What’s the story?
NBA veteran Phil Weber could possibly take over as the next head coach of the Indian men’s basketball team. His appointment would most likely transform the face of basketball in the country.
The context
The rumours spread after ESPN reporter Marc Stein tweeted about the seasoned NBA coach being a strong candidate for the position. He did not furnish further details though.
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The 55-year-old New York native has been an NBA coach for 11 seasons, out of which he spent nine years as the assistant coach of the Phoenix Suns.
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The heart of the matter
Weber is currently in his 12th season as an assistant coach in the NBA. His previous team Phoenix Suns, with whom he spent nine years, went on to win three straight Pacific Division titles (2005, 2006 and 2007) during his time with the team.
While serving with the Suns, he worked under several notable names like Danny Ainge, Scott Skiles, and Frank Johnson. Subsequently, Weber became the assistant coach of the New York Knicks from 2008 to 2012 after which he moved to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2015.
He has also been the head coach of Suns’ Vegas Summer League teams. He worked with the USA men’s team during their preparation for the FIBA Men’s World Championships in 2006.
Before he started working with the Suns, Weber helped develop an NBA academy in Las Vegas that produced players such as Shawn Marion, Baron Davis, Jalen Rose and Pat Garrity.
Coming back to Team India, the current coach of the senior men’s team is Bhaskar Sappaniambalam and the team is currently ranked 53 in the world. Fondly, known as the “Young Cagers”, the players brought joy to the nation by finishing 8th at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship for Men.
What’s next?
Weber’ s appointment is yet to be officially announced, and might take place in the next few days. With a lot of young players in the team, Weber will be welcomed with open arms.
Author’s take
The Indian team has shown immense potential under the current leadership but still has a long way to go. Having Weber as the head coach can prove to be highly motivating and beneficial for our homegrown players.
