Now in his fourth year on Pop's staff and coming off a summer where he helped bring prized free agent LaMarcus Aldridge to San Antonio, Ime Udoka's notable career continues to silently trend upward. I spoke with former NBA player and coach Sam Vincent about the qualities that Udoka brings as an assistant on the Spurs bench.
Career paths are rarely open lanes to the basket; they require the same patience and development that many Spurs possessions do, with opportunities often presenting themselves in various circuitous ways. It's a notion that's even more truthful for those who join Gregg Popovich's esteemed coaching tree, where international experience and disparate perspectives help make up the fabric of his brain trust.