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Posted on Tue, Nov. 22, 2005
A WINNING TEAM
Putting their experience with Spurs to good use, GM Ferry, coach Brown have Cavs off to good start
By Terry Pluto
SAN ANTONIO - With the Cavaliers off to an 8-2 start, it seems Danny Ferry and Mike Brown have brought something to Cleveland from their days with the San Antonio Spurs.
It starts with creating an environment to keep a star player happy.
Just as there is speculation LeBron James might want to dump the Cavs when free agency arrives, many assumed Tim Duncan would leave San Antonio at the first opportunity.
Not Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and his staff. They set up an organization aimed at giving the young star a reason to stay. The Spurs reflect Duncan's personality -- low-key, determined, disciplined.
When your star plays that way, it's easier to get other players to follow. But you still have to pick the right guys.
Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford and Popovich did just that -- and those decisions included bringing Ferry and Brown into executive roles that have led to their jobs with the Cavs as general manager and coach.
Ferry and Brown watched and learned as Buford and Popovich shopped well, especially in getting foreign players. The Spurs imported veterans who are unselfish and dedicated to winning. They are successful, stable, consistent.
Duncan grew to trust Popovich and the front office, and that also rubbed off on the other players.
``Pop just kept working to make the team better,'' said Brown. ``He did, and that's why they could keep Duncan.''
The Spurs also are a gritty defensive team, a characteristic Brown is trying to bring to the Cavs. Ferry has been scouting foreign players, something that is a strength of the Spurs.
Neither Ferry nor Brown want to be media stars. They leave that to the players. Popovich takes that same approach in San Antonio.
``We're not San Antonio-North,'' said Ferry. ``But I have learned a lot from them.''
Belichick-style
The Ferry/Brown connection really did begin deep in the heart of Texas.
Over time, Popovich emerged as the NBA's Bill Belichick, with three titles in the last eight years.
Brown was a scout for the Washington Wizards when Popovich hired him as an assistant coach, and the young coach began building a reputation for molding defenses.
Popovich brought in Ferry in 2000 when he was a savvy, gimpy-kneed veteran at the end of a 10-year playing career with the Cavaliers. Ferry headed south for one last chance at a championship ring.
As Brown said, ``Gregg Popovich is like a godfather to some of us.''
Recognizing talent
Popovich said it didn't take long to believe in Ferry's future as an executive.
``We signed him to be a veteran shooter off the bench,'' said the Spurs' coach. ``We got so much more.''
Ferry had three decent seasons as a role player. In the locker room, he was a calming presence, but he became an informal adviser in the basketball board room.
That's why Popovich wasn't surprised when the Cavaliers hired the 39-year-old Ferry as their general manager, despite his having spent only two years in the Spurs' front office.
``He was too smart, too hard-working, too good for someone not to grab him,'' said Popovich.
Popovich talked about how some former NBA players are ``used to going to practice for two hours in the morning, then going home.
``But for the coaches and the front office, that's just the start of the day.''
While Ferry was paid $33 million in his 10 years as a player with the Cavaliers, Popovich and Buford were working their way up on the front-office side of the business.
Popovich coached eight years at Pomona-Pitzer in California before joining Larry Brown with the Spurs as an assistant in 1988. Buford joined Larry Brown's staff, too, after beginning his coaching career in college at Kansas in the early 1980s.
They liked that Ferry was playing in 2000 for the veteran minimum salary of $1 million and that he stayed long after practice to work on his game.
Dogged work ethic
Belichick's Patriots are known for unselfish players and a no-excuse approach. The same is true of the Spurs.
As Popovich said, ``They call us the bland, no-MTV, boring Spurs.''
Ferry immediately fit in.
``He knew our locker room better than anyone,'' said Buford. ``He could talk to the starters and the guys at the end of the bench. He understood how a team is put together. It wasn't long before we talked to him about free agents who we were thinking about signing.''
When Ferry was ready to retire, Popovich did not want to let him go.
``I approached him about working in the front office,'' he said. ``I just knew he'd be good.''
Ferry made trips to Europe, South America and other spots across the globe to scout. He never complained.
Not a big name
Mike Brown is a much different story then Ferry, a well-known basketball name as the son of the longtime Washington General Manager Bob Ferry.
Brown said: ``I'm only a household name to my parents.''
He had started as a volunteer intern with the Denver Nuggets, working and waiting for someone to notice. Longtime NBA executive Bernie Bickerstaff did, but it was Popovich who put Brown's career on the fast track.
``I can't take credit for that,'' said Popovich, who refuses to take credit for anything. That's part of the reason for his success and the loyalty he inspires in his players.
Popovich says Brown was discovered by Hank Egan. He also says Hank Egan discovered him. Listen to Popovich long enough, and you begin to think Hank Egan discovered America.
Egan was Popovich's former coach at Air Force, then made Popovich his assistant there.
When Egan was coaching at San Diego State, Mike Brown played for him there.
Later, Popovich hired Egan as an assistant with the Spurs. Now Egan is an assistant with the Cavs under Brown.
If you are confused, just know that these guys have watched out for each other over the years. Popovich was aware of Brown from Egan, and watched Brown in summer leagues and basketball camps. When Popovich hired Brown, he started as the least-experienced assistant.
``Within two weeks, I had him giving scouting reports to our team,'' said Popovich. ``He has great communication skills. Players have a real B.S. antenna, and they immediately saw Mike as a genuine guy.''
This is high praise.
``He was not a former pro player,'' said Buford. ``He was not a great college player. Danny Ferry had instant credibility because he played. Mike Brown didn't. He had to earn that respect.''
When Ferry was ready to retire as a player in the summer of 2003, Brown was hired by Rick Carlisle to be the Indiana Pacers' top assistant. Ferry moved into the Spurs' front office.
``Indiana doubled Mike's salary and gave him a new title,'' said Popovich. ``I wanted to keep Mike, but it would have been wrong to keep him from that opportunity.''
That set up Brown to be considered a head coaching candidate, which led to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert hiring him last summer. Gilbert was so sold on Brown, he hired the 35-year-old coach before filling a vacancy at the general manager's position.
Then Gilbert turned to Ferry to become the Cavs' GM.
Fortunately, Ferry was already a huge Mike Brown fan, so it appeared to be a superb match in terms of backgrounds and personalities. Both talked with Popovich and Buford before taking the offers from the Cavs.
Usually, a rookie general manager and coach are hired when an NBA team is a mess and has little hope. But not this time.
``I told Danny (that Cleveland) was a real opportunity to make an immediate impact,'' said Popovich. ``He went in with a plan to get some veterans and shooters to play with LeBron and Z (Zydrunas Ilgauskas). I think he's done a heckuva job so far.''
So far, Brown is off to a fast start in molding Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall along with holdovers Drew Gooden, Eric Snow, James and Ilgauskas into a defensive team that resembles the Spurs.
Brown is also working on getting James to trust his teammates to help him carry the load on offense.
``Those guys (Ferry and Brown) are prepared for this,'' said Popovich.
He should know. He helped train them.
A WINNING TEAM
Putting their experience with Spurs to good use, GM Ferry, coach Brown have Cavs off to good start
By Terry Pluto
SAN ANTONIO - With the Cavaliers off to an 8-2 start, it seems Danny Ferry and Mike Brown have brought something to Cleveland from their days with the San Antonio Spurs.
It starts with creating an environment to keep a star player happy.
Just as there is speculation LeBron James might want to dump the Cavs when free agency arrives, many assumed Tim Duncan would leave San Antonio at the first opportunity.
Not Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and his staff. They set up an organization aimed at giving the young star a reason to stay. The Spurs reflect Duncan's personality -- low-key, determined, disciplined.
When your star plays that way, it's easier to get other players to follow. But you still have to pick the right guys.
Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford and Popovich did just that -- and those decisions included bringing Ferry and Brown into executive roles that have led to their jobs with the Cavs as general manager and coach.
Ferry and Brown watched and learned as Buford and Popovich shopped well, especially in getting foreign players. The Spurs imported veterans who are unselfish and dedicated to winning. They are successful, stable, consistent.
Duncan grew to trust Popovich and the front office, and that also rubbed off on the other players.
``Pop just kept working to make the team better,'' said Brown. ``He did, and that's why they could keep Duncan.''
The Spurs also are a gritty defensive team, a characteristic Brown is trying to bring to the Cavs. Ferry has been scouting foreign players, something that is a strength of the Spurs.
Neither Ferry nor Brown want to be media stars. They leave that to the players. Popovich takes that same approach in San Antonio.
``We're not San Antonio-North,'' said Ferry. ``But I have learned a lot from them.''
Belichick-style
The Ferry/Brown connection really did begin deep in the heart of Texas.
Over time, Popovich emerged as the NBA's Bill Belichick, with three titles in the last eight years.
Brown was a scout for the Washington Wizards when Popovich hired him as an assistant coach, and the young coach began building a reputation for molding defenses.
Popovich brought in Ferry in 2000 when he was a savvy, gimpy-kneed veteran at the end of a 10-year playing career with the Cavaliers. Ferry headed south for one last chance at a championship ring.
As Brown said, ``Gregg Popovich is like a godfather to some of us.''
Recognizing talent
Popovich said it didn't take long to believe in Ferry's future as an executive.
``We signed him to be a veteran shooter off the bench,'' said the Spurs' coach. ``We got so much more.''
Ferry had three decent seasons as a role player. In the locker room, he was a calming presence, but he became an informal adviser in the basketball board room.
That's why Popovich wasn't surprised when the Cavaliers hired the 39-year-old Ferry as their general manager, despite his having spent only two years in the Spurs' front office.
``He was too smart, too hard-working, too good for someone not to grab him,'' said Popovich.
Popovich talked about how some former NBA players are ``used to going to practice for two hours in the morning, then going home.
``But for the coaches and the front office, that's just the start of the day.''
While Ferry was paid $33 million in his 10 years as a player with the Cavaliers, Popovich and Buford were working their way up on the front-office side of the business.
Popovich coached eight years at Pomona-Pitzer in California before joining Larry Brown with the Spurs as an assistant in 1988. Buford joined Larry Brown's staff, too, after beginning his coaching career in college at Kansas in the early 1980s.
They liked that Ferry was playing in 2000 for the veteran minimum salary of $1 million and that he stayed long after practice to work on his game.
Dogged work ethic
Belichick's Patriots are known for unselfish players and a no-excuse approach. The same is true of the Spurs.
As Popovich said, ``They call us the bland, no-MTV, boring Spurs.''
Ferry immediately fit in.
``He knew our locker room better than anyone,'' said Buford. ``He could talk to the starters and the guys at the end of the bench. He understood how a team is put together. It wasn't long before we talked to him about free agents who we were thinking about signing.''
When Ferry was ready to retire, Popovich did not want to let him go.
``I approached him about working in the front office,'' he said. ``I just knew he'd be good.''
Ferry made trips to Europe, South America and other spots across the globe to scout. He never complained.
Not a big name
Mike Brown is a much different story then Ferry, a well-known basketball name as the son of the longtime Washington General Manager Bob Ferry.
Brown said: ``I'm only a household name to my parents.''
He had started as a volunteer intern with the Denver Nuggets, working and waiting for someone to notice. Longtime NBA executive Bernie Bickerstaff did, but it was Popovich who put Brown's career on the fast track.
``I can't take credit for that,'' said Popovich, who refuses to take credit for anything. That's part of the reason for his success and the loyalty he inspires in his players.
Popovich says Brown was discovered by Hank Egan. He also says Hank Egan discovered him. Listen to Popovich long enough, and you begin to think Hank Egan discovered America.
Egan was Popovich's former coach at Air Force, then made Popovich his assistant there.
When Egan was coaching at San Diego State, Mike Brown played for him there.
Later, Popovich hired Egan as an assistant with the Spurs. Now Egan is an assistant with the Cavs under Brown.
If you are confused, just know that these guys have watched out for each other over the years. Popovich was aware of Brown from Egan, and watched Brown in summer leagues and basketball camps. When Popovich hired Brown, he started as the least-experienced assistant.
``Within two weeks, I had him giving scouting reports to our team,'' said Popovich. ``He has great communication skills. Players have a real B.S. antenna, and they immediately saw Mike as a genuine guy.''
This is high praise.
``He was not a former pro player,'' said Buford. ``He was not a great college player. Danny Ferry had instant credibility because he played. Mike Brown didn't. He had to earn that respect.''
When Ferry was ready to retire as a player in the summer of 2003, Brown was hired by Rick Carlisle to be the Indiana Pacers' top assistant. Ferry moved into the Spurs' front office.
``Indiana doubled Mike's salary and gave him a new title,'' said Popovich. ``I wanted to keep Mike, but it would have been wrong to keep him from that opportunity.''
That set up Brown to be considered a head coaching candidate, which led to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert hiring him last summer. Gilbert was so sold on Brown, he hired the 35-year-old coach before filling a vacancy at the general manager's position.
Then Gilbert turned to Ferry to become the Cavs' GM.
Fortunately, Ferry was already a huge Mike Brown fan, so it appeared to be a superb match in terms of backgrounds and personalities. Both talked with Popovich and Buford before taking the offers from the Cavs.
Usually, a rookie general manager and coach are hired when an NBA team is a mess and has little hope. But not this time.
``I told Danny (that Cleveland) was a real opportunity to make an immediate impact,'' said Popovich. ``He went in with a plan to get some veterans and shooters to play with LeBron and Z (Zydrunas Ilgauskas). I think he's done a heckuva job so far.''
So far, Brown is off to a fast start in molding Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall along with holdovers Drew Gooden, Eric Snow, James and Ilgauskas into a defensive team that resembles the Spurs.
Brown is also working on getting James to trust his teammates to help him carry the load on offense.
``Those guys (Ferry and Brown) are prepared for this,'' said Popovich.
He should know. He helped train them.
