What to look for in next Gilas coach

The Selection Committee tasked to name candidates for the next Gilas head coaching job is expected to meet this week and agree on a short or not-so-short list of nominees to submit to SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan for his final decision on whom to succeed Chot Reyes. A source privy to the Selection Committee’s deliberations said the final list may include Eric Altamirano, Tab Baldwin, Norman Black, Tim Cone, Yeng Guiao, Robert Jaworski, Franz Pumaren and Joseph Uichico.

The Selection Committee is composed of SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas as head, PBA chairman Patrick Gregorio, PBA vice chairman Robert Non, PBA commissioner Chito Salud and SBP executive director Sonny Barrios. In its first meeting last week, the Selection Committee set down the criteria for the next Gilas coach (later submitted to Pangilinan for approval) and determined that the best players will be available for drafting into the national pool.

Here are 10 things to look for in choosing the next Gilas head coach.

• International experience. It’s critical that the next Gilas head coach is no stranger to the nuances, rules and mechanics of the FIBA or international game. He can’t be a newcomer because the challenge is to surpass what has already been achieved. He must know the temperament of FIBA referees, what prompts a technical or an unsportsmanlike foul, how to rotate players in a 40-minute game and how to prepare a team to play successive games.

• Respect from FIBA community. The next Gilas coach must have earned the respect of the global basketball community or at least, gained a reputation of competence, integrity and a high level of knowledge of the game. It makes a difference when FIBA officials and referees know that a coach is a master of his craft. Credibility is essential when a coach questions or seeks clarification on a call. Obviously, the coach should show respect for officials and referees, too, and must enjoy a history of good behavior.

• No conflict of interest. He can’t be a head or assistant coach with any team in any Philippine league to avoid a situation of conflict of interest. Perhaps, a concession is he may be a consultant with a team. As a consultant, he has no bottom-line responsibility and does not sit on the bench. The next Gilas coach must be supported by all the stakeholders of Philippine basketball, in particular, the PBA team owners. Trust is critical from the PBA.

• Free hand to assemble pool. The next coach must work with untied hands. He must be given the freedom to choose the players for the national pool. The players may come from the PBA, PBA D-League or any other league in the country. He will know the best players to pick for his system.

• Commitment both ways. He must be committed to the Gilas program, perhaps until after the 2019 FIBA World Cup which the Philippines is bidding to host. The perspective is long-term or at least five years from 2015 to 2019. The next Gilas coach must set a timetable of recruitment for the national pool, looking beyond the FIBA Asia Championships in China next year. The Philippine team was the second oldest of 24 entries at the recent FIBA World Cup in Spain. Bringing in the next generation of players to the national pool for the long haul is now an immediate priority.

• Selfless attitude. The next Gilas coach must assemble a staff that will include a possible successor so that recruiting an understudy is important. He must realize that the job isn’t a forever thing, that the vision to take Philippine basketball to the highest level on a global scale has an extended life span. As the senior head coach in the SBP program, he must closely coordinate with the coaches of the Gilas age-group and other national basketball teams.

• Ability to communicate. He must be a teacher, an educator at heart. Knowledge of the game is the foundation. But if he is unable to express himself to his players, then it becomes a problem. Basketball is a game of adjustments and in the course of a contest, the coach must know not only what to instruct his players but also how and when to do it. A failure to communicate would be disastrous.

• A players’ coach. He must establish rapport with his players but at the same time, draw a fine line in making himself available as a friendly father figure and as a “boss.” Players must be willing to “die” for their coach on the court. There’s a big difference in a coach instilling discipline in his team out of a common respect for values and not out of fear. The coach must be a disciplinarian without being a drillmaster. He must be a motivator and not viewed as an executioner with a whip to crack.

• Accountability. The coach must accept total responsibility for the team. He must be accountable to the SBP, its officials and stakeholders. As the national coach, he must appreciate that his accountability is to the entire nation, too. His behavior on and off the court will be under a microscope throughout his journey. He is a symbol of excellence, leadership and honesty. This is no minor undertaking. This is a job of national importance.

• Accessibility. He must be the leader of a nationwide program to upgrade the level of coaching ability from the grassroots up. He should make time to meet with coaches from across the country, share his experiences, teach his insights and inspire. The framework should be designed by the SBP and the next Gilas coach will play an integral role in the execution of the coaching development program. This will also bring Gilas to the heartland and involve the coach in upgrading the level of basketball appreciation on a national scale.

Who among the eight possible candidates is the best fit?