Oh, Welcome into cope Check, the official podcast of the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia seventy Sixers. I'm Matt Murphy. Thanks as always for tuning in. A friendly reminder to subscribe to the seventy Sixers podcast network. The G League's Disney Bubble is on the way in February, and we'll have a bunch of interviews under the Coach Check umbrella. Every other Tuesday is our new cadence, so be on the lookout for that.
Without further ado, very pleased to be joined on this episode by Blue Coach general manager Matt Lilly. Matt, welcome back to Coach Check. You've been a guest before, but it's been a little while. It feels good to have things heating up again with the Delaware Bluecoats right now. Yeah, for sure. Thank thanks first of all, Murph, just for
having me on. And I think coming off of what's what turned out to be the longest summer, longest offseason in the history of the league, I think we're all fired up to have things, you know, kind of in the works again and then they get back to work and that's going to be the first thing that we do touch on the off season, but a quick rundown for our listeners of what else we will talk about
some of the blue Coats headlines. I mean, shake Milton right now if you're listening to this episode on time is He's a big story with the Philadelphia seventy six er. Is a former Blue Coat who played a lot of games,
and we'll talk about him. We'll talk about your new assistant GM, Jamir Nelson, a hometown hero returning to the seventy six ers area, the Philadelphia area, and then we'll get to a little bit of stuff about last season and then the transition into this season with the Delaware Bluecoats, this year's roster, the G League draft as part of that roster construction, and then touch on a few quick questions in our at the Buzzer segment. But Matt, let's
go with the off season. It was weird, It was long, Like you said, how was it overall for you just in general, even from a personal standpoint, from the early stages of quarantining to this point now anything in between. How was it? Yeah? I think I think the world it comes to mind is unusual. M Or I think you you're working this industry for a number of years, and there's a rhythm to how things go. It's it's cyclical where the season's always on the same calendar and
we've got the same events every summer. We're going to Portsmouth, in Chicago and Vegas for Summer League. So we kind of developed this rhythm of how things go season to season. And then to have everything obviously come to come to a Halton March and then you know, things got going and at the NBA level this summer, but at the g Leaue level, we were waiting for a while and and you know, finally now have some clarity on kind of what the season's going to look like. But for us,
we just tried to make the most of the time. UM, we had our our whole staff kind of intact and and and working towards this moment now that we're getting close to so UM for us, that's that's you know, a lot of extra time for for scouting and casting a wider net there than maybe we're able to in in normal off season. So I think we just tried to make the most of it, tried to be as prepared as we can for the season that that now
is right around the corner. From an organizational standpoint, with the seventy six ers, the lead up to the season included Doc Rivers, a new head coach and his staff Daryl Moorey in the front office. And then you factor in the COVID nineteen pandemic and the changes that that created in the off season structure. What was the day to day or how did the day to day change of what your days were like for some of those key off season pillars for you and your staff with
like the NBA Draft and things of that sort. When it was all kind of like we're doing right now virtual whether it's the combine testing or interviews or things like that, Yeah, I think, um, you just find a new workflow. You just kind of adapt to what the situation is. So for us internally, I think same for most people. It was a lot of a lot of zoom meetings, a lot of a lot of virtual face
to face versus versus the real thing. So I think we developed a pretty good, pretty good cadence with our group where we're meeting regularly and had a had an open dialogue about things we were doing, and I think the communication was was really good. For us over the season and then over the off season. UM, and then with Doc and Daryl coming in, you know, some some
other new faces in our organization. I think it's been a bit of a feeling out process for everybody or or we're still learning each other and and get getting to know each other. But um, you know it it's a it's it's a new a new dynamic and new workflow. Um. Even even talking to players and going through the interview process, you know, it was it was all on zoom. Whereas in a normal year we're bringing guys into our facility and getting a workout, sitting down, have maybe having lunch
with them, chatting with them. Um, we're all of that was gone right. We didn't have the opportunity to get guys in and have the same touch points. So just maximizing what we can do virtually. Um, just just given the parameters everyone was was working under. Let's talk about shake Milton. Huge credit to you, your staff, everybody involved. Um. He has hopefully a long career ahead of him, but the immediate right now is that he's playing very well
as a huge part of the Sixers rotation. What has it been like for you to watch Shake's NBA ascent. It's awesome, honestly, and that's um. You know that there are a lot of things that we want to accomplish with our D League program. We want everyone to come in to grow and get better, and for some guys, that's that's cracking the NBA. For other guys, it's it's fine success overseas, um. But but to have a guy come through the program and turn into a bona fide
rotation player for the Sixers, that's that that's bigger than everything. So, um, we're thrilled for for his success. It's been really fun for us seeing seeing him coming in as a rookie and getting his feet wet, you know, in the G League on the two way contracts, and then his ascension since then. Um, it has been a big success story for our program. It's something that you know, Connor and myself, everyone, we're all we all take a lot of pride in him.
What are some of the characteristics that you see in Shake, whether it's on or off the court, that you think might contribute to the success that he's having right now. Yeah. I think he's got an extreme confidence, and I mean that in the best way possible. We're you know, he feels like he belongs and he's proving it every night now that that he is he is a legitimate NBA player.
So I think he's felt like that all along, um and and he was a guy that was always willing to put in the work to um you know, to to grow himself into that. So I think those are the two things, two things from a from a mental makeup standpoint, his confidence and his willingness to work that have put him in this in this situation on the court, I think there's a ton to like with his his size and his length, and his versatility is shooting obviously, I think he's he's tailor made for for the way
the NBA has played today. How about going from one of your players to one of your new staff members that I talked about in the intro, Jamir Nelson. He is a scout for the seventy sixers but also your assistant GM with the Delaware Bluecoats. What has stood out to you so far about working with Jamir and really
his approach because it's such a new role for him. Yeah, I think the first thing that comes to mind is his attitude and just his his eagerness to to to be all into kind of this this transition where he's really not that far removed from from his NBA careers. Just a couple of years ago was was still playing. So UM, he's excited about this as the next phase of his life, of his life and his career. UM, and he's eager to get in and do some things
and and kind of learn on the fly. UM. And he's been he's been a pleasure for me to work with so far. He helped me a lot with UM with with our draft prep and some of our other preseason work. How does the players a former players approach kind of factor into that scouting and that draft prep. I think it's it's invaluable, honestly, because myself, connor most of the the people on our staff, like you know, we we we feel like we've got a good handle on
kind of what all goes into building a team. But there's a perspective from from Jamir Um and Xavier Silas as well and the coaching staff that you know, guys that have played in the NBA, that that have played at a high levels professionally, that there's a perspective that
they can bring to the table. That that again, Connor myself, we just don't have as much as as much as we'd like to um, so I think there's always there's always some value there, and we're pretty collaborative, so um, I think he's brought a ton to the table in that way you bring out the assistant coach of Xavier Silas.
And I just thought of this because I was scrolling the G League stats page yesterday doing some research on a player on this year's Bluecoats roster, Jared brown Ridge, who will be back and we'll talk about the twenty twenty one roster in just a moment. But I was going back a few years to the three point leaders, and coach Silas is not far removed from being in the top five. I think if three pointers made, it
was just a few seasons ago. I didn't realize that he made almost like two hundred threes a couple of seasons ago in the G League. Okay, x was never shy about putting him up, so if he was open, or even if he wasn't, if he got the ball, he was going to look through the rim first. So that doesn't surprise me at all to see he's up there in the rankings more on the way, but first, Christiana Care as doctors, nurses, and caregivers and as neighbors
and friends. Christiana Care is a partner in everyone's journey to greater health and well being. Why do they do it for the love of health? Visit Christianacare dot org. All Right, so now talking about a little bit about last season before we get to this year's for you, your second full season. I guess in the in the general manager capacity, how did twenty nineteen twenty compare to twenty eighteen nineteen for you individually? Yeah, I think it is just the UM and I think this is a
theme with our whole program. UM just kind of the the overall growth year to year where we're you know, for me, getting better from year one is GM to year two. UM that the players that have stayed in our in our system shake we just talked about, right, spend some time with us as an assignment guy last year. UM. Norvelle's ascension last year was was it was a good you know, a good success for us. UM. So I think just carrying everything over from year one, you know,
Connor coming back as well. It was kind of our our second year going at it together, um and just trying to build on the foundation we had laid late in our first year and continuing to grow on top of that into year two. So I think across the boards, the just general growth was was the goal, and I think we feel good about about kind of what we were able to lookished before before we had to hit pause and everything, and we're excited to carry that over
now into into the season. You mentioned Connor Johnson, the head coach, a couple of times, and when I spoke to him most recently on this podcast, we talked about a lot of the stats where the team ranked last year and what you guys were really proud of a lot of them, defensive statistics and holding teams under certain
percentages and things like that. We won't get too into the nitty gritty there, but for you, what are some of the things that you were most proud of with that group, because when the season was ultimately canceled, you were in a playoff spot. Yeah, I think overall the team success is is is the number one thing where you know we were in position to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history. I think there are a number of different things you can you
can point to for our team success. And Connor loves to call the defensive stuff and I think we're really proud of what we're able to accomplish on that end.
And I think that's one of the growth areas that we that we kind of flagged coming out of our first year as we were we had a pretty good offensive group that first year, UM, and then just making it more of a priority to be defensive oriented and to be the best defensive team we can and with with Chris Camagi and Heywood and Julian some of the guys we had, like we had a lot of talent on that end, and from a coaching perspective, we made it a priority to UM, you know, to be good
on that end, and I think the products we're able to put together kind of speaks for itself. UM. But again, I think there are a number of of of, you know, team successes that you can point to that that it was a very successful year for the program overall. Defend, Run, share the motto, the motto um defend comes first. It does. Moving into this year the twenty twenty one team. I know you've talked recently about the guys you got in the draft. That's timely because we're recording this just a
few days after the twenty one G League Draft. Jamario Jones and Braxton Key feel free to's watch on them and then maybe just in general, what are some of the strengths of this twenty twenty one roster as a whole. I think, first of all, the talent level is something that we feel feel really good about. Where the majority of our roster are guys that have been in the NBA at some point, so we feel good about the overall talent level. We've got a lot of guys that
can play. I think it's going to be um, you know, a good competitive environment to see who ends up ends up earning minutes, but um for us, I think we we love our shooting this year with with Frank and Jared and some of the guys that we have have there in the back court, and I think are overall versatility is something that we're really excited to see kind of how how some of these these pieces fit together.
With with Jamario and Lamine and Julian, guys that can play multiple multiple different positions, so I think there are a lot of different lineups we can play and once we get once we once we get to work with these guys hands on down there, down there in the bubble, I'm excited to see, you know, what kinds of combinations and ideas um Connor can come up with for the group. Yeah. I think the perception is that it's a very talented
group and these rosters are a bit smaller. UM. Is that something like league wide, these teams, the level of competition you expect it's going to be really up there, because it seems like in this G League bubble the spots were highly coveted this year. UM. And there's some older players coming back Jeremy Lynde to name one. UM. With different roster rules in place, is that like something league wide, you expect to see very teams within nine guys or so that have played at a high level.
So I think the talent is is certainly, um more saturated this year than it ever has before been before in the league where UM, I think the bar for being a G League player has never been this high. Um, it's it's extremely hard to to crack that that level this year, and there are a number of different reasons. I think. I think the international market has has been
impacted just by all that's going on. Um. And then with with not all the G League teams participating this year, right there, there's you were spot to overall, so um, the pool of talent is certainly denser in our league this year. You look at a lot of rosters, um, and in a normal year, you're like, wow, that that team, that team's loaded, right, they got a lot of talent. I think that's that's just become the norm for for
this season due to a number of different reasons. We're about to do just a couple more at the buzzer, but first a quick message from our friends at Nemour's. Nomore's Sports Medicine believes that highly personalized one on one physical therapy for young athletes is paramount to a speedy and complete recovery. Learn more at Nemour's dot org slash pet. All right, let's just do a couple of quick ones, matt Um, I think you know, I'm assuming you've heard
these a couple of times. They're not always the same. But if this was an ordinary G League season, what road trips do you have circled? What's your favorite road city or a couple of cities that you like to visit in the gum. There are a couple of spots to get that that that I really like. I'll go
with Portland, Maine. Honor had the same answer when here it's it's it's probably for the same reason, Um, that there is a phenomenal seafood restaurant they're in Portland that um coach Peters from a couple of years ago, turn this onto where they got lobster rolls and oysters, and it's just it's it's unbelievable. So, um, it's a it's a nice city on its own. This restaurant in particular, I think is it makes it worth a trip. How
about favorite hobbies? Just things that you like to do when you're not overly consumed with watching basketball or score doing your day to day job as the GM of the Bluecoats. What are some other hobbies that you have? UM, good question. It feels like these days between between work and I've got a I got a sixth six month old baby now, so between those two things, I don't I don't have a ton of times for a ton of time for hobbies anymore. UM, I don't know. I
like to do a lot of stuff. I'd like to go out and eat a nice meal when there's when there's not a global pandemic. Um, I'd like to play a little poker. I've I've got I've got some hobbies that I like to get to when, um, when free time does open up. But for the most part these days, it's it's being a dad and and it's it's it's work. See you had some in there, you got to some and that's awesome. Again, congratulations to you and the family. Um,
But have you ever played pickleball? No? No, I can't say because I might have to introduce you to that in the G League bubble because it was a big thing I think with the NBA officials and some other people during the NBA bubble, And from what I've heard, pickleball is going to be back for the G League bubble down there, So get ready. Maybe watch some YouTube videos or something, because if we get a chance. I've been playing a ton this year. I'll have to do
some research. But I do have one thing to add since uh Coach Johnson, I watched Not Not Together. I haven't seen Coach since since March in person. But um, after Queen's gambit came came out on Netflix. We've both both from playing plenty of a chess on on our phone, so um, I think that's probably with the newest Hobbie. For me, that is awesome and that just my mind is exploding with content ideas potentially surrounding that. That's so cool.
I have not finished Queen's Gambit, but I heard it it ends well, I'm only a few episodes in, so I've got to do that. Maybe I'll do that soon. So good stuff, Matt. It's always great talking with you. It was awesome to catch up. I know Blue Coats fans are excited for the season, and I think you just gave them a bunch more reasons for that to be the case. So thanks again, thanks for the time. Yea, thanks Murph. He is Delaware Bluecoats general manager Matt Lily
and I'm Matt Murphy. Until next time, take it or leave it at the coach check.