Getting to Know the Celtics Assistants Part 5
by FLCeltsFan @ CelticsBlog on Aug 20, 2007 8:02 AM EDT
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Today, we continue the look at the Celtics assistant coaches with Mike Crotty. You won't see him on the sidelines but he is perhaps one of the most important assistants on the team as he works directly with the players to be sure that their lives are in order so that they can concentrate on the basketball end of things. Of course, he also works with the players in practice and when the injuries hit last season, he was even pressed into service in practices so that they had enough players to run 4 on 4 or 5 on 5 drills.
Mike Crotty's title is Director of Player Development. He is responsible for working with Celtics players on personal and professional development, community service projects, helping the players adjust to living in the Boston area, scouting, video breakdowns, orchestrating individual workouts and when needed scrimmaging with the players.
Crotty's love of basketball goes way back to his youth. He joined leagues, whatever ones he could get in, at 7 years old, 8, 10, 12. Two, three games in a day. He graduated from Belmont High and then attended Williams College. He made a mark at Williams starting every single game in his career. He accumulated 752 assists (only the 5th player in Division III history to reach 750) and scored 1,287 points. He has set the Williams single-season assist record each of his first three seasons. He went to the Division 3 national championship game consecutive years, earning All-America honors twice.
One night, while he was at Willams, the Harlem Globetrotters came to the college. Crotty scored 20 points on them. Afterwards, they called him and asked if he'd like to play for a team that would play against the Globetrotters. Crotty accepted the offer. They played in 10 countries in Europe. Along the way, he joined EBC Muenster for some serious basketball in Germany. He stayed three months and was the only American on the team.
Back home in the US, Crotty continued to play in any leagues and pick up games he could find. Mike's dad had coached the son of Celtics owner Steve Pagliuca. One day, Mike approached Pagliuca and asked if there was anything at all he could do to help the team. Steve sent him to see Danny Ainge. Crotty was offered an internship with the team and for a kid who grew up a Celtics fan and who loved basketball, this was a dream come true.
Crotty served for four months as an intern under Ainge. He scouted college players for the 2005 draft, hosted college players visiting the Celtics for workouts and performed other administrative duties. Ainge liked what he saw and offered Crotty the position of Director of Player Development. His number one project in his first year on the job was Gerald Green. With Green fresh out of high school, Crotty had his work cut out for him. It was his job to stay with Green when he went down to the D-League in his rookie year.
Crotty has been a constant with the team, making himself available for just about anything that is needed. He is at all the practices and works with players to help them adjust to life on their own, helps them learn to make the right choices, helps them to work in the community, and also help them with their development on the court.
This past week, Crotty has been doing informal drills with Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and several other members of the Celtics who are back in Boston working on their games. He also worked with his dad putting on a camp for area kids at which Rondo and Pierce appeared. Although you won't see him on the bench during games, Mike Crotty is an important assistant nonetheless. He works out with the players on the court and helps to keep the young players in line off the court. He also helps the older players like KG and Ray Allen who are coming in find their way around Boston and get settled. While he won't have as many young players to work with this season, I have a feeling he will still have plenty to do.
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This kid is a joke. First off, when you look at other teams they have former NBA players in this role, not some D3 player who played overseas for one year. Give me a break. I guess knowing someone in ownership does help you, as that is all he can claim. One of the many ex-celtics would fit in nicely here. What about all the off-court problems (Telfair, Orien, etc.)? Isn’t that his job, to make sure this doesn’t happen?
by bostoncelts0101 on Aug 20, 2007 7:35 AM EDT reply actions
I think the comments above are a bit harsh, but I do agree that we probably should have a person who players would instantly respect (i.e. a former player) in the role of teaching them how to conduct themselves.
While this kid has a great story and I am glad to see him have some success, I think it’s a bit suspect that with his resume he is handling players a on a championship caliber team.
by dinoradja on Aug 20, 2007 7:46 AM EDT reply actions
I did not mean to come off like that. My main point is I wish we had someone in there with more experience. (NBA)
by bostoncelts0101 on Aug 20, 2007 7:55 AM EDT reply actions
SO do we assume that all NBA teams use former NBA players at this position? It sounds a lot like a jack of all trades, babysitter type position and I doubt many former NBA players that will garner ‘respect’ would do it. Maybe I am wrong. Do the players have to do what he says? Like I cant see Telfair listening to him. Maybe Gerald, his dad would smack him if he didnt. What about Jefferson or Perk? Easygoing guys, but would they tolerate babysitting? Maybe if not given a choice I guess they would have. 8)
Could be he is nothing more than a recorder for what the players are up to and who they are hanging with.
In that case it seems fine. But if he is responsible for mentoring young players, well…perhaps we should look for someone who players could relate to.
by dinoradja on Aug 20, 2007 9:26 AM EDT reply actions
Mike Crotty’s picture — striking fear in the hearts of Western Conference opponents since 2005.
Just poking fun. In his realtive short experience, it seems like he’s has done whatever is put in front of him to do. Can’t complain about that.
by Luke Middleton on Aug 20, 2007 10:06 AM EDT reply actions
3 examples:
1. Hawks – Greg Ballard (Bullets)
2. Mavs – Ronaldo Blackman
3. Bobcats – Dell Curry
Just a few examples that teams use NBA players to assist in development.
by bostoncelts0101 on Aug 20, 2007 10:25 AM EDT reply actions
I wish this kid the best in life, but I have to echo some of the sentiments above. He looks like he just got his braces off … is that really the person best qualified to help playters develop as human beings? Seems the role would be better filled by a Mr. Miyagi type—a former player who knows the perils and temptations and has made some mistakes himself and who, most imprtantly, commands respect. This guy looks like the kid who delivers my newspaper.
that is unbelievable! crotty played for the same club in germany, I played six years long as a teenager. oh man! too bad i never saw him, playing somewhere else…
by the way it is called “ubc muenster” ;D
by Demondays on Aug 20, 2007 10:56 AM EDT reply actions
http://www.wesh.com/news/13929862/detail.html
This is exciting, glad it’s got nothing to do with the C’s…
A man was shot at the home of a professional basketball player early Monday morning, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting happened at the home of DeShawn Stevenson, a guard with the Washington Wizards, officials said.
mcpu,
2 interesting thigs in that story—Brandon Hunter is the former Celtic 2nd rounder a lot of people on this site mistakenly thought was going to lead the league in rebounds. And the guy who matches the description of the suspect is the one with a gunshot wound … which hints that maybe there was more than 1 gun fired.
Lots of ex-players help out with mentoring, and that’s the case with the Celtics, just as with other franchises. Bill Russell comes in and talks to the team about teamwork and living the right way. Doc and Danny are former players. Clifford Ray is a former player.
But, I doubt that Greg Ballard was holding Josh Smith’s hand on a daily basis. I doubt those fellows you mentioned would have traveled to a D-League city with their team’s #1 prospect.
As far as looking young, well, so does Lawrence Frank. And Frank was never an All American in any division.
Regarding holding Crotty responsible for L’Affair Telfair, well, Telfair seems to have had an interesting relationship with guns since before he came to the Celtics.
Orien Greene sped way too fast one night, which is a rotten thing to do, but it’s something anyone could do, and basically he seemed to be a good guy. In fact, look at all the Celtics youngsters except Telfair. Green, Jefferson, Perkins, Gomes, West, …. These are probably all wonderful young men who wouldn’t have been in any trouble even if the Celtics had no one in Crotty’s position, but the fact is that the young Celtics have been a fairly well-behaved group, so Crotty seems to be doing okay at his job.
The point is, Crotty is one guy among many in management; it’s not like the whole responsibility for mentoring young players falls on his shoulders. Furthermore, he is well enough respected that he has been advancing through the organization. Plus, he’s probably at this point the best basketball player among the Celtics’ assistants.
He seems to be a good dedicated young assistant, however, he also looks like my paperboy.
by docextension on Aug 20, 2007 12:49 PM EDT reply actions
I suppose he was a good obstacle for green to dunk over in practice
by dinoradja on Aug 20, 2007 1:09 PM EDT reply actions
Crotty. Boston. Kush job based on no experience or qualifications. Makes perfect sense. Nepotism wasn’t invented by the Massachusetts Irish, but they have turned it into an art form.
I’m just kidding, of course. No truth to my joke at all. My last name is O’Connor, and I was born in Worcester, and only about half of my family is on the state payroll.
They must’ve really wanted to go full force into the youth movement. I heard they brought him in to decipher Big Al’s text messages for the management. ‘WTF? Danny, LOL…PERK n ME BFF, ttyl! :)’.
by dinoradja on Aug 20, 2007 2:33 PM EDT reply actions
bostoncelts0101 – Be a Man and stand up to your comment. You can’t start off your post with This kid is a joke and then when you get called out say that you didn’t mean to come off harsh. Of course you did. You were right on! The kid is a joke may be a little harsh, but he looks like he is 14 years old. Who on this roster would respect a word he says. It sounds like he is more responsible for getting them public photo opps and taking care of things than actually showing them how to do anything though.
What a bunch of superficial morons most of you are! You know nothing, NOTHING, about the internal day to day operations of the team and personnel. You have NO IDEA how he is regarded by players, staff, etc., yet you can do nothing but insult him because of how he looks in a photo?? Give me a break, you’re Celtics fans? Did Larry Bird LOOK like a basketball player? Grow up, morons. This is clearly the part of most of you that is somehow able to call the Red Sox your favorite baseball team coming through.
by pressnarc on Aug 20, 2007 6:04 PM EDT reply actions
Well his father runs the Middlesex Magic AAU. If you ask 10 people that have been exposed to that organization at least 8 would not say very good things. Steve Pagliuca son was on the U12 team this past season and it was a nightmare for the kids as they lost all the time and did not practice and only played in Middlesex Magic tournaments. It was another one of the AAU clubs that hides behind the non-profit status while Mike Crotty Sr. lines his pockets with money. I have been involved in AAU for a long time and it is a nightmare organization. So if the apple does not fall far from the tree then this kids is a joke like his father. Does it sound like I have a ax to grind? Well if it does then so be it.
by Gang Green on Aug 20, 2007 6:30 PM EDT reply actions
Played against Mike in college, tough to describe: I couldn’t stand him, he was kind of a weinie, a drama queen, really full of himself, and a bit of a complainer; one of those types. Its too bad, he was a talented player.
Worcester pride….I love it
by LoveThatDirtyWater on Aug 21, 2007 8:14 AM EDT reply actions
pressnarc – Of course Larry looked like a basketball player. He was 6’9 and 220 lbs. Someone that size walks by you I think most people are thinking that he plays basketball. Crotty walks by you and you are wondering if he is trying to sell you a candy bar for the school fundraiser. Moron?! Not a very nice comment. Sounds kind of superficial to me…
LoveThatDirtyWater – Sounds just like his father, Mike Sr.
by Gang Green on Aug 21, 2007 12:54 PM EDT reply actions
sounds like a kid who is working hard and doing well for himself being bashed for being young. Knowing someone may have got him in the door as an INTERN but it was Ainge who gave him the job as Director of Player Development after Crotty worked under him.
there are some seriously bitter old men out here.
by robotsnowflake on Aug 21, 2007 10:17 PM EDT reply actions
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