Brad Stevens knew immediately that Phil Pressey would one day become a coach. From his basketball IQ and preparation to his investment in others, his former floor general had all the makings of someone tailor-made to one day occupy the seat Stevens held at the time with the Boston Celtics.
"I've thought Phil was ready for this from the first time I coached him when he was 21 years old and a rookie point guard for the Boston Celtics," Stevens told Hardwood Houdini over the summer. "He's always really cared about the game. He cares about people. He's got a great work ethic, and, yeah, he's got a lot to learn. He'll learn it on the fly. But how else would you better learn it than going and being thrown to the wolves and calling the shots?
Pressey starred at Missouri. He then made it to the NBA, a league filled with goliaths, despite being under six feet. For all the skill and athleticism he possessed, winning with intelligence and preparation was non-negotiable. That, coupled with the perseverance it took to achieve his dreams, made it clear how he would pivot whenever his playing career reached its last chapter.
"I felt like I've always been a coach on the floor," shared Pressey on the morning of the Maine Celtics' home opener. "My plan A was to play in the NBA and my plan B was to play in the NBA...If I couldn't get to the NBA, my plan was to coach."
The influences inspiring Phil Pressey
When the Texas native's playing career ended, he quickly went into coaching. He returned to his alma mater, joining Dennis Gates' staff. A year later, Stevens and the Celtics didn't hesitate to bring him on board.
What he took into those opportunities, and what continues to carry him, are the influences he closely studied as a player. That early preparation helped him succeed on the court and in his new profession.
"Playing for Brad Stevens my rookie year, he laid the foundation for me as a coach," Pressey told Hardwood Houdini. "So, now, as I transition to a head coach, I've been able to work with Joe Mazzulla; learn his system, learn his philosophy, and then, like all the coaches I've played for throughout my career, I've been able to implement their teachings into what I do on a daily."
While Pressey has all of the tools to become a great coach, there's a learning curve. He's in the infancy of his first opportunity to be at the helm of the ship.
As he readies for his first game as a head coach at the Expo in Portland, Maine, a place Pressey nearly registered a triple-double in his lone appearance with the Red Claws, as they went by at the time, including generating 34 points, he shared with Hardwood Houdini what that learning curve has been like from his first day on the job to now.
"Going into these first three games and the beginning of my head coaching career, it's been a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we're 0-3 right now, but being able to grow through the mistakes myself, being able to have a younger team," said Pressey, noting rookies Amari Williams and Max Shulga.
"Having these guys, especially our two-ways, coaching them in training camp, coaching them during the summer has been amazing for me, and just seeing their development. We just recently had Wendell Moore get called up. I think that's the biggest pat on the back for our whole coaching staff is getting a guy called up for a two-way. So, it's been a fun week so far for me, and we've got more to grow, more to learn, and I'm just excited for this opportunity."