Let's take Isiah Thomas and contrast him to Phil Jackson.

Jackson was a role player and played on the Knicks championship teams. HE saw how great players were utilized and understood the game. But he understood what his shortcomings were and what sacrifices needed to made for the sake of the team.

Thomas is one of the best players to ever play. He was outstanding and his ability is a gift that only a handful from a pool of hundreds of millions have enjoyed. What he could do with the basketball is something most NBA players cannot understand, let alone me. His teammates made sacrifices that he probably wasn't even aware of.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that role players understand how the team fits together. Also, that great individual efforts are important but are only one ingredient to the team's success.

Great players struggle as coaches because there instinct, talent, ability, etc. allows them to accomplish things I would never have conceived to be possible. How do can you teach that? I suppose if a great player could teach things like that, they;d be a great coach... but more often than not, that is impossible to teach.

Maybe these superstar types, with loads of natural talent, don't know how to get the best out of more average players.

[Edited by - basketballjones on 11-23-2007 17:34]

great players get by on ability.

role players get by on smarts & knowledge.

coaching is smarts and knowledge.