SPORTS

Celtics coach Brad Stevens talks of his mentors

David Woods
david.woods@indystar.com

During the nine months he spent as an Eli Lilly marketing associate, Brad Stevens spoke to the late Kevin Hanna perhaps five times. However, on one occasion, the executive called the young employee aside and offered this career advice:

"Just do your job to the best of your ability, and let everything else take care of itself."

Stevens, the 38-year-old coach of the Boston Celtics, said that theme has defined his every day. If Butler basketball players wondered why their coach always used the acronym DYJ — Do Your Job — that is why.

Stevens spoke Thursday night to a crowd of about 900 at a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana at the Downtown Marriott. He did so at the behest of a friend from his Zionsville childhood, Rebecca Mueller, director of youth engagement and school partnerships for the organization.

Stevens' wife, Tracy, said her husband has largely discontinued speaking engagements. Stevens joked that a former high school teammate told him not to worry about it:

"It doesn't matter if you stink or not because it's for a good cause."

There was a fit between mission and keynote speaker because Stevens devoted his storytelling to mentoring, which is what 1,147 youths received from Big Brothers Big Sisters, according to BBBSCI. He said he has benefited all of his life from mentors, including those who might not have known it, such as Hanna.

Stevens recounted some of the most important moments of his career, and none specifically involved games. He said he is more comfortable in the role of mentee than of mentor.

He was a star in high school but not at DePauw University, where the coach was (and still is) Bill Fenlon. Stevens said Fenlon taught him how to be a teammate, calling it the greatest lesson he learned as he went into coaching.

When Thad Matta hired him to the Butler staff, Stevens said, he soon learned he had "no clue." Matta told him to think like a head coach every day, prompting Stevens to tell then-fiance Tracy:

"But, if I were the head coach, we would stink."

Stevens, as he has often stated, said the person who most influenced his coaching was Todd Lickliter, who led the Bulldogs for six seasons before Stevens succeeded him in April 2007. Matta coined the phrase "The Butler Way," and Lickliter ended up writing a definition.

Stevens recalled the 2002-03 season, which followed the "Snub Team" that went 25-5 but was omitted from the NCAA tournament. The 2001-02 team wasn't just good, he said.

"That team could have made a run deep into the tournament," Stevens said.

Consequently, Bulldogs players the next season were edgy, agitated, motivated … you name it. That included one practice in which the teams were evenly divided and were playing to 20. When the teams tied at 19, Lickliter called off the rest of practice. The Bulldogs were, if possible, even more chippy about that. Stevens asked Lickliter why he stopped practice.

"Wait 'till you see 'em tomorrow," Lickliter replied.

The Bulldogs went to the Sweet 16 in 2003, as they did again in 2007. Lickliter then left for Iowa, and Stevens, at 30, was put in charge of a veteran team. The oldest players were close in age to their new coach.

Stevens said he decided to name all five seniors — A.J. Graves, Mike Green, Pete Campbell, Drew Streicher, Julian Betko — as captains. He also asked them, if they questioned their coach, to do it behind closed doors so the freshmen would be coachable.

That season resulted in a 30-4 record and an overtime loss to Tennessee in the NCAA tournament. As an NBA coach, Stevens said he continues to reach out to others, especially former Celtics.

"They always go back to team," Stevens said.

Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.