Pro player from 1995 to 2002 (United States, France, England, Australia), Phil cell phone joined his first NBA staff in 2011 with the Lakers. Player Development Manager – you know, that assistant you often see serving as a sparring partner for players warming up before games? – for 2 years, he then joined the Cavs as an assistant coach for 5 years before making a stint alongside Nick Nurse in Toronto in 2018 and then finally return to the Lakers in 2019.
Although he is close to the players, Handy insists that he is not paid to be friends with LeBron James & Co.
“The goal is not to be friends. In all the relationships I have built with players, whoever they are, whether in the NBA or in the private sector, it has always been done through work. There is real, genuine trust. You build this with the work you do. When I enter the field, they sweat, and so do I. It’s my mentality. I try to coach you in relation to what I see, in relation to the areas in which you want to improve, I try to see how I can help you. I earn their respect and trust first of all through the work we do in the field. Once they see that I’m only looking to help them become better athletes and better players, it might spill over into other areas of their lives. If you’re on time for workouts, and you’re working, that applies to other things in your life. It’s not limited to basketball. It starts with basketball, but it can turn into real, important relationships. »Phil Handy
As Andre Iguodala with Miami, Handy, who also well known Kobe Bryant for working with him during his first stint in Los Angeles, had his 6th NBA Finals in a row this year. Even after moving to Cleveland, he continued to work with the Black Mamba, then with his daughter Gigi, before their tragic disappearance last January.
“Everyone knows that Kob ‘and’ Bron are different in personality. But their work ethic and approach to the game are the same. The way they study their opponents. Which they dissect their own matches. They take care of their bodies off the pitch. The time spent on wanting to be on top, they’re exactly the same in that regard. There are so many similarities in their ‘Alpha’ mentality, their competitive spirit, and their confidence. »Phil Handy
via The Athletic
On the shelves of the Nets, Phil Handy will stay at the Lakers
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