New Director Of Basketball Operations

[uncbears]

Profile from uncbears.com - Adam Gordon was hired as Northern Colorado's director of basketball operations in July 2011 after spending the previous three seasons at Clemson of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Gordon served as the Tigers' graduate assistant during the 2010-11 season, and his primary duties were assisting in practice, coordinating on-campus visits, and providing assistance with film breakdown and recruiting mailouts.

The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of Gordon's three seasons with the program, and he proved vital to the staff in 2010-11, when Clemson compiled a 22-12r ecord and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a record fourth straight season.

The Tigers finished 9-7 in the ACC and earned a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament by virtue of being the No. 4 seed in the conference. Clemson also won its first NCAA Tournament game in 14 years in 2011 when it knocked off UAB, 70-52, in Dayton, Ohio, as part of the "First Four" round.

Gordon came to Clemson with an extensive basketball background. He was an assistant coach at Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Fla, from 2006-08. There, Gordon was responsible for recruiting, player development, opponent scouting, video editing and exchange, and academic counseling. He helped the Patriots to a pair of appearances in the NJCAA Florida state tournament.

Prior to his coaching stop in Ocala, Gordon was head manager and student assistant coach at the University of Tampa from 2002-06. As manager, he was responsible for maintenance and organization of the team's athletic gear and distribution of the uniforms. As student coach, he aided in player development and helped conduct individual workouts and conditioning drills.

Gordon has also served as a counselor at many high-profile summer basketball camps, including with UCLA, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings, as well as at camps run by NBA stars Jason Kidd and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Gordon graudated from Tampa in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.

 

[Brian]

What does a Director of Basketball Operations do? Does this take some weight off the head coach or put more pressure on him?

 

[UNCbears6]

Brian--

I don't know a great deal about everything they do, but I know a little bit. Just like Director of Football Operations, their main job is to take a lot of stress off the head coach, doing a bunch of the little things that don't seem vital to the common fan, but is very important behind the scenes. For example, the Director of Operations handles the travel stuff, determining which flights to take to get to the destination, which hotel for the team to stay at, all of that stuff. Basically drawing up an itinerary for the whole trip. Again, while it may not seem like a bunch on the surface, it really is important. And I'm pretty sure another component that goes into it, all the coaches on the staff recruit but the Director of Operations is the guy who flies out to wherever a prospective recruit is and try to keep the pitch going in hopes they commit. It wouldn't be suprising to not see Gordon on the UNC bench a couple of games this season because he is out somewhere else trying to keep in touch with a prospective player face-to-face.

I know there is a lot more that goes into it, and they still have to uphold their duty of being an actual coach. But the way I see it, Director of Operations is a big role (a step above Graduate Assistant but a step below a usual assistant coach in terms of pay). Many head coaches around the country got their start as the Director of Operations.

 

[Brian]

Thanks. We could have hired George Costanza, former assistant traveling secretary to the New York Yankees.

That does seem like a lot of work and a vital role. One of those positions that nobody notices unless things go wrong.

 

[uncbears]

Heres some stuff he says from his write up on uncbears.com

"No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." My first few weeks on the job I did my best to establish relationships, and earn the trust of our players and coaching staff. I went to lunch with players, asked them questions, learned about their backgrounds and did everything I could to get to know the guys. I'm fortunate that Coach Hill has built his program with very high character kids, who welcomed me to the school and made my transition easy! They say that if you want to recruit from a support staff position, then recruit your own players. There is no question, that your current team and the relationships with your players has to be the No. 1 priority at all times."

"The Ops job forces you to think like a head coach. You are in charge of so many small details and are counted upon to communicate with so many different people throughout the athletic department, the university and the community. Decisions have to be made constantly and there is no time or need to run every one by your head coach. As an Ops guy, you have to be prepared to give answers and make decisions that best represent your head coach and the program, and you have to do it with class and professionalism."