Last summer the Orlando Magic went out and hired well-known coach and former player Scott Skiles.
Everyone knows two things about Skiles at the drop of his name: He still holds the NBA record for most assists in the game (30) a quarter century later. And he is a tough, old school coach whose teams always tune him out in the end.
Skiles’ demeanor — tough, old school, grumpy, commanding — embodies an old style of coaching in the NBA. The his-way-or-highway style the NBA grew with. It has its place and helps teams take their first steps.