Tag: Kara Lawson

Carsen Edwards thinks ‘anyone can learn’ from Kara Lawson as a coach

His former player development coach will be changing lives at the helm of Duke Women’s basketball this season.

There have been a lot of changes to the Boston Celtics since even before the offseason began, and while second year shooting guard Carsen Edwards is happy he hasn’t been one of those changes after a rough rookie campaign, the Purdue product will be missing one particular face as the 2020-21 season begins to take shape.

The person would of course be his player development coach Kara Lawson, who left the team while it was just starting its playoff run in the Disney-hosted restart at Lake Buena Vista, Florida to accept the (then) vacant head coaching gig for the Duke women’s basketball program.

The former Boilermaker was asked what kind of impact Lawson might have as a college coach during his media week availability session, and Edwards was rightfully effusive in his praise.

“First off, Kara knows the game really well,” he explained. “And so at that point, anyone can learn from her — she’s been through it.

“She’s played at the highest level, so people will be able to be coached by her; I know that they can really listen in and and soak in everything she says because she’s been through it, and she knows the game from both aspects as a player, and as a coach. So at the end of the day, she’s caring and she does want to see everyone do well so I feel like she’s going make a huge impact for Duke.”

“She’s just a good person to be around,” he added.

Hopefully, Lawson helped Edwards enough before her departure that he is able to find a role with this iteration of the Celtics, who need the sort of shooting he was brought on to provide even more than last season with the decampment of veteran guard Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets.

Add in that All-Star point guard Kemba Walker and second-year wing Romeo Langford likely won’t be available until some time in January, and it quickly becomes clear the team will need every bucket it can find to start the season.

No matter how the season pans out for Edwards however, the bond Lawson forged with her players with Boston will endure — and we also expect the former Celtics assistant to thrive in her new home.

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Kara Lawson given proper send-off by Cs, all wearing Duke WBB shirts

The entire Boston Celtics organization in the Disney restart gave assistant coach Kara Lawson a proper send off before she heads to Duke.

We have to admit, it got us right in the feels too.

The Boston Celtics gave assistant coach Kara Lawson a most deserved send-off Monday night by surprising her with the entire team sporting Duke Women’s Basketball tee-shirts in a demonstration of solidarity and support for their soon-to-be ex-coach.

Lawson genuinely connected on a deep level with this team, her excellence in her job as much as her earnest personality winning her ardent fans among the franchise’s players and staff; it’s not hard to see why the athletic director at Duke was also so keen to hire her.

In a post on Twitter Tuesday morning, the Tennessee product wrote a message in response to their impressive show of support:

“It’s been an emotional few days for me,” Lawson began.

“And, while I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity in front of me at Duke University, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the team I’m leaving behind. These men have changed my life.

“I have loved my time with the Boston Celtics. Our players are authentic, intelligent, creative and passionate men. They motivated me each day to be my best for them. They surprised me last night by all wearing [Duke Women’s Basketball] T-shirts in an incredible show of support before I head to Durham. I cried. They’d probably laugh [and] tell you I’ve cried a lot these last few days but I will tell you having relationships with players that move you to those kinds of emotions is the most meaningful pursuit one can have as a coach.”

“I love them and I will miss them,” she added.

It’s pretty safe to say the feeling is very mutual.

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Chris Grenham: The entire Celtics …

Chris Grenham: The entire Celtics roster surprised Kara Lawson last night by wearing Duke t-shirts, which made her cry. “These men have changed my life. I have loved my time with the Boston Celtics. Our players are authentic, intelligent, creative and passionate men.” pic.twitter.com/ZqNXHiKEVE

Kara Lawson soon Duke-bound, assistant Brandon Bailey to join ‘bubble’

With assistant Boston Celtics coach Kara Lawson leaving soon to take a job at Duke, Brandon Bailey will take her spot at the Disney campus.

With the hire of Boston Celtics assistant coach Kara Lawson to become the next head of Duke Women’s Basketball, goodbyes are in order — but also, a vacuum in the Celtics’ Disney ‘bubble’ staff is in need of filling.

The beloved assistant will leave behind big shoes to fill in both the short and long term, though for now, the only objective internally for the team is filling her spot in the Disney NBA campus with the best candidate already on the staff.

In Monday’s Disney restart media availability for the team, head coach Brad Stevens shared that they’d already decided on who that will be — assistant coach Brandon Bailey.

“Brandon … will be here whenever they allow him to come,” offered the Celtics head coach, adding that Lawson will be with the team a few more days. “Brandon is kind of our defensive checklist guy to make sure that we go through everything we need to go through and prepare [for] in a short amount of time. And he’s amazing with that,” Stevens added.

Lawson, while around for a bit longer before starting her journey at Duke, will be greatly missed within the Celtics’ organization.

At the same time, the team seems to a person excited for the opportunity ahead of her.

“I know I can speak for everybody on this team, we’re excited for her, we’re proud of her, and we love her,” related Marcus Smart in a recent media availability session.

Fellow Tennessee product Grant Williams bonded with Lawson during their time together with the Celtics as well, often taking in women’s college basketball and WNBA games together.

“[She is] one of the best people i know for one of the best programs in the world!” he related on Twitter regarding the Duke hire. “I am Proud of you and Happy for you and I wish you success.”

“I’ll miss you and our daily hugs,” he added.

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Celtics’ Grant Williams congratulates Kara Lawson on Duke job

The Celtics rookie offered his gratitude to Kara Lawson after she was named the head coach of the Blue Devils women’s basketball team.

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Boston Celtics rookie Grant Williams offered his gratitude to fellow Tennessee Volunteers alum Kara Lawson after she was named the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball team.

Lawson on Saturday was officially named the head coach of the Blue Devils, becoming the first Black head coach in program history. She joined the Celtics prior to the start of this season and served as an assistant coach under Brad Stevens.

Lawson played four years at Tennessee under head coach Pat Summitt from 1999-2003 before she was drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs. She eventually played in the WNBA for 12 seasons and won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Games with the United States.

Lawson finalized her interviews with Duke on Friday prior to being named the head coach. Though she will enter the position at Duke as a first-time head coach, many believe she was a prime candidate for the job given her previous playing career and experience.

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