On Tuesday, the Memphis Grizzlies added another counterpart to J.B. Bickerstaff’s slate of assistants.
In the midst of a whirlwind of NBA Draft news, workouts, trade rumors, and more, Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff is putting the finishing touches on a fine staff.
Pertaining to the Grizzlies’ latest hire underneath Coach Bickerstaff, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN supplied the initial report on Tuesday.
Vitaly Potapenko is joining the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff, league sources tell ESPN. He leaves Cleveland, where he has worked in player development since 2013.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 12, 2018
Playing 11 total seasons in the NBA, Vitaly Potapenko was a formidable backup center. He was defensive-minded. He owns NBA career averages of 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 47.9% field goal shooting over the course of 610 total games played.
The majority of Grizz Nation is probably entirely unfamiliar with the name Vitaly Potapenko. Thankfully, Beale Street Bears is here to summarize his résumé as a player and coach.
Retiring from his playing days in 2007-08 (after having left the NBA in 2007), Potapenko latched onto the NBA Developmental League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants (affiliated with the Indiana Pacers) as an assistant coach. In the following season, the Pacers promoted Vitaly to being an assistant on their main team. In this role, he helped develop Roy Hibbert, who eventually became an All-Star center in the Eastern Conference. This is perhaps Potapenko’s largest success as a mentor and player developer.
After leaving the Indiana Pacers following the 2010-11 season, Vitaly Potapenko would spend time with the Developmental League’s Dakota Wizards and Santa Cruz Warriors in assistant coaching positions. Notice the trend. He tends to enjoy developing raw talent and he does not stay situated in one role for very long.
Most recently, Potapenko had been working to develop young frontcourt players for the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. It began in Cleveland by the team selecting Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick. Though this was a major bust on the Cavs’ behalf, Vitaly’s efforts were worthwhile with Tristan Thompson, now one of the league’s top rebounding big men.
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This may be a sign that the Memphis Grizzlies are planning to select a low-post player on Thursday, June 21st. After all, there is an abundance of frontcourt talent at the head of recent mock drafts. However, where Vitaly may make the biggest impact is with Deyonta Davis, Ivan Rabb, JaMychal Green, and Jarell Martin. These young Grizzlies, especially Davis, need to demonstrate improvement on the boards and on defense in general. Marc Gasol cannot do it alone if Memphis seriously wants to make a run at the postseason in 2018-19.
Overall, this is a solid hire. It is not anywhere near as great as bringing Jerry Stackhouse onto the coaching staff, but Potapenko really needs to latch onto a success story. With the Memphis Grizzlies owning the fourth overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, there is a major opportunity for this very thing to take place. Expect the Grizz to go big on Draft Night. Also, plan on Davis, Rabb, Green, and Martin to display improved skills over the course of the new season.
Go Grizz!