September 10, 2024 • 18 mins
Newly announced Greensboro Swarm Head Coach D.J. Bakker joins Sam Farber to talk about taking over the Hornets G-League Affiliate, what attracted him to the job and what he sees coming on the horizon for the Hornets franchise.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Hornets Havevecast presented by Charlotte I ear
nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care
provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another edition of the Hornets. Time cast your
Hornets podcast with all the notes quote san daily buzz
around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it
is a pleasure and a privileged to have you with
us here once again on the Hornets. I've cast brought
to you by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates,
the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the
Charlotte Hornets. This episode is going to be centered around
(00:35):
the Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensborough Swarm. We've got
a special guest in the on deck circle for us
right now, the newly named head coach of the Greensborough Swarm,
d J. Baker. He is a G League veteran, having
previously coached the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons G
League affiliate. He's worked with the Milwaukee Bucks most recently.
(00:55):
Prior to that, the Toronto Raptors during their championship run
and it has just a great history in the player
development world over a decade of experience in the NBA.
He is our guest here today on the ahhccene. Without
further Ado, let's welcome for the first time to the
Hornets Podcast the new head coach of the Greensboro Swarm,
DJ Baker, coach. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Sam really appreciate it. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's a really exciting time for the Hornets organization. They're
fans and has to be an exciting time for you
to be joining forces as part of really a new
era up and down the leadership for the Charlotte Hornets.
You've got Jeff Peterson and his team in the front office,
Charles Lee as the head coach for the Charlotte Hornets, You,
of course now as the head coach for the Greensboro Swarm.
(01:41):
Tell me what made you want to join forces with
this group, in particular to lead this organization to the
next chapter of its story.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I think it's a very rare and unique time professional
sporting standpoint, in terms of new ownership.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
New front office, new NBA head coach.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
So it's like kind of like getting in you know
with the startup company at the very at the very beginning,
and so I think there is a lot of optimism,
a lot of excitement in the building and the fact
that I'm able.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
To be a part of it is great.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
In terms of the interview process, and just what attracted
me to the to the job was Jeff and Coach
Lee's vision for the G League. You know, I know
with where the organization currently is, that player development is
going to be the lifeblood of the program and the
G League is going to be.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
A big part of that. So just excited to be here, Excited.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
To join forces with people that I think are really talented,
high achieving people with great leadership skills and great vision
for the program. So once we engaged in conversations, it
was it was a no brainer for me.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Tell me more about that vision for the Swarm and
its relationship with the Hornets, because different organizations will use
their G League affiliate differently, and I think fans view
their G League teams differently. So how has it been
told to you about what to expect and what should
fans expect in terms of the relationship between the big
Club so to speak and Greensboro.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yeah, I mean, this was the biggest selling point to
me was the alignment that we wanted.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
To have between the NBA club and the G.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
League team in terms of mirroring the culture what you know,
the values and the characteristics we stand for with our players,
the work ethic, the preparation, the development, accountability, and the
competitive piece. These are things that Jeff and Coach Lee.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Are pushing here in Charlotte, and.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Again we're going to mirror the same program. So you know,
the alignment, the communication, the level.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Of resources in terms of like Coach.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Lee has a two way enhancement coach Reggie Cameron on staffed,
you know, and just like having someone in that specific
role that is going to be tied in, you know,
almost a liaison between both clubs. I think, staying connected,
understanding what Charlotte is doing on both sides the ball
offensively and defensively, the player development system that they are
(04:05):
putting in place, and then, like I said, the cultural
piece of it of developing professional habits with these young
men to help them be ready to take the next step.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
In their career.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
These are things that I firmly believe in, values that
I share as a coach for myself, with my own
staff and so, like I said, that level of alignment,
that clear vision that was laid out and knowing how critical.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
The JI League is for the future success of.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
The Hornets is again something that I firmly believe in
and something I wanted to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
And what we're trying to build with that alignment in
that additional coach there on staff for Charlotte to really
focus in on those players that maybe are going back
and forth. Should fans expect to see more of guys
from the main roster appear with Greensboro and guys that
are on two way contracts have more fluidity maybe between
(04:58):
the Swarm and the Hornets.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Yeah, so our schedule just came out, but I think
we're gonna sit down here internally and look at what
makes sense from a developmental standpoint.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You know, there's gonna be times where you want those young.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Players with the NBA club and they're getting practice reps
and maybe learning from watching the games, and then there's
gonna be times where we want them to get those
live reps in the G League.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And so that's that's a.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Huge part of the developmental pieces, the live reps, the
live development as opposed to just drills and practices. So
I do think it will be utilized. I think that's
the vision that we all have. We all know player schedules,
The adaptability piece is gonna be huge because.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Things change quick between who's in the rotation, any injuries
further down the line, are.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
There any roster additions. You know, there's constant change in.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
The NBA, and so we just have to stay ready
for it.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
But I do think that everybody is aligned with the
fact of getting live game rep is a great way
to prepare these young players for an NBA experience.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
So we're aligned on that part.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
And then specifically how does it look That is yet
to be determined, but you know, I think we're gonna
have a good chance to help some of these guys out.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Greensboro Swarm head coach DJ Baker our guest today here
on the Hornets iide Cast. Let's talk about some of
the players that we would anticipate you either will see
or might see with Greensboro. It's not the easiest thing,
I know, because your roster is fluid maybe to say
the least right now has not been officially announced, but
there are some big names in terms of recent Hornets
(06:38):
draft picks that I think fans would look forward to
hearing what you would anticipate for them. Two way contract
players are maybe more expected to spend time with the
G League affiliate and the Hornet's second round selection. kJ
Simpson is on a two way deal, so I think
the expectation from a lot of fans and I would
anticipate for you as well, as that's your point guard.
That's a guy who's going to get a lot of
(07:00):
opportunities with Greensboro. The Hornets have had a lot of
success with players going to Greensboro as two way contract
players and then bubbling up and having big roles in
the NBA. The Martin brothers, Cody and Caleb come to mind.
What do you foresee for kJ Simpson as he takes
that role, hopefully with the Swarm to start this year.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, I mean very high character.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
His work ethic is very strong, and what I love
about him is he really plays with.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
A chip on his shoulder. He is highly highly competitive.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
And obviously he had an injury earlier on in the summer,
so he's attacking his rehab.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's making great strides in great progress.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
But no, I would definitely anticipate him having time with
the Swarm, and.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You know he can defend, he can guard and pick
a roll.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
He's a very good shooter at Colorado. He's all Packed twelve,
first team last year, obviously the forty second pick in
the draft. So there's a lot of excitement in him.
There's a lot of belief and confidence that we have
and him learning how to be an NBA player and
getting those reps in the G League and seeing what
our style of play is, our terminology are, offensive and
(08:08):
defensive principles and standards. He's a guy that I have
spent some time with already, have had some great conversations
with and just building that relationship with him.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
But there's no.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Question about it, we are very excited for him to
spend some time with the Swarm as well.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I'd imagine there's maybe a hope that he and really
anyone on your team can take the flight plan of
someone else that you've worked with closely in your time
more than a decade now in the NBA and professional basketball.
You were one of the coaches for Fred van Vliet,
who I think's got a movie script quality story in
that he was an undrafted free agent summer League invite.
(08:47):
Goes from that to building a role with Toronto, wins
a championship, becomes an All Star, a big time contract
player in one of the top players in the game.
You were a part of his developmental process back in Toronto.
How does a story like that come about. What are
some of the things that you would hope to replicate
with the Hornets players and the Swarm players that you've
(09:09):
been able to be so successful within other stops.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yeah, it's kind of funny with Fred specifically, when you're
in the moment, you don't know that what he was going.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
To accomplish was going to happen.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
You know, every player's goals and aspirations, which is great,
but it's really coming down to what are your daily
habits and being obsessed with your daily improvement and having
a high level of focus round controlling the controllables. And
Fred worked on his game every single day.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
And he didn't just like work on his game.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
He was extremely intentional about what he had to do
to become an NBA player, and he was highly competitive.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
You know, he was undersized. You wouldn't say he's the
quickest guy. He wasn't the fastest guy.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
He wasn't the most athletic guy, didn't have great li
I ain't gonna have great size, And despite all of
those things, he's turned himself into one heck of a
player in this league. And really proud of him and
his work ethic. But you can point to a lot
of different similarities with him and with KJKJ is actually
a better shooter currently than Fred was when Fred entered
(10:18):
the league. So kJ really sticks out from that standpoint.
But the leadership piece of it is where Fred really
thrived and the competitiveness, taking charges, diving on loose balls,
defending his great communication skills. These are things that you know.
You look at kJ, and these are things that can
be learned. But like I said initially about kJ, he
(10:39):
already plays with that ship on his shoulder and he's
already a high character guy.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I mentioned his work ethics. So to me, that's my
favorite part.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
Of coaching is taking a young talented player and having
a very intentional plan for the development of how they
have to get to the next level and then working
tires lee around the clock day in and day out
to help them get there. And so that's that's what
I'm looking forward with kJ.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
DJ Baker, the new head coach of the Greensboro Swarm.
Our guests today here on the Hornets. I've cast coach.
Let's get to know you. You've got over a decade of
coaching experience in both the NBA and the G League.
You've been a part of numerous fantastic stories of players
who have worked their way up the ranks to start
them and championships in the NBA. Tell us about your journey.
(11:31):
What should fans in Greensboro and Charlotte know about the
new head coach of the Swarm.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Thank you for that.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know, I started my introduction into professional coaching was
working as a player development coach for Tim Grover in
Chicago for three years and he was Kobe bryant trainer,
Michael Jordan's trainer, Dwayne Wade's trainer, so on and so forth,
and so that was the foundation of my introduction into
professional coaching. And you know, started in the video room.
(11:58):
Like so many coaches in this league, I did not
have the playing background and move from you know, coaching
to scouting to player development to assistant coaching and G
League head coach, so kind of have been fortunate to
be mentored by great great head coaches in this league,
Rick Carlisle, Nick Nurse, Dwayne Casey, and then this past
(12:19):
year with Adrian Griffin and then Doc Rivers. Just fortunate
from the coaches I've learned from the players, you know,
been with Derek Rose and Dirk Nowitzki, Damar Droz and
Kyle Lowry, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and then last year
Milwaukee with Damian Lillard, Giannis and Chris Middleton. And just
fortunate from the coaches I've learned from the players I've
(12:42):
been able to work with and learn from and coach,
and taking all that to do what I love to
do most, which is developing young players, helping them get
from you know, step one to step two to step
three and get them to where they all want to go.
In Toronto, you know we had a very young core
(13:04):
of players, you know in Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Fleet,
Norman Powell.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Og and Nanobi. You know in Detroit Luke Cannard and
Bruce Brown.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
So like to see those guys come into the league
as rookies and then see where they are now starting
on different teams, winning NBA championships, getting max contracts. That
to me is the most fulfilling part of coaching is
seeing that growth and seeing that NBA switch turn on
of like really learning what does it take to be
(13:33):
a pro in this league, how to have longevity and
really push them, hold them accountable, build a relationship with
them in order to help them accomplish their dreams and goals.
So that is where I find my fulfillment in coaching
and what drives me and motivates me on a day
to day basis. And so excited to be a G
League head coach once again.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Getting these head coaching reps mean a lot to me.
Think there's tremendous value in it.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
And then the opportunity need to have real impact on
younger players that have big aspirations ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And the next stop in your journey now in Greensboro.
You were, as you mentioned, a G League head coach
once before for two seasons with Detroit's affiliate, the Motor
City Cruise. Now getting to come to the Carolinas where
basketball is such a big part of Carolina culture. What
are you looking forward to most about being the head
coach for this particular organization and the fans that'll be
(14:25):
with you at the field house.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yeah, and I've experienced it, but the great fans within
the fieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I know it's a great turnout fan support.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I know there's energy at the arena, which means so
much to the players, and even when you're coaching in it.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
It means a lot.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
This is a rich basketball area, whether it's at the
college level, the G League level, the pro level. People
like you said, I don't know. You know, I'm originally
from Indiana. I don't know if it rivals Indiana, surpasses
that probably, but now I just know if the fan
base is passionate, is hungry. Basketball is the sport down
(15:03):
here in North Carolina, and so just excited to engage
with the community and be a part of you know,
the Greensboro swarm. But I know the fans packed the
field house. I know the energy is there, and that.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Makes you know you're always excited to be a part
of that.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
When you feel the support from your fan base, so
that means everything to me.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
We can't wait to feel those vibes in the field
house and see the product of your hard work up
in Charlotte. I did look it up, by the way,
and I'll phrase it the best way I can. When
you coach. As the head coach in the field house,
the Swarm are undefeated, so I hope you keep that
streak going alive strong when you're in Greensboro and it's
only Swarm wins when you're the head coach in the building.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Hey, that's what whatever I have to do to get the.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Job done, I got you. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Coach DJ Baker, the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm,
thanks so much for joining us here on the HHC
and best of luck during the upcoming season.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Yeah, thank you for having me on, Thank you for
the support. Really looking forward to the welcome year.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
We are thrilled to have you DJ Baker, head coach
of the Greensboro Swarm, our guest today here on the HHC.
Before we go, some other news that has recently come
out here with regards to the Swarm, and that is
their twenty twenty four to twenty five schedule. We are
really excited about Coach Baker's squad, most notably kJ Simpson,
(16:22):
likely to be there as the second round pick on
a two way contract, but would not be shocked at
all to see some other Hornets roster regulars playing a
lot for the Swarm and we are really looking forward
to seeing that full roster when it becomes available. But
in terms of making plans, if you're in the Greensboro
area or just want to go out and see the Swarm,
(16:43):
g League games are so fantastic. You can get so
close to the action and these are certainly NBA quality players,
so want you to be a part of all the action.
Swarm open up their home schedule with an Education Day
game on Wednesday, November thirteenth, that's at eleven am. Than
that following Friday, there will be the opening weekend against
the Delaware Blue Coats that's the Philadelphia seventy six ers affiliate,
(17:06):
beginning at seven pm. There are twenty four home games
at the Novant Health Field House, and tickets for any
and all of them are available right now. You can
go to gsoswarm dot com for more information. Can also
find tickets at Ticketmaster. And some great holiday opportunities to
see the Greensboro Swarm that we want to make mention
(17:26):
of here as well. Weekend games coming up during Thanksgiving
and Christmas holiday times. Mattinee on New Year's Eve versus
the Capital City, Go go the Washington Wizard's affiliate Martin
Luther King Day game against the Grand Rapids, gold the
Nuggets affiliate, and plenty more games to take in at
Novant Health Field House. Again, the full schedule is available
(17:47):
at gsoswarm dot com and we hope you'll make the
most of the opportunity to go out there, support the
Swarm and see the latest crop of Greensboro players in
some future NBA stars as well. That's going to do
it for this episode of the Hornets hove Cast. We
will continue to bring you more episodes as news continues
to break. Than of course, Opening Day for the Big
(18:09):
Club not that far away October sixth. The preseason opens
at Spectrum Center home games October sixth and eighth for
the Hornets home schedule, and then the regular season is
going to begin on October twenty third, with the Hornets
visiting the Houston Rockets and the first home game on
the schedule for Saturday, October twenty six when the Hornets
(18:29):
will host the Miami He can't wait to get it
all started until next time. With thanks to our producer
Rob Longo for putting this podcast together, and most of
all to all of you for tuning in. I'm Sam
Farber saying it's been a pleasure of privilege having you along.
We'll talk to you next time. Right here, I'm a
Hornets idcast.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Thank you for listening to the Hornets Hoodcast, brought to
you by Senta, the official i ear nosen Throadcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Welcome to the Hornets Havevecast presented by Charlotte I ear
nosen Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care
provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to another edition of the Hornets. Time cast your
Hornets podcast with all the notes quote san daily buzz
around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it
is a pleasure and a privileged to have you with
us here once again on the Hornets. I've cast brought
to you by Santa Charlotte I ear nosen Throat Associates,
the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the
Charlotte Hornets. This episode is going to be centered around
(00:35):
the Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensborough Swarm. We've got
a special guest in the on deck circle for us
right now, the newly named head coach of the Greensborough Swarm,
d J. Baker. He is a G League veteran, having
previously coached the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons G
League affiliate. He's worked with the Milwaukee Bucks most recently.
(00:55):
Prior to that, the Toronto Raptors during their championship run
and it has just a great history in the player
development world over a decade of experience in the NBA.
He is our guest here today on the ahhccene. Without
further Ado, let's welcome for the first time to the
Hornets Podcast the new head coach of the Greensboro Swarm,
DJ Baker, coach. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Sam really appreciate it. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's a really exciting time for the Hornets organization. They're
fans and has to be an exciting time for you
to be joining forces as part of really a new
era up and down the leadership for the Charlotte Hornets.
You've got Jeff Peterson and his team in the front office,
Charles Lee as the head coach for the Charlotte Hornets, You,
of course now as the head coach for the Greensboro Swarm.
(01:41):
Tell me what made you want to join forces with
this group, in particular to lead this organization to the
next chapter of its story.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I think it's a very rare and unique time professional
sporting standpoint, in terms of new ownership.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
New front office, new NBA head coach.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
So it's like kind of like getting in you know
with the startup company at the very at the very beginning,
and so I think there is a lot of optimism,
a lot of excitement in the building and the fact
that I'm able.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
To be a part of it is great.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
In terms of the interview process, and just what attracted
me to the to the job was Jeff and Coach
Lee's vision for the G League. You know, I know
with where the organization currently is, that player development is
going to be the lifeblood of the program and the
G League is going to be.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
A big part of that. So just excited to be here, Excited.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
To join forces with people that I think are really talented,
high achieving people with great leadership skills and great vision
for the program. So once we engaged in conversations, it
was it was a no brainer for me.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Tell me more about that vision for the Swarm and
its relationship with the Hornets, because different organizations will use
their G League affiliate differently, and I think fans view
their G League teams differently. So how has it been
told to you about what to expect and what should
fans expect in terms of the relationship between the big
Club so to speak and Greensboro.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Yeah, I mean, this was the biggest selling point to
me was the alignment that we wanted.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
To have between the NBA club and the G.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
League team in terms of mirroring the culture what you know,
the values and the characteristics we stand for with our players,
the work ethic, the preparation, the development, accountability, and the
competitive piece. These are things that Jeff and Coach Lee.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Are pushing here in Charlotte, and.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Again we're going to mirror the same program. So you know,
the alignment, the communication, the level.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Of resources in terms of like Coach.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Lee has a two way enhancement coach Reggie Cameron on staffed,
you know, and just like having someone in that specific
role that is going to be tied in, you know,
almost a liaison between both clubs. I think, staying connected,
understanding what Charlotte is doing on both sides the ball
offensively and defensively, the player development system that they are
(04:05):
putting in place, and then, like I said, the cultural
piece of it of developing professional habits with these young
men to help them be ready to take the next step.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
In their career.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
These are things that I firmly believe in, values that
I share as a coach for myself, with my own
staff and so, like I said, that level of alignment,
that clear vision that was laid out and knowing how critical.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
The JI League is for the future success of.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
The Hornets is again something that I firmly believe in
and something I wanted to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
And what we're trying to build with that alignment in
that additional coach there on staff for Charlotte to really
focus in on those players that maybe are going back
and forth. Should fans expect to see more of guys
from the main roster appear with Greensboro and guys that
are on two way contracts have more fluidity maybe between
(04:58):
the Swarm and the Hornets.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Yeah, so our schedule just came out, but I think
we're gonna sit down here internally and look at what
makes sense from a developmental standpoint.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You know, there's gonna be times where you want those young.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Players with the NBA club and they're getting practice reps
and maybe learning from watching the games, and then there's
gonna be times where we want them to get those
live reps in the G League.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And so that's that's a.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Huge part of the developmental pieces, the live reps, the
live development as opposed to just drills and practices. So
I do think it will be utilized. I think that's
the vision that we all have. We all know player schedules,
The adaptability piece is gonna be huge because.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Things change quick between who's in the rotation, any injuries
further down the line, are.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
There any roster additions. You know, there's constant change in.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
The NBA, and so we just have to stay ready
for it.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
But I do think that everybody is aligned with the
fact of getting live game rep is a great way
to prepare these young players for an NBA experience.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
So we're aligned on that part.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
And then specifically how does it look That is yet
to be determined, but you know, I think we're gonna
have a good chance to help some of these guys out.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Greensboro Swarm head coach DJ Baker our guest today here
on the Hornets iide Cast. Let's talk about some of
the players that we would anticipate you either will see
or might see with Greensboro. It's not the easiest thing,
I know, because your roster is fluid maybe to say
the least right now has not been officially announced, but
there are some big names in terms of recent Hornets
(06:38):
draft picks that I think fans would look forward to
hearing what you would anticipate for them. Two way contract
players are maybe more expected to spend time with the
G League affiliate and the Hornet's second round selection. kJ
Simpson is on a two way deal, so I think
the expectation from a lot of fans and I would
anticipate for you as well, as that's your point guard.
That's a guy who's going to get a lot of
(07:00):
opportunities with Greensboro. The Hornets have had a lot of
success with players going to Greensboro as two way contract
players and then bubbling up and having big roles in
the NBA. The Martin brothers, Cody and Caleb come to mind.
What do you foresee for kJ Simpson as he takes
that role, hopefully with the Swarm to start this year.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Yeah, I mean very high character.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
His work ethic is very strong, and what I love
about him is he really plays with.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
A chip on his shoulder. He is highly highly competitive.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
And obviously he had an injury earlier on in the summer,
so he's attacking his rehab.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's making great strides in great progress.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
But no, I would definitely anticipate him having time with
the Swarm, and.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
You know he can defend, he can guard and pick
a roll.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
He's a very good shooter at Colorado. He's all Packed twelve,
first team last year, obviously the forty second pick in
the draft. So there's a lot of excitement in him.
There's a lot of belief and confidence that we have
and him learning how to be an NBA player and
getting those reps in the G League and seeing what
our style of play is, our terminology are, offensive and
(08:08):
defensive principles and standards. He's a guy that I have
spent some time with already, have had some great conversations
with and just building that relationship with him.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
But there's no.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Question about it, we are very excited for him to
spend some time with the Swarm as well.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I'd imagine there's maybe a hope that he and really
anyone on your team can take the flight plan of
someone else that you've worked with closely in your time
more than a decade now in the NBA and professional basketball.
You were one of the coaches for Fred van Vliet,
who I think's got a movie script quality story in
that he was an undrafted free agent summer League invite.
(08:47):
Goes from that to building a role with Toronto, wins
a championship, becomes an All Star, a big time contract
player in one of the top players in the game.
You were a part of his developmental process back in Toronto.
How does a story like that come about. What are
some of the things that you would hope to replicate
with the Hornets players and the Swarm players that you've
(09:09):
been able to be so successful within other stops.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yeah, it's kind of funny with Fred specifically, when you're
in the moment, you don't know that what he was going.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
To accomplish was going to happen.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
You know, every player's goals and aspirations, which is great,
but it's really coming down to what are your daily
habits and being obsessed with your daily improvement and having
a high level of focus round controlling the controllables. And
Fred worked on his game every single day.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
And he didn't just like work on his game.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
He was extremely intentional about what he had to do
to become an NBA player, and he was highly competitive.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
You know, he was undersized. You wouldn't say he's the
quickest guy. He wasn't the fastest guy.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
He wasn't the most athletic guy, didn't have great li
I ain't gonna have great size, And despite all of
those things, he's turned himself into one heck of a
player in this league. And really proud of him and
his work ethic. But you can point to a lot
of different similarities with him and with KJKJ is actually
a better shooter currently than Fred was when Fred entered
(10:18):
the league. So kJ really sticks out from that standpoint.
But the leadership piece of it is where Fred really
thrived and the competitiveness, taking charges, diving on loose balls,
defending his great communication skills. These are things that you know.
You look at kJ, and these are things that can
be learned. But like I said initially about kJ, he
(10:39):
already plays with that ship on his shoulder and he's
already a high character guy.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
I mentioned his work ethics. So to me, that's my
favorite part.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
Of coaching is taking a young talented player and having
a very intentional plan for the development of how they
have to get to the next level and then working
tires lee around the clock day in and day out
to help them get there. And so that's that's what
I'm looking forward with kJ.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
DJ Baker, the new head coach of the Greensboro Swarm.
Our guests today here on the Hornets. I've cast coach.
Let's get to know you. You've got over a decade of
coaching experience in both the NBA and the G League.
You've been a part of numerous fantastic stories of players
who have worked their way up the ranks to start
them and championships in the NBA. Tell us about your journey.
(11:31):
What should fans in Greensboro and Charlotte know about the
new head coach of the Swarm.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Thank you for that.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
You know, I started my introduction into professional coaching was
working as a player development coach for Tim Grover in
Chicago for three years and he was Kobe bryant trainer,
Michael Jordan's trainer, Dwayne Wade's trainer, so on and so forth,
and so that was the foundation of my introduction into
professional coaching. And you know, started in the video room.
(11:58):
Like so many coaches in this league, I did not
have the playing background and move from you know, coaching
to scouting to player development to assistant coaching and G
League head coach, so kind of have been fortunate to
be mentored by great great head coaches in this league,
Rick Carlisle, Nick Nurse, Dwayne Casey, and then this past
(12:19):
year with Adrian Griffin and then Doc Rivers. Just fortunate
from the coaches I've learned from the players, you know,
been with Derek Rose and Dirk Nowitzki, Damar Droz and
Kyle Lowry, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and then last year
Milwaukee with Damian Lillard, Giannis and Chris Middleton. And just
fortunate from the coaches I've learned from the players I've
(12:42):
been able to work with and learn from and coach,
and taking all that to do what I love to
do most, which is developing young players, helping them get
from you know, step one to step two to step
three and get them to where they all want to go.
In Toronto, you know we had a very young core
(13:04):
of players, you know in Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Fleet,
Norman Powell.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Og and Nanobi. You know in Detroit Luke Cannard and
Bruce Brown.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
So like to see those guys come into the league
as rookies and then see where they are now starting
on different teams, winning NBA championships, getting max contracts. That
to me is the most fulfilling part of coaching is
seeing that growth and seeing that NBA switch turn on
of like really learning what does it take to be
(13:33):
a pro in this league, how to have longevity and
really push them, hold them accountable, build a relationship with
them in order to help them accomplish their dreams and goals.
So that is where I find my fulfillment in coaching
and what drives me and motivates me on a day
to day basis. And so excited to be a G
League head coach once again.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Getting these head coaching reps mean a lot to me.
Think there's tremendous value in it.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
And then the opportunity need to have real impact on
younger players that have big aspirations ahead of them.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And the next stop in your journey now in Greensboro.
You were, as you mentioned, a G League head coach
once before for two seasons with Detroit's affiliate, the Motor
City Cruise. Now getting to come to the Carolinas where
basketball is such a big part of Carolina culture. What
are you looking forward to most about being the head
coach for this particular organization and the fans that'll be
(14:25):
with you at the field house.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yeah, and I've experienced it, but the great fans within
the fieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I know it's a great turnout fan support.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I know there's energy at the arena, which means so
much to the players, and even when you're coaching in it.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
It means a lot.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
This is a rich basketball area, whether it's at the
college level, the G League level, the pro level. People
like you said, I don't know. You know, I'm originally
from Indiana. I don't know if it rivals Indiana, surpasses
that probably, but now I just know if the fan
base is passionate, is hungry. Basketball is the sport down
(15:03):
here in North Carolina, and so just excited to engage
with the community and be a part of you know,
the Greensboro swarm. But I know the fans packed the
field house. I know the energy is there, and that.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Makes you know you're always excited to be a part
of that.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
When you feel the support from your fan base, so
that means everything to me.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
We can't wait to feel those vibes in the field
house and see the product of your hard work up
in Charlotte. I did look it up, by the way,
and I'll phrase it the best way I can. When
you coach. As the head coach in the field house,
the Swarm are undefeated, so I hope you keep that
streak going alive strong when you're in Greensboro and it's
only Swarm wins when you're the head coach in the building.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Hey, that's what whatever I have to do to get the.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Job done, I got you. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Coach DJ Baker, the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm,
thanks so much for joining us here on the HHC
and best of luck during the upcoming season.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Yeah, thank you for having me on, Thank you for
the support. Really looking forward to the welcome year.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
We are thrilled to have you DJ Baker, head coach
of the Greensboro Swarm, our guest today here on the HHC.
Before we go, some other news that has recently come
out here with regards to the Swarm, and that is
their twenty twenty four to twenty five schedule. We are
really excited about Coach Baker's squad, most notably kJ Simpson,
(16:22):
likely to be there as the second round pick on
a two way contract, but would not be shocked at
all to see some other Hornets roster regulars playing a
lot for the Swarm and we are really looking forward
to seeing that full roster when it becomes available. But
in terms of making plans, if you're in the Greensboro
area or just want to go out and see the Swarm,
(16:43):
g League games are so fantastic. You can get so
close to the action and these are certainly NBA quality players,
so want you to be a part of all the action.
Swarm open up their home schedule with an Education Day
game on Wednesday, November thirteenth, that's at eleven am. Than
that following Friday, there will be the opening weekend against
the Delaware Blue Coats that's the Philadelphia seventy six ers affiliate,
(17:06):
beginning at seven pm. There are twenty four home games
at the Novant Health Field House, and tickets for any
and all of them are available right now. You can
go to gsoswarm dot com for more information. Can also
find tickets at Ticketmaster. And some great holiday opportunities to
see the Greensboro Swarm that we want to make mention
(17:26):
of here as well. Weekend games coming up during Thanksgiving
and Christmas holiday times. Mattinee on New Year's Eve versus
the Capital City, Go go the Washington Wizard's affiliate Martin
Luther King Day game against the Grand Rapids, gold the
Nuggets affiliate, and plenty more games to take in at
Novant Health Field House. Again, the full schedule is available
(17:47):
at gsoswarm dot com and we hope you'll make the
most of the opportunity to go out there, support the
Swarm and see the latest crop of Greensboro players in
some future NBA stars as well. That's going to do
it for this episode of the Hornets hove Cast. We
will continue to bring you more episodes as news continues
to break. Than of course, Opening Day for the Big
(18:09):
Club not that far away October sixth. The preseason opens
at Spectrum Center home games October sixth and eighth for
the Hornets home schedule, and then the regular season is
going to begin on October twenty third, with the Hornets
visiting the Houston Rockets and the first home game on
the schedule for Saturday, October twenty six when the Hornets
(18:29):
will host the Miami He can't wait to get it
all started until next time. With thanks to our producer
Rob Longo for putting this podcast together, and most of
all to all of you for tuning in. I'm Sam
Farber saying it's been a pleasure of privilege having you along.
We'll talk to you next time. Right here, I'm a
Hornets idcast.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Thank you for listening to the Hornets Hoodcast, brought to
you by Senta, the official i ear nosen Throadcare provider
of the Charlotte Hornets. For more coverage, visit Hornets dot com.
Hosts And Creators
Sam Farber
Rob Longo
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