From the Editor

FROM THE EDITOR, Rick Leddy

Looking back on 37 years with the NABC

Since May of 1985, I have recorded the minutes of almost every board of directors meeting – probably 99% – under the direction of more than 35 presidents and three executive directors . In the early days, I used yellow legal pads to carefully write (or scribble) the notes and comments before transcribing them on a typewriter . That’s so far in the past that very few if any millennials, who are now 40, have ever touched the keys of a classic Royal . As tedious as it seems, I loved every minute of it while in the room with legends . John Thompson, Jr. was NABC president at my first convention board meeting at the 1986 Final Four in Dallas . Following closely behind Big John as NABC presidents were more Hall of Fame coaches – Jud Heathcote and Clarence “Big House” Gaines, two of my all-time favorites . All those minutes from the board meetings at the convention and in the summer were published in the Basketball Bulletin, a 112-page magazine . It featured numerous stories, photos, updates on coaches and numerous detailed clinics, each often covering multiple pages . Included was a listing of every member coach who was on one of the NABC’s 24 committees, covering just about every possible topic . Listed among those committee chairs were many of college basketball’s legends including Dean Smith, Abe Lemons, Dave Gavitt, Bill Foster and Marv Harshman . It was a very different time then . Things moved more slowly, and events were often family friendly . Summer meetings were conducted in conjunction with the NCAA staff, men’s basketball committee and CBS and were held over several days . Wives were welcomed to the summer meetings, and it offered the opportunity to develop some longlasting relationships . Business was conducted in the morning, golf in the afternoon and social gatherings in the evening . There also seemed to be a greater sense of collegiality among the coaches during that time, especially at NABC conventions at the Final Four . A suite was available for board members and guests to share ideas, a beverage, and the chance to critique the performances, especially after Saturday’s semifinal games . It was also a time when the Final Four was held in smaller “basketball” arenas, where just about every seat was a good one . There are so many fond memories from being at the Final Four as part of the NABC . Here are a few . My first seat was in press row at Reunion Arena in Dallas, which had about five percent of the mass number of media covering the events today; driving to pick up 1987 player of the year David Robinson, standing in front of his hotel resplendent in his Navy uniform, to take him to the NABC awards show; my wife sharing a box of hot tamales with Ken Griffey, Jr ., sitting right behind us, to get an autograph in Seattle; and most recently, attending the Villanova Easter Mass in San Antonio as outsiders among what seemed to be a thousand faithful Wildcat fans in a hotel ballroom . The one play that I can still visualize today is freshman Grant Hill getting an alley-oop pass from Bobby Hurley for an incredible slam dunk in Duke’s win over Kansas in national championship game in Indianapolis . You can view it on YouTube at https://youtu .be/ Efpg49NUgYQ All those moments pale in comparison to the wonderful people I have been fortunate to meet and work with through more than three decades . Just like in sports, our NABC team works seamlessly and unselfishly, striving to serve the needs of our member coaches. Even in the most difficult of times in this COVID pandemic when our coaches were unable to gather for two conventions, the NABC staff offered a virtual Fall Summit in 2020 and a virtual convention during the 2021 Final Four . Coming up a bit later this month, on October 27&28, the NABC will offer another Fall Summit for its member coaches and is planning for an inperson NABC Convention for New Orleans .