Tag: Mike Fratello

Doc Rivers: Pat Riley had the biggest impact in my career

Pat Riley was one of the NBA’s most renowned coaches before moving to the front office full time. Doc Rivers played for him for 2 ½ seasons with the New York Knicks during the early 1990s. “I guess I would say I’ve been a lucky player,” Rivers said, “because I played for Mike Fratello, who’s a defensive genius. I followed that up with Larry Brown. I followed that up with Pat Riley. And I go to San Antonio and [Gregg Popovich] is in the front office. That’s where our relationship started. So I’ve been around some pretty good guys. But Riley clearly had the biggest impact. It’s not even close.”

Mike Fratello has been watching much …

What Fratello is seeing, “it’s …

What Fratello is seeing, “it’s horrendous,” he said by phone before departing with the Clippers en route to their game Friday in Atlanta, where he’ll do color commentary on the Bally Sports broadcast – and where he forged his initial connection with Ukraine. Sasha Volkov – whom the Hawks drafted in 1986 and who played for Fratello for two seasons thereafter – invited his former coach to help Ukraine establish itself as a formidable presence on the world basketball stage.

There’s a recent photo of Volkov that …

There’s a recent photo of Volkov that has circulated on social media depicting him in army fatigues with a gun at his side. To Fratello’s understanding, Volkov has been working with neighbors to protect their community outside of Kyiv from looters while also, yes, “hoping and praying that they don’t get bombed.” “I’ve talked a couple of times with him and his daughter, and they are all – I’m not sure nervous is the right word – but they are all very aware of what they say on the phone,” Fratello said. “They never know who’s listening and how they will hold it against you. “So when I talk to him, I try not to ask questions that will put him in jeopardy. The most important thing is that they’re safe. Anything more, it’s not relevant. It’s not like I can drive there and help.”

As the Hawks’ general manager, Gearon …

As the Hawks’ general manager, Gearon completed trades for Tom McMillen and Terry Furlow and signed Dan Roundfield as a free agent. The Hawks made the playoffs in both of Gearon’s two seasons as GM. He was team president in the 1980s when the Hawks fired Hubie Brown as coach and when they hired first Kevin Loughery and then Mike Fratello as coach. Gearon was followed, first as the Hawks’ general manager and later as team president, by Stan Kasten. When Kasten became president, Gearon became chairman of the Hawks’ board of directors, an advisory and ceremonial position that he held until 2004, at which point his long association with the team entered a new chapter.

Atkins played for several coaches who …

Atkins played for several coaches who have reputations as being among the best in the NBA — Doc Rivers, Mike Fratello and former Pistons coaches Rick Carlisle and Larry Brown. His goal is to take a little bit from each and mix it with his own style. “Ultimately, a coach is only as good as the guys on his team,” Atkins said. “It would be my job to guide and direct them. But ultimately, each guy would have to be a personal contractor to get themselves as good as they can possibly be, but also put it in a team concept. … I would take a little bit from all of those guys’ style and come up with my own formula that would be successful.”