When Byron came back to coach the Lakers in the last years of my?career, we were like brothers. We picked up our conversations and?relationship right where we had left off. Suffice to say, it was great?to have him back on the same sideline.

Coaches are teachers. Some coaches—lesser coaches—try telling you?things. Good coaches, however, teach you how to think and arm you?with the fundamental tools necessary to execute properly. Simply?put, good coaches make sure you know how to use both hands, how?to make proper reads, how to understand the game. Good coaches?tell you where the fish are, great coaches teach you how to find?them. That’s the same at every level.

In certain situations, like in the midst of a game, good coaches relay?executional information. They point out what specifically is and?isn’t working. Based on that and your own feel for the game, you?utilize some of that information immediately and you save some of?it in your back pocket for crucial moments during the game. Then,?when the time is right … boom!