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ShareNBA Europe Live Daily Blog - Tony DiLeo
As the 76ers spend two weeks in Europe as a part of NBA Europe Live, Assistant General Manager and Senior Vice-President of Basketball Operations Tony DiLeo will offer a unique perspective through a daily blog on Sixers.com. When the team heads to Cologne, Germany on Oct. 8, it will bring back memories for DiLeo as he played and coached in West Germany for 10 seasons before joining the Sixers staff for the 1990-91 season. He coached the West German men’s and women’s teams from 1979-90, winning nine national titles in the country’s top division. DiLeo was selected as the West German federation National Coach (1981-85) and the country’s coach of the year in 1987.
In 1984, DiLeo wrote and published the European Basketball Handbook, a guide to accommodated American players overseas. He also has written a manual on rule differences among international basketball, the NBA and the NCAA.
DiLeo now assists President Billy King with player procurement through his evaluation of amateur and professional talent, and supervises the team’s draft effort and college and professional scouting systems.
Day 11 - Oct. 10: Day 11 began with a quick shootaround in the morning. We ran through some basic sets on both the offensive and defensived ends to prepare for our game in the evening. The shootaround went for about an hour and then we went back to the hotel for an afternoon off.
I went over to the arena early in the evening to watch the game between CSKA Moscow and Maccabi Tel Aviv that took place before ours. It was a good game, with both teams looking sharp, and CSKA Moscow was able to prevail in the end to advance to play the winner of our game in the NBA Europe Live Championship.
Our game began at 9pm and was very exciting. Once again, it was a very spirited European crowd that was excited to see the NBA players, especially Allen Iverson. The game started out well on both ends, but Phoenix gradually built a lead that grew to 22 points midway through the third quarter.
The Sixers were then able to mount a terrific comeback that was very uplifting. Coach Cheeks played Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney, Rick Brunson, Shavlik Randolph and Kyle Korver the entire fourth quarter against four of the Suns starters, and they were able to play terrific defense and ended up winning on a three-pointer by Rodney Carney with 10.5 seconds left. Perhaps one of the best parts of the comeback for me was watching the veterans, led by Allen Iverson, really get excited and energized by the comeback. Iverson was even jumping off the bench and congratulating his teammates during timeouts.
After the game we attended a reception for the teams. It was very nice for me, because there were lots of people from the Germany area that I know that were there. Dirk Nowitzki's mother and German trainer were also there, and I got to meet them.
We got back to the hotel late, and started to gameplan for our game tomorrow against CSKA Moscow. It should be another exciting game, because Moscow is very good.
Day 10 - Oct. 9: Day 10 was our first practice in Cologne. We came over to the arena, which is the biggest and best arena in Europe. It is an NBA type arena with suites and seats about 18,000 people. It looks just like an NBA arena in America. We came over and the Phoenix Suns were practicing at first. As their practice ended up we talked with a bunch of their coaches and players on the court.
Again, we had a very spirited practice breaking down our defense. We worked on execution on the offensive end as well. The players are really working hard. We're looking forward to tomorrow night when we play against the Phoenix Suns. It will be a little bit more of a familiar type game. We'll know the players better and the style better, so it will be more of a familiar game for us.
After practice I went over to an NBA Cares even with Samuel Dalembert. We did a clinic for the kids and dedicated a play area for the children along with Leandro Barbosa from the Phoenix Suns.
And then after the NBA Cares event I went over to watch the practice of the Rhein Energie Cologne team. That is the team that won the German Championship and that is the former club team where I coached. They have a player that the Orlando Magic drafted last year, Marcin Gortat, and they have some good young players that we wanted to get a look at while we're hear.
And then I went out to eat with the General Manager of the Cologne team, Stephon Beck, who was a former player of mine and also an assistant coach. He actually had a tryout with the 76ers. I arranged for him to have a tryout with the 76ers back in 1986 or 1987. We just talked about old times and all the players that I coached and he played with, and he just brought me up to date on a lot of the things happening in Germany.
It was a great day, it was great to be in Germany. I'm familiar with the area, with the people, with the customs, and with the language, so it turned out great.
Day 9 - Oct. 8: Day nine was our last day in Barcelona. We had a very energetic practice in the morning. We had to pack our bags and check out of the hotel, and then we went to practice. The attitude and the intensity and the chemistry have been great. I know that the coaches are really happy with those things. In practice, not only did we work on defense and things, but we also worked on free throw shooting because we missed 22 the other night against FC Barcelona.
After practice we took the busses right to the airport. It was funny going through the terminal and seeing all the people react to the players and people trying to get a glimpse and autograph from Allen Iverson in the airport. We took a charter flight from Barcelona, Spain to Cologne, Germany which took two hours. We landed in Cologne and went to a wonderful hotel which is like an old castle. It's one of the best hotels in the area.
The evening was especially nice for me because I had about 15 or 16 of my former players and assistant coaches and friends from Germany and the Cologne area that met me at the hotel and we had dinner and I talked with them throughout the night.
Day 8 - Oct. 7: Day eight started out with the team getting on the team bus and going to practice. We continued to a castle at the top of the former Olympic Village and took a team picture. We really had a great time up there. The players had a lot of fun. We had a beautiful and magnificent site overseeing Barcelona. We took the team picture with all the players and all the staff. The rookies did a little skit that they had to do for initiation. The vets even made Louis Williams and Shavlik Randolph join in, saying that they were still rookies until the first regular season game.
Then Mo Cheeks and the coaching staff surprised the players by saying that there was no practice today. The players, of course, were happy about that. I think the coaches felt that they had been working so hard and needed some time to get their legs back. We'll get back on the practice floor tomorrow.
A lot of the players spent time on a site-seeing tour that the NBA set up to see Barcelona.
Danko, our International Scout, with Courtney Witte and myself went to a Spanish First Division League game in Girona between Girona and Joventut. It was about an hour and a half train ride, and then it took us a long time to find a taxi once we got there. We saw two very good prospects for future NBA drafts, as well as some American players and foreign players that were playing in the game.
We were really hungry when we arrived, and it was a really small town, and we couldn't find anywhere to eat, but we turned a corner and there was a Pizza Hut, so we were pretty excited to eat there. We had a pizza and then went to the game.
On the way home from the game, on the train, one of the windows in the row behind us shattered for apparently no reason. There was glas everywhere.
It was a long trip, but we finally got back to Barcelona and had something quick to eat. We got back to the hotel and packed our bags because early tomorrow morning we're leaving for practice and then to Cologne, Germany.
Day 7 - Oct. 6: Day seven started out with the coaches watching and analyzing the game film. Then we went over and had practice and the coaches then watched the game film with the players in the locker room over at the practice arena. We practiced very hard, especially for a day after a game. Once again, we were stressing defense and try to continually improve on our rotations and rebounding. It was a very spirited practice. I think it was good the way that the team bounced back after the loss to Barcelona. The coaches will look forward to a couple more days of practice before we move onto Germany and play the Phoenix Suns.
The team had the rest of the evening off and I think the players went out and were on their own. This was one of the few times that the players had an evening free and were able to get out and do what they wanted. They were able to explore Barcelona a little.
Day 6 - Oct. 5: Day six started out with a shootaround before our game with FC Barcelona. We did a normal shootaround, did a lot of drills. We went over our offense and went over our tactics that we were going to try to employ in the game. Naturally, it wasn't as physical as a regular practice, but we still had a good workout.
Then we came back to the hotel and the players rested up and then we went to the arena for the game. It was a first time that we played as a team in a real live situation. Unfortunately we lost the game, but on one side the FC Barcelona team has been practicing for two months and has probably played 14 or 15 games already and they looked like a very well oiled team with good execution and good defense, and we're just in the beginning phases of our team concept.
I think the coaches were happy with our initial defense. I think we did good against the first and second options, but once they got to the third and fourth options our defense broke down a little and that's what we'll probably work on coming up in the next couple of days. The game was very exciting with the 16,000 fans being loud and cheering on their team. I think it was a different type of atmosphere for our players and probably something that they'll always remember. It was a very exciting game that went down to the wire, and we ended up losing by five points. The final result is unfortunate though, because we missed 22 free throws, and most likely would have won if we had made them.
The good that come out of it is that Sam Dalembert was very, very good, so hopefully he can continue playing that way. Some of our other players also had good showings. Rodney Carney go ta taste of what it's like to be in an NBA type game.
During the game, Billy King, Courtney Witte and myself sat up in a suite. And Commissioner Stern was there with a lot of the officials from FC Barcelona and different celebrities from around Spain. Ex-NBA player Vlade Divac was also there.
That was it for day six. We still have a lot of work ahead, but to expect that we would play great in our first game after five days of practice was probably unrealistic.
Day 5 - Oct. 4: Day five. Today's practice was the first time that we were able to practice in the arena that we will play tomorrow. It was a very physical and competitive practice. Probably the best one that we've had yet. The players played hard. We scrimmaged two quarters, split up the teams, and it went right down to the wire between the two teams. It got really, really physical, which is a good sign because it shows how competitive the players are.
After the practice we came back to the hotel and had lunch. And then, as we do every preseason, we met with two NBA referees. They went over the points of emphasis that they will be concentrating on this season and the way that they are going to ref games. The major point of emphasis will be the behavior of players on the court. They want to really clean that up. They want to cut down on the arguing and the gesturing and throwing or slamming the balls on the floor. They just want to really clean up that behavior and they won't tolerate that this year. After the referees meeting we had a meeting with the NBA office outlining the different behavior and fines and violations that the NBA sets down.
The players had the rest of the evening free. Rodney and Sam and Andre helped refurbish a court for adidas, another thing that we did in the community here.
Personally, I went out to dinner with some of our staff. Danko, our International Scout from Europe, brought us to a very nice place on the waterfront at the former Olympic Village and had a great dinner there.
I think the players are looking forward to playing the game tomorrow. They're probably tired of playing against each other. It will be really exciting to see how we play against a different opponent, especially an international opponent.
Day 4 - Oct. 3: Day four was a very productive day. It was probably our hardest practice. We did a lot of scrimmaging. We're seeing some concepts coming together, especially on the defensive end, which the coaches continue to emphasize. We saw a lot of effort. Some players are starting to emerge, and I think that they're all looking forward to the game on Thursday.
After practice we had a little taste of America. We had a McDonald's lunch. I think the players were happy about that. Even though the Spanish food is good, this was a little change of pace and a little bit of home. It wasn't exactly the same McDonald's that we have in America, but it was close and it was some fries and burgers.
Then we had an NBA Cares day. We split up the group and some players went to a hospital to visit some children and sick people, and some of the other players did a clinic for some kids. This was part of an NBA program, which was good, because it was probably the first interaction that we've had with the Spanish people and see the culture here.
Later last night we had a team meal together that the NBA set up at a very nice restaurant. All the players had a good time. As a matter of fact, the guys actually had some fun by challenging each other to crazy actions. Allen Iverson once said that he'd pay Shavlik Randolph $25,000 to jump into the water, swim out to a boat and back, and then roll around in the sand and run around pretending he was on fire. At the urging of the coaching staff, Shav somehow held back and stayed in the restaurant. Again, it was a good opportunity for bonding. It seems like the attitude is really good and that the players are bonding. And that was about it for day four.
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But it was really productive. It was the first day that we did some scrimmaging. You could see that the players' eyes lit up when they finally got a chance to play and got away from all the defensive drill work that we've been doing. It was interesting also because we had some of the top referees in Spain and in the European Cup ref our scrimmage. The interpretation a lot of times was different, so it was funny seeing the calls, and then seeing the reactions of our players, especially with the travelling call. But it was good, and the coaches really liked the referees so we're going to invite them back for tomorrow and the next day.
I thought it was good because today was the first day that we could see all of the drills and all of the concepts that we've put in in game type action and the players really responded and there was a lot of energy out there.
Personally, in between sessions I went running on the Diagonal, which is the main street through Barcelona. So it was a beautiful day. The traffic is so bad here that a lot of people ride mopeds, and it was really strange to see the business men in suits and ties with helmets on riding these little mopeds around trying to get to work.
I got to meet Thierry Henry, who is one of the best soccer players in the world and plays for the French national team. He was at practice today to meet Allen Iverson so we got to meet and talk to him a little. It's always interesting to talk to great athletes of other sports just to see their perspectives on things, and how they view basketball, and how they view a player like Allen Iverson, so that was interesting. My kids play soccer, and I coached and lived in Germany where soccer is so huge, so I do like soccer. I know a litle more about it because I watch my kids play, so I was thrilled to meet him, because he is a big star and one of the best players in the world.
Day 2 - Oct. 1: Day two was great. The coaches, again, emphasized defense through the whole practice. So the players have now not only heard it, but they know that the coaches are serious about it. They really looked good. I was really impressed with our younger guys, especially our rookies. This is their first training camp and they all hung in there, which is a good sign. So we're making progress, step-by-step we're making progress. I know the coaches are happy. I talked to the coaches after practice and I know they're happy about the way things are going. If we just continue in this direction I think this will be a successful training camp.
A couple of our scouts went over to a first division Spanish game and scouted a couple of players that will be in the draft next year, so we killed two birds with one stone. They went over and scouted that game while training camp was going on.
This afternoon, personally, I went out with a couple of the other guys and went down to the Rambla which is a famous part of Barcelona. It's a famous street where a lot of people, a lot of tourists, walk and there are a lot of shops and street entertainers out there. It was very interesting. It was a great day weather wise, so it was great to sit out at a cafe and just talk basketball.
Other than that, I think that wraps up day two. We're looking forward to day three, because it will be our first day with two practices. Hopefully we'll continue with our progress.
Day 1 - Sept. 30: Well, we just finished up our first practice of training camp, and surprisingly it went very well. We just flew in this morning, and with the six hour time difference a lot of the players were tired. I was very tired and I didn’t even have to practice. It was a good practice, and as advertised Coach Cheeks and his staff concentrated on defense and almost every drill was defensive oriented. I think the players now have a better understanding of what the coaching staff wants.
I’m looking forward to seeing Barcelona. I’ve been here a couple of times. I scouted the European Championships here maybe eight or 10 years ago. When I was coaching for Saturn Cologne in the European Cup we played FC Barcelona probably 18 years ago. It is a beautiful city and I’m looking forward to having some time to see the city when we have a little time off.
Other than that I’m ready to go back to the hotel, get something to eat and go right to bed, because I’m exhausted.
