Duane Ticknor, who was hired as the new head coach of the Dakota Wizards on Friday, is returning to Bismarck for his second stint with the Wizards. Ticknor led Dakota to a 30-6 record in the 1999-2000 season, where he was assisted by Dave Joerger, who is now an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies after leading Dakota to the 2006-07 D-League Championship. D-League.com's Matthew Brennan caught up with Ticknor shortly after his hiring and he discussed how he is looking forward to leading the Wizards as they chase another D-League title.

What are your thoughts on coming back to Bismarck to coach the Dakota Wizards?

"I think it’s a great opportunity to go back there. We had a great run when they were in the IBA, and Dave Joerger was my assistant. When I left Bismarck Dave became the head coach, and its kind of funny that he makes the NBA and now I am coming back in to replace him, what goes around comes around. I am glad to be back, Dakota has great ownership and fan support that is know as one of the best throughout minor league basketball, and the quality of play in Dakota has been spectacular over the past six or seven years, so we are hoping to continue that.

I am also really looking forward to going back there to see all of the friends who I’ve made in Bismarck throughout the years, both as a coach and as an opposing coach."

Since your first stint with the Wizards ended, what else have you been up to in your coaching career?>

"I stayed at Bismarck one year and I took a job with the Siouxland Bombers in the IBA, which was only 45 minutes from my home. That was really the only reason why I left Bismarck or I never would left, but it was a chance to be close to home. Then the IBA and the CBA merged, and Sioux City wasn’t really a big enough market for the CBA. Then I went to the Gary Steelheads of the CBA, I was there for a two and a half years before I became ill with diabetes, so I had to sit out for a while.

I was fortunate enough to get everything under control and for the last two years I have been athletic director and basketball coach at Marquette Catholic High School in Michigan City, Indiana. The best thing about that was I had the chance to coach my son in his junior and senior year of high school. I guess things are meant to be sometimes, and it was a great experience for my family. Especially when you are a pro basketball coach, you miss a lot of your kid’s things, so it was a fantastic experience."

Obviously winning games is important, but what are some of your other goals that you are hoping to accomplish with the Wizards?

"Bismarck is a unique situation, because success is expected. I think most coaches would say they thrive on that situation. The D-League is a little different, because you want to win games but there is also the big picture of developing relationships with the NBA teams, especially your affiliates.

You want to understand what NBA teams want in terms of the people that we are working with. You also want to spend time working on individual weaknesses. To be realistic, you know that you’re players are not in the NBA for a reason, or maybe more than one reason, so let’s be honest with each other, find out what they are, and go to work. Even when we had two-a-days, I would devote at least one practice to individual work, so it’s something that I take a lot of pride in."

How you kept up with what's been going on with the Wizards and in the D-League?

"I talk to guys, three guys who coached in the D-League last year (Bryan Gates, Dave Joerger, Dale Osborne) worked under me as assistants. My phones were usually ringing I would talk to some people at least once and with Dave I would speak to him four or five times a week. Not only were they my former colleagues so we were close friends, so it’s good to be back in the mainstream with those guys."

What are some of the more unique challenges that a coach in a league like this faces?

"I think the key with minor leagues is getting players to understand that it’s not all about statistics to make the NBA. There are not a whole lot of guys who are going to go out and average 23 points a night in the NBA. But they are looking for contributors, guys that are going to work hard and do what role players need to do. If you can get the players to buy into that and develop a trust factor, it’s not something that just happens, but you need to work on it."

Who are some of the best players that you've coached in your career?

"I’ve had Damon Jones in his rookie season, Keith McLeod, Lee Nailon, and if you want to go back you can talk about guys like Connor Henry and Keith Smart. I coached Keith for a long time in Rapid City. I can go on and on, those are some of the guys."

Both Dave Joerger and Bryan Gates served on coaching staffs with you. How does it feel to see the success that they have had as head coaches?

"You talk about a sense of pride for me to see the success of those guys. You have to wish Dave and his family nothing but the best as the hard work that he’s put in over the last ten years has finally paid off for him. I think that Memphis is a great spot for him, he can grow as the team grows, and I know that Marc is going to give him lots of opportunities to contribute.

Bryan started out as a really good player personnel guy, and learned the x’s and o’s the hard way. He has coached in leagues all over the world just to become better at his profession, and I think that has shown in the past few years. I feel that he is going to be one of the next D-League guys that gets the call up to the NBA."

Now that you are in place with the Wizards, what's next for you as you get ready for the season?

"I’ll head up to Bismarck next week and start get settled up there. Then I’ll come home and get my son settled into college, and just make sure that my family is settled. My wife is a school administrator in a suburb of Chicago, she’s been married to me for 29 years so she knows what it’s all about. You have to make sure that your family is all settled because if you’re uncomfortable and your family is uncomfortable that’s not going to work. I’m very fortunate that Mary is so understanding of what my career choice has been and I think that is always number one with me.

Then I have to go to work on getting my big board together, and who we think will be coming back off the championship team which is key. Other than that, just get back to my friends and Bismarck and being acclimated to the people and the city. We want to contribute to the city off the court as well, and I think that the people of Bismarck know that that is one of my goals."