During exit interviews, several Oklahoma City Thunder players spoke highly of head coach Mark Daigneault.
Deservingly so. The third-year coach was named a finalist for Coach of the Year for guiding the Thunder to a 40-42 record and a postseason win. After being projected to be one of the worst teams in the league, the young Thunder were one of the biggest overachievers.
Daigneault was not present during the exit interviews because his wife Ashley Kerr, who is an assistant coach for OU women’s gymnastics program, gave birth to their daughter earlier that day.
Daigneault’s aura was felt though. Player after player spoke glowingly about his coaching. Let’s look at the best quotes regarding Daigneault.
Dario Saric:
“I think he really thinks ahead, really thinks ahead. … He sees the game a little bit different. He is ready to kind of like — I can say like gamble on kind of some things. You know, we do some strategy, kind of like what is different. Some coaches have like where they stick to it. He’s kind of like open mind to kind of like try things on the court, and great coach. I think he’s a great coach. I think he’s on the court, off the court a great person, and he’s the right coach for these young people here. That’s what I can say.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
“I didn’t learn nothing (new about Daigneault). I knew what type of coach he was his first year here. He has a core belief system, and I 100% agree with it. I think it’s the right way to go about the game.
“I think him instilling those things in us when we were a 15-win team to when we were a 22-win team until now has made it easier for us to grow because it’s instilled in us habits that we carry forward, and I think he’s done a great job of that.
“I think he doesn’t waver; his temperament, his attention to detail, his approach to every day doesn’t change. … whether we win or lose. I think he’s one heck of a coach. He’s on his way.”
Kenrich Williams:
“I definitely seen some areas of growth. Coach Mark from Day 1 here, he’s always been pretty much the same. He’s had the same mentality every day. He comes here and he shows up, and he pushes us to another level.
“I think that him being able to hold everybody on the roster accountable from 1 to 16, even Shai, I think that that’s his biggest kind of value that he brings to the team that kind of goes unnoticed, is definitely accountability.”
Lu Dort:
“One thing that coach Mark has really done a great job of is really pushing us to play hard and compete. That was the main thing always. Even though we’re a younger team, less experienced, the main thing is always to go out there and compete and play hard and live with the result. That’s one of the things that he’s been doing a good job at, and also just the team, some of the players we just grew through experience. We’ve played more games, been in tougher situations. I feel like that’s good for us to go through those type of experiences just to get better. …
“The foundation that he sets and the way he’s getting us ready for big games or anything. You know, Mark is a great coach, and he knows what he’s doing at the same time. Just us being young, we have no choice, one, to listen to him, and at the same time we just trust him, everything that he’s been telling us to do.
I’m real happy. I feel like I’m getting better as a player just playing under Mark. I’m looking forward for the next year to come.”
Aleksej Pokusevski:
“He’s an unbelievable person as a whole. If you’re struggling, he’s going to be there. He’s a great coach, obviously. When you’re a player of (his), it’s easy because he puts you in the right position. The only thing you’ve got to do is compete.”
Josh Giddey:
“He is the head of the snake. He’s what we’re doing here, and I think his composure and you always seen, he’s always very level headed. When games are close or whatever is happening on the floor, he’s always remained calm.
“I think that sends a message to the team to kind of keep that same level-headedness on the floor, and he’s such a smart — for such a young coach, he’s such a smart coach. I think guys love to play with him. He’s a real player’s coach. He gives you freedom, within reason. He’s honest with you. For me, I love playing for him.
Ever since I came in here, he was honest with me from the start about how he coached, and I was honest with him about how I liked to be coached, and we got on the same page really early.
To have a good relationship with your coach like that is important because as a ball handler, you have to be an extension of him on the floor, so we trust each other, and yeah, I love playing for him…
“Obviously, every coach you have is different. No coach is going to be the same. But for me this is the (best) coach that I’ve always — if I could build a coach, it’s Mark. He lets me play freely. He’s honest with me. He gives me feedback, criticism, and for me, I don’t take none of it personally.
When he gets on me I look at it from a point of he wants me to be better, he wants me to improve. That’s a relationship you need to have with your coach because if you’re taking things personally every time you’re yelled at, you’re not going to better from it.
He’s great with me in that sense. As I said, from Day 1 I’ve loved playing for him, and looking forward to next year and many years after that.”
Aaron Wiggins:
“He has his own coaching style and he’s a great coach. I saw he was in the finalists for Coach of the Year this year. He deserves it. He’s done a good job just kind of bringing us together and leading us.
“He’s really good with pregame, like just kind of finding ways to motivate guys because it’s a long season, and there are a lot of different opportunities for guys to kind of not have it on certain nights, and he does a good job just making you realize that in life there are days where you don’t have it, but things could be a lot worse, situations could be a lot worse, and you’ve got to bring your best effort night in and night out if we want to maximize our team opportunities.
“It’s been an experience. I’ve enjoyed it, and you know I look forward to more time with him, hopefully.”
Lindy Waters III:
“He’s a great coach. He’s an even better human being. He’s also taught me a lot about things outside of basketball as well as on the basketball court.
“But yeah, I come to him for advice or just if I want to talk or we read books and we talk about those. Yeah, he’s great.”
Chet Holmgren:
“I think he should be Coach of the Year. Yeah, I think that’s all I’ve got to say. I think he should be Coach of the Year.”
Jalen Williams:
“He’s definitely a player’s coach for sure. I’ve loved it. I think just how open he is with me and kind of where he sees me I think is genuine. That’s not something that every coach has.
“I think for a coach to have a certain relationship with every player is rare, and I think he’s done a really good job of that. I think he’s been able to really help us be a young team. It’s hard to coach a young team, and I think he’s done a really good job of that.
“He’s been able to relate to it. Kind of just lets us do our thing. Kind of gives us guidance along the way, and I think that’s kind of been the best thing for us, so I’m excited for year two with him.”
Jaylin Williams:
“Mark is a great coach, he’s a player’s coach from the beginning. On my draft day, I didn’t know who he was and he was just sitting on the side and I was just being nice saying hello to everybody, and we had a conversation and he ended up being the head coach.
“Yeah, he’s a player’s coach and he’s a great guy, and he’s always been great to me.”
