Dwane Casey, the former UK player and assistant coach, added a professional title to the national championship run he enjoyed as a Cat in 1978.
When asked to compare the sense of accomplishment with a pro title as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks with a college title as a player, Casey said both were richly rewarding.
“The NBA is harder,” he said Wednesday as he prepared for the Mavericks’ victory parade Thursday. “Just because it’s 57 days of games and practices and travel back and forth. It’s more of a grind.
“In college, it’s exciting. A feeling of one-and-done always is a threat. Something you’re afraid of. But the NBA is a grind.”
Casey noted the sense of relief and accomplishment that came when the Mavs finished off the Miami Heat earlier this week.
“If they told me I had to quit coaching tomorrow, I’d be a happy camper,” he said.
Casey does not plan to quit coaching. He said he has talked to the Toronto Raptors about their vacant head coaching position and the Detroit Pistons have asked permission to speak with him about being their head coach.
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
