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The 2015 NBA D-League national tryout will prove to be just as special of a platform for potential (and current) coaches as it is for prospective players as well.
Leading the group of approximately 200 minor league hopefuls will be an impressive haul of former NBA, D-League, and WNBA players and coaches. Those not currently in the league will aim to garner consideration for some of the many coaching posts that are set to be available this coming season. For those already employed by teams, the national tryout also provides them with an opportunity to show their growth and respective independence, as it relates to instructing such young guns on their own. It's all about proving one's worth and relative impact on the next generation of basketball athletes.
While this is a great opportunity to shine, it's also a chance to learn and soak in everything they can, much like a sponge, from those around them who have experience doing it already. With in that in mind, a select few of the national tryout's coaches (namely most of the former players involved) will take part in a coaching clinic happening on Saturday, June 13th, one day before the tryout itself begins.
Hand-picked to help guide these prospective coaches is D-League champion, longtime head coach, and the tryout's Camp Director, Bob MacKinnon. There's arguably no one better to help instill steady practices in all of these prospective coaches than him.
The tryout has proven to be a successful springboard for a number of former NBA and D-League players hoping to break into the coaching field in most recent years. Should they prove to have a knack for guiding the younger athletes, many of such coaches go on to earn themselves minor league jobs for the coming season.
Such former players to have capitalized on this promising opportunity in the past include James Posey, Zendon Hamilton, Sean Rooks, and Jaren Jackson --- to name a select few.
For anyone looking to find out how valuable such an opportunity really is, they can look no further than Posey as one of the best and most successful examples. The two-time NBA champion parlayed his tryout gig into an assistant coaching post with the Canton Charge in 2013-14. Having been promoted to the affiliated Cavaliers' staff following just one season, Posey can now be found shouting instructions from the sidelines in this year's NBA Finals for Cleveland.