Brian Shaw excited to teach his NBA G League 'kids'

MANILA, Philippines — When Brian Shaw first came to the NBA via the Boston Celtics during the 1990-91 season, then head coach Chris Ford and veteran players Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish referred to the former and his teammates Dee Brown, Kevin Gamble and the late Reggie Lewis as “the kids”.

It was a reference to the Celtics’ youth movement.

Today, Shaw is the head coach of the NBA’s G-League select team, a squad that includes Filipino phenom Kai Sotto, top American high school prospect Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd and Dashien Nix. The young cagers begin their professional careers with a keen eye on the NBA in the near future.

“I am excited to coach these two young players (Green and Sotto),” said Shaw during a zoom meeting this morning, August 13. “I had the good opportunity to coach Jalen Green in the Nike Hoop Academy. He’s a very talented player.”

“In terms of potential, I haven’t seen much of Kai Sotto,” admitted Shaw of the former Ateneo Blue Eaglet. “He’s a big guy with a nice skill set and nice touch and has a very good understanding of the game with a high IQ. 

During Shaw’s time as a player, his first NBA coach was Chris Ford with the Celtics. In what was Bird’s last great season before he retired, Boston topped the Atlantic Division with a 56-26 record, but lost to the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Shaw suited up for Boston for two seasons before he moved around with Miami, Orlando, Golden State, Philadelphia and Portland before finding a home with the Los Angeles Lakers where he was a part of its three-peat from 2000-02.

“It’s funny it happened so fast and I went full circle,” described Shaw of his younger days as a player. “The coaches and veteran players that I played with said always told me, ‘Before you know it, it will be over. Learn as much as you can. Take advantage of what you can while you can.’”

“All my coaches from Chris Ford and moving forward all said I had the acumento be a coach. When I was young and joined the Celtics I didn’t have any idea that was what I was going to transition into. But as I got later in my career I started going to coaches’ meetings with Phil Jackson and some of his assistants.”

“And you know what this is something I wanted to get into to stay connectedin the game I love.”

With regards now to his “kids”, Shaw laughed and summed his thoughts, “I am happy to be in a position to pass on some of my knowledge and experience. My job is to try and develop these guys and teach them as well as be pros on and off the court.”

“It is just a little challenging because of the pandemic.”