Q&A With Gary Kloppenburg
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For the second time in five years, former Seattle Storm assistant coach Gary Kloppenburg is helping build a team from scratch. After three years on the sidelines with the Storm and one in Phoenix, Kloppenburg joined the NBA's expansion Charlotte Bobcats last spring. Kloppenburg has known Bobcats Coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who had Gary's father, Bob, on his coaching staff in both Seattle and Denver, since Bickerstaff was in college.
"He doesn't mind getting out there - doesn't matter what time it is, how much time you spend," says Bickerstaff. "He's a basketball guy, and that's what he's about - basketball."
Kloppenburg can only hope the Bobcats develop as quickly as the Storm, which won the WNBA Championship in its fifth season of existence. Storm.wnba.com sat down with Kloppenburg when the Bobcats were in Seattle to play the Sonics to see how he's doing and get his thoughts on the Storm's title run.
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Kloppenburg: It's a great challenge working with guys at this level, especially an expansion team, because you've got a lot of young, hungry guys who are truly trying to make it in the NBA and improve. For a coach, it's a great experience, because they're very coachable, they want to get better and that's the upside. The downside is we've had a lot of close losses, and those hurt. Those are tough on you, even though you know there's not that high expectations. As a coach and a player, you try to win every game no matter what. Those are tough, but we've weathered it. We've got a real positive attitude, the staff and the organization, and we're really excited about the future.
How different have you found the NBA from the WNBA as a coach?
Coaching, to me, is not that much different, whether it's women or men. In the WNBA, they're very professional players and the same thing here, they're trying to get better all the time. The key thing at this level is the schedule and the length of the season, the number of games that come one after another. You really have to try to conserve energy, keep the guys fresh, whereas the WNBA, with a shorter season, you can do a lot more. You have a longer training camp; you can probably do a lot more, use a lot more different schemes and get a little more complicated because it's shorter like that.
Honestly, to me, coaching is coaching. I enjoy coaching the women; I enjoy coaching these guys. It's a great experience for me, a great challenge to coach these guys. To me there's not much difference.
How is your relationship with Bernie Bickerstaff?
Very good. My father worked with him in Seattle and Denver, and I've known him since he played college basketball in San Diego. He's been just tremendous to work for. He's a great leader of these young guys, very positive. He tells you exactly what he wants and what he thinks and expects you to work hard. Those are qualities I try to have. It's been great working for him. I can learn a lot from him; he's been in the NBA for 30 years, so you learn a lot of stuff on a daily basis.
Did you expect to join the Bobcats after he was named head coach?
Last year, we talked. After he got the job, we talked and just kept talking about what he was trying to do and I was very fortunate that I could join the staff and add whatever expertise I have to the program. I think he wants to get good young guys who can teach and work hard, especially with us having a lot of young players to develop. I think also the defense, teaching them pressure defense systems. It's worked out well. I'm really lucky. I pinch myself every day because I'm lucky to have the chance to coach in this league.
Would you have otherwise stayed with the Mercury?
I would have probably still been there. They did a nice job, Carrie Graf did an outstanding job with that group last year. Certainly, that would have been the next choice, to stay there and build that team up because I think they're an up-and-coming team in the WNBA.
Did you get a chance to watch the Storm during the WNBA Playoffs?
Yeah, I watched the Storm as much as I possibly could. I thought Anne (Donovan) did an outstanding job with that team. They had great chemistry, and I love what they were doing offensively and defensively. I think she got the most out of her players. She added some nice pieces to that team that got them over the hump this year. That's a team that, if they can keep that together, they could be a threat for a long time, I think, with (Sue) Bird and LJ (Lauren Jackson).
Do you take a certain pride in helping develop the foundation of the team that would win the championship?
I remember the first time we sat in a room, before we even played a game, in the draft, the college draft. Watching all the film and looking at all the players. That first team, it was a challenge. We knew we weren't very good talent-wise, but I think what we did is we set the tone for the teams that came after that - you're going to play hard, you're going to play our defense and give it all you got out there. That's what I see has carried over from those first teams that we built.
