On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Mike Morrell, head coach of UNC Asheville. Morrell began his coaching career at King University, then served as a graduate assistant and director of basketball operations at Clemson under Oliver Purnell. He had a stint at Charleston Southern before joining Shaka Smart's staff at VCU, where he contributed to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Morrell followed Smart to Texas, serving in various roles including director of program development and assistant coach. In 2018, he was appointed head coach at UNC Asheville. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs achieved a school-record 27 wins in the 2022–23 season, securing both the Big South regular season and tournament championships, and earning an NCAA Tournament berth. In this episode, we discuss takeaways from working with Coach Shaka Smart, the initial changes he implemented upon becoming a head coach, and strategies for maximizing player performance on the court.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Chris Jones, assistant coach with the Utah Jazz. A former standout guard at the University of Pittsburgh, Jones began his coaching career at Pitt University and transitioned into a graduate assistant at TCU, then joined the Jazz in 2019 as a video assistant and player development coach. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2023 under head coach Will Hardy. In this episode, we discuss his transformation from being a player into a first-year coach, building an NBA workout plan before, during, and after a workout, and identifying what players’ development needs are leading into how to implement those workouts.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Coach Nate Bollinger, assistant coach at American University. His coaching path started at D3 York College before moving on to High Point as Director of Player Development. He then served as associate head coach at Saint Vincent College, earning NABC 30-Under-30 honors. Bollinger made the jump to Division I with William & Mary, where he helped the team reach historic win totals. Now at American, he plays a key role as the offensive and recruiting coordinator. In this episode, we talk about his rise from the D3 ranks to D1. We dive into how he builds an offense tailored to his team’s strengths. He shares insights on player development and creating efficient offensive systems. We also highlight the recent success of American's basketball program. It’s a great look into the grind and growth of a rising coach.