Podcast
The Rising Coaches Podcast
Hosted by Rising Coaches · EN
From young assistants to head coaches, Rising Coaches sits down with some of the brightest minds in basketball to talk about their rise through the profession and what they are working on now.
42episodes
Episodes
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Episode 277: Dwight Thorne II, Assistant Coach, Texas State University
4d ago00:49:32Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Dwight Thorne, Assistant Coach at Texas State University. Before getting into coaching, Thorne built an impressive professional playing career with stops in the D-League, Germany, Greece, Croatia, and Reno, Nevada, experiences that helped shape his perspective on leadership, relationships, and player development. He later transitioned into coaching with stops at Georgia Tech, Denver, UT Arlington, and now Texas State. In this episode we discuss the mental adjustment of moving from a professional player to coach, how he learned to build authentic relationships and connections in the industry despite it not coming naturally early on, and the first priorities he focuses on when joining a new program as an assistant coach.
Transcribe →Episode 276: Darnell Harris, Assistant Coach, Wake Forest University
1w ago00:47:00Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Darnell Harris, Assistant Coach at Wake Forest University. Coach Harris brings a unique perspective to the game, having played professionally at Middle Tennessee State and overseas in Belgium, China, Greece, and Lebanon before transitioning into coaching. His coaching journey has included stops at Ole Miss and Wake Forest, where he continues to grow within a high-level program and impact player development and recruiting. In this episode we discuss how his professional playing career shaped his coaching identity, how he approaches the recruiting process while building strong relationships with families, and how he developed his voice as a young coach within a competitive staff environment.
Transcribe →Episode 275: Jordan McCabe, Assistant Coach, Grand Canyon University
2w ago00:48:58Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jordan McCabe, Assistant Coach at Grand Canyon University. McCabe started his playing career at a young age with early success that carried through his time at West Virginia and UNLV, where he became known for his high-level feel for the game and leadership on the floor. He has since transitioned into coaching, with stops at West Virginia, Green Bay, and now Grand Canyon, where he continues to make a strong impact, particularly in player development. In this episode we discuss how he builds individualized development plans for his players, the key lessons he’s taken from working under different coaching styles throughout his journey, and advice for coaches and players navigating the modern game and social media in today’s basketball landscape.
Transcribe →Episode 274: John Carroll, Basketball Architect at Newman School and Director of Basketball at Master's Academy
2w ago00:50:57Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by John Carroll, Basketball Architect at Newman School and Director of Basketball at Master’s Academy. Coach Carroll has worn many hats throughout his career, including athletic director roles, work as a TV and radio basketball analyst for ESPN, serving as an advanced scout for the LA Sparks, and leading JC Advisors LLC as a “Liberator of Talent.” He also spent time as a head coach at Northfield Mount Hermon, helping build strong programs on and off the court. In this episode we discuss how to build culture as a new head coach while still holding academics to a high standard, ways coaches can help develop leadership within their players, and some offensive and defensive staples he believes every strong program should have.
Transcribe →Episode 273: Steven Harbert, Head Coach, North Marion High School
3w ago00:46:00Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Steven Harbert, Head Coach at North Marion High School. Coach Harbert has spent years coaching and developing athletes at the high school level, including time as an assistant before taking over the program at North Marion. Along the way, he has also coached multiple sports, helping him gain valuable experience working with different athletes, personalities, and team dynamics. His background has shaped a strong approach to leadership, communication, and program building. In this episode we discuss how to coach and connect with different types of players, the best ways to build and sustain a strong program during the offseason, and the pros and cons of multi-sport athletes in today’s high school sports landscape.
Transcribe →Episode 272: Doug and Alan, Best Practices to Networking in the Business
3w ago00:38:08Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re doing something a little different as my cohost and I sit down to answer questions from our listeners and Rising Coaches members about networking and growing in the coaching industry. We wanted this episode to be a real conversation for young coaches trying to build connections and find their way in the business. In this episode we discuss some of the best ways to connect with coaches, how to network without sounding transactional, and what someone with almost no connections in basketball should start doing right away to build relationships and create opportunities. We also share some personal experiences and lessons we’ve learned throughout our own journeys in coaching. We hope you enjoy this conversation and can take something valuable away from it.
Transcribe →Episode 271: Amorrow Morgan, Assistant Coach, University of Tennessee
4w ago00:49:48Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Amorrow Morgan, Assistant Coach at the University of Tennessee. Morgan’s basketball journey began as a player at Idaho State before continuing professionally in Europe, and he has since built an impressive coaching résumé with stops at Illinois Springfield, Our Lady of the Lake, Henderson State, Nicholls State, South Alabama, Loyola Chicago, Cal, and now Tennessee. His experience across multiple levels has helped shape his perspective on recruiting, player development, and program building. In this episode we discuss how starting at lower levels helped him grow long-term as a coach, what he looks for before taking a position on a new staff, what he now evaluates differently as a recruiter compared to earlier in his career, and why Tennessee has sustained success for so many years under Coach Rick Barnes.
Transcribe →Episode 270: Jon Harris, Assistant Video Coordinator, San Antonio Spurs (Episode Rewind)
4w ago00:50:47Tap to summarizeWith the NBA Finals tipping off tonight between the Knicks and Spurs, we wanted to take a trip back into the archives and revisit one of our favorite basketball conversations. This episode originally aired before Jon Harris had climbed even higher in the coaching ranks, but the insights, stories, and lessons he shared are just as relevant today as they were then. From player development and leadership to the inner workings of one of the most respected organizations in professional sports, Jon dropped an incredible amount of knowledge throughout this conversation. As the Spurs once again find themselves on basketball’s biggest stage, it felt like the perfect time to rewind and revisit this outstanding episode.Jon Harris is the current Assistant Video Coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs. Jon is a young coach with an impressive resume, having a 7 year professional playing career including the G League and in countries such as Argentina, Germany, China and Canada. Following his playing career, Jon worked with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers to help with summer league and youth camps, and started his first coaching gig at Lakewood High School. Making a quick rise to Florida State University as a Graduate Assistant and then the Assistant Video Coordinator with the Spurs. We look forward to learning more about such a prestigious program such as the Spurs.
Transcribe →Episode 269: Jackson Johnson, Head Coach, The Newman School
Jun 100:46:36Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jackson Johnson, Head Coach at the Newman School. Jackson’s basketball journey started as a player at Tulane before moving into coaching with assistant roles at Tulane and Northfield Mount Hermon prior to taking over at Newman. Since becoming head coach, he has helped sustain success at the national prep level while guiding players through the ever-changing recruiting landscape. In this episode we discuss the value of coaching multi-sport athletes and how to navigate that as a coach, what real player development looks like in prep basketball today, how a coach can help players navigate the college recruiting process in the transfer portal era, and how he’s maintained success within a nationally recognized prep program.
Transcribe →Episode 268: Matt Ambrose, Director of Player Development, Purdue Fort Wayne
May 2800:44:31Tap to summarizeOn this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Ambrose, Director of Player Development at Purdue University Fort Wayne. After finishing his playing career at Calvin University, Matt worked his way into the coaching profession and has continued to grow within the Purdue Fort Wayne program. His path reflects the importance of bringing value, building relationships, and finding ways to impact players every day. In this episode we discuss what he did to break into the industry as a young coach after his playing career, how he looked to add value as a new coach early within his program, and we take a deep dive into player development, including how to build an effective development plan for each player.
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