Blazers Assistant Coach David Vanterpool Embraces Mentor Role

The Trail Blazers’ coaching staff is loaded from one end of the bench to the other. Coach Terry Stotts’ crew features two premier head coaching candidates in David Vanterpool and Nate Tibbetts. Both coaches have received attention in recent summers, and at some point it is likely that they will inherent head coaching duties of their own.

Vanterpool, a veteran player of both domestic and foreign leagues, spoke with HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy about the most rewarding aspects of being an assistant coach.

“My favorite part of the job is the opportunity to impact these young men’s lives,” Vanterpool said. “You’d be surprised how many times the conversation gravitates from basketball to life. In this job, you get an opportunity to be closely related to some of the most admired people in sports. But, aside from them being admired for their athletic prowess, they’re still people. They’re highly talented; more talented than I could’ve ever dreamed to be. But you realize that you can contribute to their lives aside from their profession. If I have some little tidbit I can offer a player and it can impact his life, that is really gratifying. Sometimes, it’s telling them about a mistake that I made in the past. That means a lot to me. You’re watching these kids’ lives completely transform.”

Vanterpool joined the Blazers staff before the 2012-13 season. Prior to coming to Portland, he served on CSKA Moscow’s coaching staff. After the conclusion of the 2017-18 regular season, Vanterpool was interviewed for both the Magic and Hornets’ head coaching positions.

You can read Kennedy’s full article by visiting HoopsHype.