All hail Prince Mike of orange in FNQ
Mike Kelly has grown hugely in stature as an NBL coach and this season has shaped the Taipans into a winning combination.
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It may have been a throwaway line from Scott Machado, but in the space of a few seconds the American point guard summed up his coach’s trajectory over the last two NBL seasons perfectly.
Speaking after training at the Fish Tank, the experienced guard, who has plied his trade around the world, described Mike Kelly’s coaching pathway as a “beautiful journey”.
It’s a curious statement from a player in portraying his coach but the descriptor is accurate
In his two seasons in charge, Kelly has savoured the extreme highs and plummeted to the lows of NBL coaching, very quickly.
It was the toughest initiation for the rookie mentor last year, enduring a 14-game losing sequence at one stage, and claiming a wooden spoon with a 6-22 record.
In the process, the critics were gunning for the former Melbourne assistant, with NBL legend Steve Carfino questioning if Kelly was hard enough on his playing group.
But, how quickly has it changed.
Former Taipan and fan favourite Cameron Tragardh declared Kelly was on the way to claiming Coach of the Year honours earlier this season and his team has only improved since then.
He has turned his club around from the bottom of the ladder to having the second best rated defence in the league within 12 months.
Taipans co-captain Nate Jawai recently said the club’s turnaround from easybeats to finals contenders starts and finishes with the two-time NBL Defensive Player of the Year.
“In pre-season we just came in every day and competed and that is his main word for us ‘compete’,” Jawai said.
“We have built habits along those lines, as well as toughness, to grind out games.
“From the start of everything, he just said we need to compete and everything will come into place.
“We started 0-3 and now we are in a situation where we can do something special.
“It started with coach and it has trickled down to the whole group, like I said, we are winning now.”
NBL MVP hopeful Machado has only been in the Far North for one of Kelly’s two campaigns with the clipboard in hand, but he has observed serious improvement.
Machado described the 52-year-old as a mentor he could confide in, someone who listens intently and from a player’s perspective, if he says something, you can take his word for it.
“You can see the growth in Mike, growing in his confidence, allowing us to be more trustworthy as well,” Machado said.
“Mike is getting to understand himself in this realm of coaching as well.
“It is has been a beautiful journey, he will continue to grow.”
Second-year assistant coach Brad Hill says his boss did not enjoy the losing last season but believes the entire coaching group, who have all remained from 2018-19, learnt from the experiences.
“Last year was Mike’s first head coaching role with an NBL side and I think you learn from actually doing it,” Hill said.
“Losing games, you learn how to fix those problems, recruiting players too, Mike has done a great job of putting this team together.
“And then, continuing to form your own identity, it does not happen straight away and Mike has done a great job of pushing forward and continuing to grow.
“The players have done the same thing as the season has gone on too, it is just continued growth.”
The beautiful journey looks likely to continue on to the playoffs in a few weeks’ time.
ROUND 17
TAIPANS V SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
When: Sunday, 2pm, Victoria State Basketball Centre
Likely Taipans starters: Majok Deng, DJ Newbill, Mirko Djeric, Scott Machado, Cameron Oliver
Coach: Mike Kelly
Phoenix starters: Mitch Creek, Tai Wesley, John Roberson, Ben Madgen, Dane Pineau
Coach: Simon Mitchell
Ladbrokes odds: Taipans $1.77, Phoenix $2.05
Originally published as All hail Prince Mike of orange in FNQ