:43Explain to me the difference between doing what you've been doing, developing players, developing habits, etc.
04:50In an environment where the standings didn't necessarily matter.
04:56They mattered, actually, for the other side or the bottom of the standings versus what it will be next year
05:05when you are teaching these habits,
05:08developing these habits, but also you've got an eye on the standings, hoping to continue to climb up them.
05:14Yeah, I think, obviously, we make the additions of Trey and Anthony Davis to our group.
05:20And I think the way we look at it, they're going to help our group grow.
05:25They're going to help us put us in positions to be, you know, obviously ascending, you know, I think is
05:32a good word,
05:32and building towards where we want to go.
05:35But they're going to help our younger players on the roster continue to develop.
05:40We know what Trey Young can do with his ability to pass, and we felt like that was going to
05:45be a thing that was going to help, really, our team grow tremendously.
05:48And then we obviously got, you know, we're very lucky to add Anthony, you know, after that trade,
05:52and we all know what he can bring in terms of being a defensive anchor, and he'll do that with
05:57Alex,
05:58and then obviously his ability to score.
05:59I think it's just going to put our players in positions to make that next step.
06:03And that part is, you know, part of the learning curve is, you know, being in these games that are
06:09going to be, you know, matter.
06:12And keep climbing and learning from that.
06:15But I think these two guys adding them to the roster gives us a really great opportunity to do that.
06:21What will we learn about you, Brian Keefe,
06:24when you start coaching games that matter more in terms of the standings that we don't know about you
06:31through these first two and a half years in a completely different environment?
06:35I think you're going to probably realize I'm just probably the same person.
06:40You know, I believe in the things I believe in, you know, creating an environment where our guys can improve
06:45every day,
06:46building consistent habits.
06:48I was very fortunate to start my career in San Antonio many years ago,
06:52and, you know, that was kind of the things you learned there.
06:55It was around all these great players and obviously great coaches and a great organization,
07:00that there are no skipping steps.
07:03Winning is very hard, but how you do it is by building consistent habits.
07:07We're going to continue to do those things, obviously with the addition of some veteran players,
07:12and obviously we're very excited to add another, you know, great young player to our roster,
07:17the number one pick.
07:18I think you're going to see me coach the same way.
07:22We're going to continue to grow and get better, but, you know, you'll see an uptick in, you know,
07:27being more competitive next year.
07:28But do you think that something that may be, and I watched enough over the last two and a half
07:34years,
07:35but I don't have a sense of the following as an example.
07:39What Brian Keefe is like in, you know, in game planning to win a game, in in-game X's and
07:49O's.
07:50I think there was a lot of that.
07:51You did a lot of that, obviously, during those first two and a half years.
07:54But is there anything that you really weren't emphasizing because it wasn't part of sort of the overall big plan
08:00that now we'll see more of?
08:05I wouldn't say that.
08:06You know, I think, obviously, we all have to grow and get better,
08:09and I'm just like the players that we're always growing and learning.
08:12But, you know, I think I've been on many teams that have been very successful,
08:16and I believe, you know, we and myself as an organization all know what it takes to win,
08:20and that's can you be efficient on both sides of the ball.
08:24You know, I think we've seen stretches where we've done that.
08:27I think we had a good month-and-a-half stretch where we were about 15th or 16th in defense
08:32and about the same in offense.
08:34But that's what drives winning is can you be efficient on both sides.
08:37You know, obviously, with the additions I talked about,
08:40I think that's going to help our team grow and put ourselves in more positions to do that.
08:44But the winning is every day is how you prepare and how you train.
08:49That's stuff I believe we've done at a high level since I've been here.
08:52And that's the stuff that I think is where, you know, the cement is starting to dry.
08:56We're starting to build some continuity to how we do things and how we approach things.
09:01I think that's the stuff that's going to win the day for us.
09:04So I probably should have opened with this, but congratulations.
09:08Getting number one on Sunday was a thrill for everybody.
09:12Will you take us into the behind-the-scenes of the lottery?
09:17I know you were there.
09:19It's true, correct, that when we see the unveiling of the picks,
09:23that you guys have already been told the result.
09:27True?
09:27No, not true.
09:29No, I saw it in real time like you saw it.
09:32Oh, you did.
09:33And John did.
09:34But did, well, then did Winger or Dawkins know before?
09:38Yeah.
09:39Yeah, there's always someone in the back room representing your team.
09:43This year was Michael Winger.
09:44Our president was back there.
09:46So he was the only one who knew beforehand.
09:49But he has not been allowed out of that room.
09:51So the rest of the world is, you know, it's live on TV.
09:57I'm learning just like you do what happened.
09:59So obviously a very surreal moment.
10:02So he's not texting you guys saying, we got it.
10:05We can't.
10:06Yeah, they're taking their phone.
10:08They're taking their phone.
10:09Okay.
10:09They can't communicate with anybody.
10:11So, you know, he's not communicating with anybody.
10:13All right.
10:13So I know you've been coaching a basketball team.
10:16You haven't been scouting college basketball.
10:19But you were a college basketball player.
10:22You're a fan of the sport.
10:24Do you have any thoughts on any of these players?
10:28I'll start with A.J. DeBonsa.
10:30Give me a thought or two on DeBonsa.
10:34The one thing I do know, you know, I know this is a very deep draft line from our scouts
10:40that Will Dawkins does a great job leading that group.
10:42And, you know, obviously I am so immersed into our team and our season.
10:48I obviously know that the day was going to come where we were going to have, you know,
10:51find out where we're selecting.
10:53I have not overly gone down to the, you know, which I will start doing now.
10:58But, you know, we're starting to, we're still out here in Chicago and interviewing people
11:02and stuff.
11:03But I, you know, my job is to coach the team during the year.
11:08And we have scouts out there all year long watching, learning, studying these guys.
11:14I'm going to obviously trust what they do.
11:16As we go into this next part of, you know, leading up into draft in June, this is where
11:20I get more involved, start watching more films, start having conversations with the front
11:26office.
11:26But I, you know, I really trust we've got a great group.
11:29You can see from our track record of the guys who we've drafted here in the last, since
11:34I've been here, starting with, I guess, with Bilal, then, you know, the guys we've drafted
11:38the last three years.
11:39We've had seven guys playing the rising star games, which I think is a record.
11:43That's never happened in the last two years.
11:45So I got great space in our department, our scarring department, obviously led by Will.
11:51So I probably don't have much, too much insight onto the players yet, but I do know it is
11:55a deep draft.
11:56But, but you said that now's the time you start to, to, to begin kind of watching film.
12:03And perhaps are you taking part in these interviews as well?
12:07Yeah, we're all, yeah, we always do that as a group together.
12:10So yeah, that's what the process we're involved in this week.
12:13And then obviously we'll start having, you know, you know, at this time of year, draft workouts
12:17and that type of stuff happen.
12:19What's the top, you know, one, two, three things that you as a group are looking for
12:25when you sit down with a prospect face-to-face for the first time?
12:29I think the one thing I can tell you is that I can just probably tell you from the guys
12:33that
12:33we have now that we have guys that we've identified who really are committed to basketball, who love
12:41working on their craft and love the game itself.
12:46I think those are the things that we really value people who are really want to work to
12:52get better at their craft.
12:54We have, our loss, our roster now is filled with guys like that.
12:59You know, our guys right now are already back in the gym, back in Washington, D.C.
13:04right now, working every day to get better.
13:06So we're always trying to find people who have that, who have that love of the game and
13:12wanted to continue to improve.
13:13I think those are the things that stand the test of time for us, the type of people that
13:18we would want in our organization.
13:20This may be overly simplistic in terms of the way I've seen the last three years.
13:25It's like, as a longtime, lifelong Bullets Wizards fan, I absolutely have been okay with what
13:33the franchise has been doing.
13:34I'm excited about the future for the first time in a long time.
13:38But ultimately, you know, you got to get the players right.
13:43And you've talked about a lot of the young players.
13:44You've got seven first round guys from the last three years on your roster.
13:49You'll add to that next month.
13:51But if you go back and you look at basically all the way back to the 2004 Pistons, that
13:58was the last team, you could argue the 2014 Spurs, but pretty much you have had to have
14:04a top five superstar kind of a player on your team to win the title.
14:12You know, there have been teams that have gotten to the finals without one, but to win the whole
14:17thing, you got to have a top five player in the league.
14:21And part of, from my standpoint, maybe it's simplistic, but it's like, eventually, if you
14:26get as many swings as possible, the idea is you land on a lot of really good players,
14:32but you also somehow end up with, and sometimes it's luck because this is an inexact science,
14:39you know, this draft, but land on a top five player, you know, five, six, seven years down
14:45the road, that player is a legitimate MVP or MVP candidate.
14:50My, my question after all of that is two part, uh, one, do you agree that that is part of
14:57the goal of these last three years is to get as many swings as possible with the idea that
15:04if you do, you could land on a top five player, you know, five, six, seven years into his career.
15:10I think, you know, when you look at it, it's great that you bring up the history of the
15:14game, you know, I think there are many ways to, you know, build that, um, you know, obviously
15:20the path we chose and we think is the right path we've been building through our draft.
15:25Um, and that gives you an opportunity to hopefully, you know, develop and draft one of those guys
15:32who can land in, like you said, being a high level player in this league.
15:35But obviously we've, they've also added some talents for free agents for, for us too.
15:41I mean, for, sorry, for, for trade, free agents, different ways to build it.
15:45We obviously added addition of some really high level players to our team through trades
15:51during the season.
15:51I think there are different ways to do it.
15:54I think in the NBA now, I think depth is really important thing.
15:57Um, you know, depth of your roster, but yes, you still need any team needs coaches, organizations.
16:04We all need really high end talent to help push us over the top.
16:09And this is, we believe this is one of the ways that you acquire that.
16:13Yeah, no, your point's a good one.
16:14Like, you know, SGA wasn't drafted by Oklahoma city.
16:18They, they traded, you know, Paul George and a massive deal.
16:21And, but you have to have those assets and you have to be in position to pull out that
16:27trade.
16:27But the second part of my question was, you know, forget June for a moment and who was
16:33at the top of the draft.
16:35Are any of the players, any of the young players that you have on your roster right now, do
16:42you see that possibility with any of those players that, you know, uh, uh, a Will Riley
16:48or, um, you know, a Keyshawn George or a Trey Johnson is a potential MVP candidate down the
16:55road five, six, seven years from now when they're 25, 26, 27 years old?
17:01The one thing I've, you know, I've worked with a lot of great players through the years.
17:05The one thing I don't ever believe in is putting a ceiling on anybody.
17:09What I do value about all the guys you've talked about and you guys talked about Bob and Alex
17:14and all these guys too, is that there's room for them to continue to get better and better.
17:21Um, that's the key is that you don't always know how it's going to shape out.
17:26You know, probably when Shea was drafted, you know, probably no one would have thought
17:30he would have turned into that, but obviously he has.
17:34Um, so I think those things are the things that matter to me is that we're going to keep
17:38putting our guys in positions to grow as an organization.
17:41And I think a lot of these guys have the work ethic, the mental mindset to accomplish some
17:47great things.
17:48So you, you never know.
17:50Um, and I don't want to put every ceiling on any, any one of them because I believe in
17:55our guys and I believe in the character there about.
17:59Have you been watching the playoffs?
18:01I'm assuming you have been right.
18:03I have.
18:04Yep.
18:05All right.
18:05So I, I think we played San Antonio once this year and faced Wemby once, but, um, you,
18:13you did the previous year as well.
18:16Have we ever seen anything like him, Brian, in, in the history of this league?
18:23Uh, great question.
18:25Um, probably not, I guess, because my first guess, obviously a great player.
18:32I don't like to comment too much on other players and other teams, but obviously a generational
18:37player, that's the impact that he can have on, you know, really both ends, which, you
18:42know, obviously is so important in our league, you know, obviously a tremendous talent, a
18:47tremendous player.
18:48How do you defend him?
18:50The presence defensively at the rim.
18:52I mean, it just, it's, it's so, uh, it's so altering.
18:57Uh, you just, in this series, you just see it so clearly.
19:00Um, but how do you defend him?
19:03Because Rudy Gobert can't guard him.
19:06And I was curious if, if there's maybe a creative way to defend him that you haven't seen yet.
19:14Well, I'm, I'm working, we're working on.
19:17I don't want to give away our, our scouting secrets yet, but yeah, he's obviously like,
19:22any of these guys who are the better players in the league.
19:25It's, you can't do it by yourself.
19:26It's a whole team effort to do this, to guard these guys in this league.
19:30And he's, he's one of those guys.
19:32I thought the other night, DeSumo actually was guarding him on a couple of possessions.
19:37And I wondered whether or not a smaller player actually might give him more of a problem,
19:45especially if he's not on the, on the, on the low block, but it's hard to put the ball
19:49on the floor as a seven foot five guy against a six, three guy versus, you know, another
19:55seven footer and go bear.
19:57Did you, did you notice that?
19:58And I'm curious as to what you thought.
20:02Yeah, I'm obviously not going to give in too much of that stuff, but I think, you know,
20:06but I think one thing in this league is that you need to be good.
20:10You need versatile players, um, to be good offensively and defense, most important defensively
20:14too, is that, can you have versatility to give, you know, teams differently?
20:19That's probably an example of that.
20:21I'm not asking you to give away next year's finals secret.
20:24You know, I, I, I'm not asking you to, I would love it if you were holding back for
20:29next year and how you were going to have Anthony Davis or Bilal Kulabali or maybe Bub, uh, guard
20:35Wemby, um, in the finals, what's been, what's been the best part, uh, for your, what's been
20:41the most entertaining part of these playoffs so far for you?
20:45I, you know, you know, obviously I'm a fan of the game and I can watch it from that lens,
20:50but I'm also a coach at heart.
20:53So, you know, there's always stuff to learn, um, stylistically how people are playing, um,
21:01you know, offensive things and running, you know, defensive schemes, that type of stuff.
21:05So there's always a playoffs is obviously the intensity level, the focus level goes up,
21:10the, um, the game planning, you're playing a team, you know, you know, night after night,
21:16pretty much, and you really can walk into stuff.
21:19So it's, it's fun for me to see the strategic part and seeing how teams are doing things.
21:25You know, you just gave an example of something.
21:27So like, it's always fun and there's always something to learn.
21:30Uh, the playoffs are an amazing time in our business and that's a place that we want to
21:35grow and be into.
21:36But for me, there's a lot to learn from it by watching and studying it.
21:42Hopefully next year, uh, we won't be talking about, uh, any kind of lottery.
21:47We'll be talking about a second round playoff series.
21:49Uh, I look forward to those days and, and wish you the best of luck, uh, in the coming year.
21:55It'll be a much different year and one in which I think, you know, um, a lot of us will
22:00be anticipating it.
22:01Thanks so much for doing this, uh, and enjoy the next, uh, month plus.
22:06Yeah.
22:07I appreciate that.
22:07Nice, nice chatting with you and, uh, we'll speak soon.
22:11Brian Keefe, the head coach of the Washington wizards.
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