SB Nation's Patrick Hayes has a feature piece up about the rise of the "stretch four" in the NBA over the past 20 years, which includes a piece about former Detroit Pistons great and current New York Liberty coach and GM Bill Laimbeer.
In his first season with the Pistons, (Terry) Mills had the opportunity to play with another big man who added a perimeter shot to his repertoire as a way to prolong his effectiveness: Bill Laimbeer.
"I got a chance to play with Bill, and he was one of the original big man shooters," said Mills, who is currently an assistant basketball coach at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Mich., just outside of Detroit. "He instilled in me that if I could hit that shot, it could be really effective for me and help me in my career. Bill really helped me develop as a player and encouraged me."
And therein lies the beginning of a coaching career?