“I received a lot of text messages with exclamation points. And I still get a lot of it as if I had taken a job as a coach. From everyone. From my friends from other teams. They all asked me if I was serious. »
David Fizdale recounted those moments at Andscape November 25. Since the recovery and for the first time since 2003, we no longer see the former assistant coach of the Heat or the ephemeral former coach of New York and Memphis on the benches of the NBA. It is now in the offices, in Utah.
Why this change of direction in his career? The pandemic and the announcement of a first child in March 2020 have changed everything, as well as a critical assessment of his behavior on a personal level.
“I don’t know what clicked. But I was so engrossed in coaching. Probably more than I should have been. As soon as my wife told me that a child was coming, I thought about whether I was capable of doing this job with a baby. I didn’t say anything to my wife, I started to think about it, to examine my conscience. I don’t think I was very present, as a husband, when I was a coach. I was bringing work home, leaving early. I felt like I couldn’t handle it all. »
Nevertheless, in 2021, David Fizdale sets out again on the adventure on the side of Los Angeles alongside Frank Vogel.
The season ends and he delivers to Darvin Ham, the new coach of the Lakers, his desires elsewhere. For his part, in Atlanta, Nate McMillan would like him on his staff.
“This decision has already been, personally, what I was looking for”
To deepen his reasoning and find answers, the 2012 and 2013 champion with the Miami franchise decides to speak to leaders: Pat Riley, the president of the Heat, Tommy Sheppard, the GM of the Wizards or even Lawrence Frank, the president of the Clippers. .
“I started interviewing people I knew, people who were going to tell me the truth. Am I totally crazy to make this decision at 48? You don’t make that kind of decision at 48. I’m supposed to live the best years of my career. »
David Fizdale also asked Dwayne Wade for his opinion. The former Miami assistant and the Heat legend, now co-owner of the Jazz, exchanged and the second seemed very surprised by this career choice.
“I told him that I was considering making a drastic change, leaving coaching for a while to move into the offices of a franchise. To better manage my schedule, to be more present as a husband and father. He thought I was crazy. He thought I was a coach. We talked about it, we laughed about it. He had a hard time imagining that I was no longer a coach. »
The 2006 Finals MVP slipped this information to Danny Ainge, the new Jazz strongman since leaving the Celtics. At the same time, David Fizdale does not rule out the idea of joining Atlanta and accepting Nate McMillan’s offer. He is even very close to doing so, out of desire and financial need. He confirms this to Dwane Wade, who asks him to wait because he wants to discuss it again with the former Boston leader.
“My phone rings and it’s Danny Ainge,” remembers David Fizdale. “He told me he talked to D-Wade. He detailed the position of assistant GM, told me that we do this for a year and that we take stock at the end, to find out if I still want to do this. And this decision has already been, personally, what I was looking for. It’s different from coaching, where decisions are made immediately. When you’re a leader, it’s not 24 hours a day. And I’m lucky that the Jazz let me do it. »
