BuzzerBeater Forums

I'm campaigning for U21 manager, not because I can replace Antwon or somehow magically surpass him (can anyone even fill those shoes?), but because I want to grow the involvement in the U21 team.

My vision as the coach is to lean on the features of the US-BB Discord and bring more of the training process and talent pool into the semi-public eye. The primary reason I'd be using Discord is because Discord allows better visibility control than with the on-site forums and has better organization and search features to help find relevant posts in future seasons. However, I do want these changes to be additive to the current communication with training managers, and won't exclude anyone interested in training for & participating in the team simply because they're not a US flagged team or they don't have Discord.

Coming in as a relative outsider, I'll be looking to leverage the knowledge of long time trainers for the program, as well as the effort and enthusiasm of all managers old and new -- national teams depend on having stable and engaged managers for all of our players, and I want to continue to build on the foundation that's been laid by the managers and trainers who have come before.

32 seasons. Thats how long it has been since I left the USA NT/U21 community after a run as the USA NT manager. Main reason for leaving? To explore diverse skill sets that weren't the usual within the USA community (this may have changed since but I don't know?). By exiting the community it allowed me to think for myself rather than have input from a community.

I've always been on the front end of skill sets within BB. I preached Shot Blocking before every team got shot blockers. I preached JR before it became popular. Now- I believe 'roles' within a team is much more important than a team full of the same types of skillsets. Oh, and I still believe JR is one of the most important skills in the game next to OD. Maximizing team ratings is so important in BB and you can't do it without a variety of skillets being available.

Listen, I've never been the usual manager in BB. I don't prescribe to all of the same training methods or style of players. I also dont prescribe to the same tactics. I remember being one of the first to use Princeton at the NT level. Now its used frequently. I guess what I am saying is if you vote for me you are going to get variety. You are going to get combination of players you dont typically see. You will see different lineup styles. It will all be different.

Is this what you are looking for? Maybe. Or maybe not....but I'm here for it and I'm here to put my knowledge of BB to the test and F other teams up. Will you allow me to do that? Will you join me in the fun?

Isaiah

Hello USA members!

Antwon leaving the USA U21 coaching seat feels like Mike Krzyzewski leaving the bench at Duke, it is the end of an era. Dedicated managers like Ant, GForce, Yuck, and EBW have given a lot to this program over the years, and it is time for a new generation of managers and trainers to take a step forward so that the USA can keep it's status as a world powerhouse in the seasons to come.

Antwon graciously allowed me into the USA Staff Chat a few seasons ago, and while I have been relatively quiet, seeing what goes into the game planning and player building process has given me a lot of knowledge that I can use as the new U21 coach. In my personal life, I have a pretty relaxed job, so I will be able to put the time in scouting our players, opposition players, and reaching out to managers that are training our players. Another thing I am looking to focus on, like Azariah, is increasing the discord participation for new users especially, as I think the community factor is a primary reason people will stick around in this game, and personally, I think training a u21 player is a great learning experience for new managers.

On the court, I think the way we build our players is pretty optimized, and I certainly won't be changing much in that regard, although I do think there are opportunities for experimentation with some specialized builds in the future. For example, we've been running into a lot of EU teams with a $160,000 salary PF that can ISO ball us out of the world final, and I would like to see if there is a build we can come up with that can neutralize that player even more than we already do. I think we are in a unique position in that we can do a lot of testing in the Americas tournament that our EU counterparts can't do, due to the win-now stakes they face every season.

In summary, I believe I have a good understanding of player building and the U21 meta to lead us forward over the coming seasons. I have close ties to multiple former U21 coaches that will be there to guide me when I have questions or need advice on a player as well. I hope I've said enough here to earn your vote, but if you have questions please post them in the debate thread or shoot me a message on the US discord, public or privately!

-Nikebones

P.S. - Unlike Antwon, I will run a Princeton at some point

Dear US Basketball Selection Committee,

My name is BNBC. I coach the Bunior neymar Basketball Club, and in my very first season, I led the team to a championship title in the fourth division through the playoffs.

I know what you are thinking. I do not have national team experience. My résumé is shorter than my competitors. But that is exactly the point.

Experience can build comfort. Comfort builds routine. Routine kills ambition.

I bring something different. I bring hunger. I am young, I move fast, and I am not afraid to take risks. Those qualities are not weaknesses. They are the engine behind every underdog story this sport has ever told.

For the U21 program, my approach is clear:
- I will scout widely and pick players on potential, not reputation.
- I will build a culture where young athletes compete without fear.
- I will work closely with the staff and embrace every perspective in the room.

The coaches competing against me have more years. I have more to prove. That difference will show on the court.

Give me this opportunity. I will not waste it.

Respectfully,
BNBC
Head Coach, Buzzer Beater Club

Hello my fellow Americans,
I am manager FeelthePressure, as I did 2 seasons ago I running again to be your U21 manager. I covered my major achievements in my speech last cycle, so I am going to keep it short here. I have trained many players since S47 including a few for the USA U21 team. I have 8 seasons managing the U21 teams of South Africa and Cyprus. I have been in the USA discord and working with the other managers for some time as well. The major difference between 2 seasons ago and now is that I have much more time to focus on the U21 team than before with my team in rebuild mode.

Our U21 development is already one of the best in the worlds. We don’t need a revolution, all we need is someone to continue to build and finish what Antwon started. I feel like I can do that. At the end of the day though, we all have the same goal, getting the Gold back to the USA!