During his NBA career, Bill Laimbeer was regarded as one of the more intelligent players, among other things, in league history so there’s little shock that Laimbeer’s coaching tenure in the WNBA has been a successful one.
Laimbeer, a two-time NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons, led the Detroit Shock to three WNBA championships (2003, 2006, 2008) and was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2003. Now, Laimbeer is in his first season as head coach of the New York Liberty after a brief break from the league. In preparation for the Liberty’s game Friday night against the Atlanta Dream, Laimbeer spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the rising popularity of the WNBA and whether he has plans to attempt to coach in the NBA.
Q: How has your return to coaching treating you so far?
A: Well we're 2-1, so we've done something right so far. It's been fun. I have a good group of ladies. They've played very hard, and I'm enjoying getting back into it.
Q: What’s been working for the team early on?
A: I think we're a solid defensive ballclub. We're holding teams to 30 or so percent shooting and getting rebounds. I think right now, our defense is vastly ahead of our offense, but when that comes, we'll be a pretty decent basketball team. We're still a work in progress.
Q: You’ve been around this league for a long time. How far has it come since its early days in terms of popularity?
A: The popularity is being driven by better players. The players today are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. A lot of them having been waiting their whole lives since they were kids to get to the WNBA, and they're very passionate about it. ESPN showing so many women's college basketball games has really fueled the opportunity for name recognition for players coming into the WNBA. So the future is very bright.
Q: How much does having a draft class like this year’s with the ‘3 to See’ (Phoenix’s Brittney Griner, Chicago’s Elena Delle Donne, Tulsa’s Skylar Diggins) help the game?
A: Any publicity, outside of any law-enforcement issues, is great for the league. These players have been well-hyped and they are all fine players in their own right. They still have to prove themselves in the professional ranks. Overall, I think the name recognition of them coming into the league will bring more eyeballs, not only on television, but also in the stands. That will only continue to help the league's expansion.
Q: Do you ever think the WNBA will become mainstream, meaning people become glued to their televisions when the playoffs or the finals taking place?
A: I don't know if that is ever going to be the case. We're not men's basketball, that's a fact. Never will be so the expectations can't be equated between the two leagues. The WNBA has its fan base, a growing fan base at that, but I don't think we're going to get to the status of the NBA, so we have to appreciate it for what it is.
Q: Speaking of the NBA, do you think your coaching efforts in the WNBA are overlooked by NBA teams?
A: Oh, I don't know. I don't really care. I enjoy doing what I'm doing. It's a great sport. The players listen very well. It's a great fundamental sport that you have to play five-on-five basketball, which is good for a coach. It's not as grueling or demanding as the men's side. It's not as many months or as many games, so it's a good fit for me.
Q: What is the biggest thing you enjoy about coaching the women’s game?
A: The players listen very well, much better than the guys do, and it is a five-on-five game. It's fundamentally sound. You have to play good, fundamental basketball. It's a team structure, both offensively and defensively. Where on the men's side, it's more of a two-on-two or three-on-three league.
Q: What are you thoughts on your upcoming matchup with the Dream?
A: They're a very quality ballclub. They've been to the finals a couple of times. They have Angel McCoughtry, who is arguably the best player in the league. They're a scrambling defensive team that likes to get in the passing lanes and get steals to get on the fast break. We're going to have to play a little more patient in this game.
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