Pooh Jeter is many issues: a Los Angeles native, a mid-major product and an abroad hoop legend, to call a couple of. And now you may add NBA participant improvement coach and G League assistant GM to the listing. However there’s one identifier that’s the muse of Pooh’s complete existence. Above all the things else, Pooh is a person of religion.
He’s made it abundantly clear that he finds his life’s function in serving to serve others and offering gentle in instances of darkness. After a spectacular profession on the College of Portland, the undersized level guard went undrafted within the 2006 NBA Draft. However his religion didn’t enable that to discourage him from his purpose of changing into knowledgeable basketball participant.
He’d find yourself having a 17-year professional profession that spanned a handful of nations and a short stint within the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in 2010-11. Final 12 months, he introduced his retirement as a participant after spending his final two seasons as a participant/mentor with the NBA G League Ignite.
He adopted up his retirement with information that he’d be becoming a member of the Portland Path Blazers as a participant improvement coach and their G League affiliate, the Rip Metropolis Remix, as an assistant GM.
Pooh pulled as much as the SLAM workplace and chopped it up about all the things: his new twin function with the Path Blazers, his transition from participant to teach, founding the Black Coaches Affiliation, what group means to him and extra.
This interview has been barely edited for readability and conciseness.
SLAM: I respect you for being right here, first issues first. We’ll get into a couple of issues, however I wish to begin along with your newest accomplishment, changing into a coach within the League. How’d that come about?
Pooh Jeter: First, reward God that we’re capable of have this dialog and converse on the SLAM platform. That is big. , me being on this new function–I wasn’t anticipating it. I used to be actually anticipating to nonetheless be taking part in with Ignite, till I acquired this chance from Mike Schmitz, the assistant GM [for the Portland Trail Blazers] and a longtime pal of mine. He had an concept of this twin function, within the entrance workplace and training. As soon as Chauncey Billups—who I’ve been figuring out since ’05—came upon, he was like, I want him too! So it simply made sense to have this function of being a participant improvement coach [for the Trail Blazers], and in addition being assistant GM of our NBA G League [Rip City] Remix staff.
SLAM: So, what’s Coach Pooh like?
PJ: Coach Pooh is—I’m nonetheless a hooper. However I’m capable of share my experiences. One factor I learn about participant improvement is individuals don’t take into consideration the event half. That’s not simply basketball. Me being on this function, I’m nonetheless like a teammate since I only recently made this transition. For me to have the ability to faucet in so that you can deliver out your finest don’t actually gotta do with basketball; we’re human beings as nicely. I feel the belief that gamers have with me, they’re capable of actually let me know what’s happening with them. As a result of, the basketball stuff is—I’ll have the ability to assist with that, for certain.
SLAM: How’s that transition from participant to teach/entrance workplace govt been for you since asserting your retirement final 12 months?
PJ: The transition has been wonderful, man. The final two years I performed with G League Ignite actually helped me make my transition even higher. I nonetheless get down and observe, which is cool. I’m one of many solely individuals within the League with this function. It’s a tremendous stability; I’m capable of actually speak to either side. I’ve skilled a lot and it’s not meant for me to carry it, it’s for me to share. My entire mission is refreshing others; that’s what I’m about.
SLAM: In one other interview, you talked about how necessary it’s so that you can share data along with your group first. Are you able to converse to this a bit extra? What does group imply to you?
PJ: Neighborhood is all the things to me, wherever I’m at. We gotta repair inside if we wish to do issues on the surface. When you deal with that half, all the things is gonna handle itself. That comes with data, that comes with love. Coming from the interior metropolis, you actually need to faucet into that to actually change narratives. That’s the entire level of me being a messenger and servant. I gotta serve. As soon as I’m ready to try this, [the younger generation] is gonna do the identical. It begins with group.
SLAM: I wish to contact on the Black Coaches Affiliation (BCA). How did that come about and what are you making an attempt to do with it?
PJ: BCA actually began with coaches John Thompson, Nolan Richardson, George Raveling and John Chaney across the late ’80s. Then it simply went away. I had a dialog with Coach Jason Hart—he’s anyone I actually look as much as for lots of various causes. He was venting to me, as a result of at the moment (and now) the Pac-12 didn’t have a Black head coach. That’s bizarre for a Energy 5 convention—like, why?! Nicely, I’m actually into logos and as soon as I noticed Black Coaches Affiliation/BCA was out there, I acquired on it. So then, with the relationships that I do have, right here comes [a long list of Black coaches] that turned members of the affiliation. I used to be nonetheless a participant on the time, and there was a lot happening on this planet. I simply needed to ensure these coaches had been alright psychological health-wise. Everyone began making their calls and it acquired massive! We in all probability have 2,500 Black coaches in our database.
Now that I’m on the sidelines, I’m different professional gamers who wish to get into teaching. Once more, it’s about who we’re getting our data from. I’m simply tryna do one thing to ensure the group—my group—is ready for the chance. Black Coaches Affiliation is my child. It’s an actual ardour and precedence of mine.
SLAM: What’s left for Pooh to do within the recreation of basketball?
PJ: I’m gonna go to this scripture within the Bible: “despite the fact that I’ve plans in my coronary heart, God directs my steps.” I’ve to proceed to wish and simply be aligned with the steps we’re on and hopefully, these steps are main someplace. , I wasn’t anticipating to be a coach and within the entrance workplace; that wasn’t my plan. I simply pray that my steps are being directed in the fitting means, with God. One of many necessities is to stroll humbly; I’m simply making an attempt to stroll humbly and ensure God’s will is completed.
Right here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Every thing Black playlist. It’s up to date often. Add the playlist to your library to remain within the know, and you should definitely observe SLAM on Spotify.
Pictures by Marcus Stevens.
