NBA coaching staffs began growing substantially from just a head coach and two assistants just before the turn of the century to the current average NBA club of over six.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are no exception — by league rules each club can only have three assistant coaches on the bench, but you can’t have a large contingent of coaches sitting behind the bench.
James White joined the Wolves staff in 2023, first as assistant player development coach, then two seasons as player development coach (2024-25). He was among 10 staff additions and promotions before this season — White’s official title is now assistant coach/ player development.
Minnesota are very fortunate to have White, a Washington, DC native, whose athleticism and dunking ability became renowned as a high schooler. He twice finished runner-up in two dunk contests — the McDonald’s High School (2001) and NCAA College Slam Dunk (2006).
“I think early in my basketball life really prepared me for being a guy that came out of nowhere out of high school and jumping onto the scene and being a McDonald’s All-American,” White told MSR before the season shortly after his recent promotion.
He has traveled the world since high school, beginning as a freshman at Florida (2001-02), then at Cincinnati (2003-06), where he was a career 16-point scorer.
After college, however, White became a hoops vagabond of sorts, beginning with being a second-round NBA draft pick by Portland (2006), who immediately traded him to Indiana. The 6’7” power/ small forward lasted only eight preseason games before getting cut by the Pacers.
But soon after he was waived, White signed a two-year contract with San Antonio, and made his big league pro debut in March 2007 after spending most of the season in the NBA D-League (now G-League).
White also played in Europe, where he became a multi-time all-star and played on several championships. He logged time with three NBA clubs, including San Antonio, where he earned a championship ring in 2007. He also played in the Big3.
“I learned from my rookie year to probably when I was 30 what it took to be a pro,” White pointed out. He was able to see greatness up close and personal in San Antonio, watching and playing with future HOFs Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili among other pros.
“I took something from everybody,” continued White. “Tim Duncan was my guy on the team. Tim approached the game every day the same, played the same, never got any distress or anything … He was just awesome.”
Like his playing career, White’s coaching journey took a similar course: He was an assistant coach with the Houston Push of The Basketball League (TBL), a domestic minor league, then later as a head coach. “I was thrust into a head coach,” he recalls. “I had no help. I had no assistant. I was by myself.”
“I did a bunch of stuff while I was still playing,” such as joining the NBA assistant coaching program, he said. “I started going to those different programs that the NBA put forth, but I didn’t know until I was retired if I was going to be good at it or not.”
But White soon found his true calling: “I always was thinking like I wanted to be a coach,” and today’s NBA players certainly can benefit from his experience simply because he’s been where they want to be.
He also loves being in Minnesota, where he continues to grow and learn as a coach. “I’m continuing to learn from [Head Coach Chris] Finch,” admitted White. “It’s a blessing to have a coach like that, because he really is pushing me to get better and better.
“I’ve been super lucky,” concluded White. “I played everywhere, played with so many Hall of Famers. I’ve played in eight different countries. Basketball has been a blessing.”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.