Lovullo’s ‘love’ at core of D-backs’ surprising success
pHoENIX
Love is not a word you hear often from coaches in any sport. Torey Lovullo uses it often. The 51-year-old first-year manager of the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks has developed a symbiotic relationship with his players that’s at the core of the team’s strong start this season.
“I know that I want to be here for these guys,” Lovullo said, “to listen to them, accept them, love them and, if they want it, advise them and do the best thing I possibly can for helping them be successful on the field.” So far, so good.
The Diamondbacks are 3926, two games behind firstplace Colorado in the National League West. They have been especially dominant at home, where they have won 11 of their last 12 games for an overall record of 26-9, best in the majors.
Last year, the Diamondbacks didn’t win their 26th home game until Sept. 12.
Four-time all-star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said Lovullo deserves a big share of the credit.
“You hear everyone say communication and I think he’s a great communicator,” Goldschmidt said, “but I kind of see it in a different light. He does a great job of putting himself in the shoes of whoever he’s talking to. When he talks to me, it’s almost like he knows what I’m thinking.”
Lovullo traces his communication skills to his father, Sam, who produced the hit television show “Hee Haw” for 25 years.
Described by his son as “a roly poly Italian,” Sam Lovullo died in January.
“I could see him conversing with just about anybody that came around him,” Lovullo said. “It was very easy for him. I might have developed that thought process at an early age and felt comfortable talking to anybody.”
Players love his approach. “He comes around and asks you, ‘How are your kids doing? How’s life going? How are things going?’ You get the sense that he genuinely cares,” catcher Chris Iannetta said.
Reliever Archie Bradley used Lovullo’s own words to describe why the players trust him.
“He said this to me so this is a direct quote from him,” Bradley said. “‘I’ll never forget how hard the game is.”’
Bradley pointed to the way his transfer from starter to the bullpen was handled.
“It was huge, just the communication, explaining the role I was in, how it was going to play out, how it shifted and just everything,” Bradley said. The Golden State Warriors captured their second NBA title in three years Monday.
The alarm was sounded loud and clear by LeBron James not long after the NBA Finals ended, and every other player, coach and general manager around the league who did not end this season drenched in champagne surely agreed with what he was saying.
The Golden State Warriors are a problem.
And they’re probably going to stay that way.
There will be one question inevitably asked this off-season by most of the 29 other teams in the NBA whose fingers didn’t get to smudge the golden surface of the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year. That question will not have a good answer for many, if any. Basketball’s off-season is here, a draft and free agency loom, and for the second time in three years everyone is chasing the Warriors.
Good luck, everybody. You’re going to need it.
“They’re going to be here for a while,” James said after the Finals ended , his words coming as the Warriors’ celebration was still going in earnest. “They’re going to be around for a while. Pretty much all their guys are in their 20s. Pretty much all their big-name guys are in their 20s, and they don’t show any signs of slowing down.”
Boston has the No. 1 pick in the draft to add to a team that went to the Eastern Conference finals this season. Miami will have around US$37 million in spending money once Chris Bosh comes off the books. James will try and lure more help to come to Cleveland. Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Gordon Hayward, Paul George and Blake Griffin may all be changing addresses. The Knicks have openly been begging Carmelo Anthony to seek a trade elsewhere.
No, quiet will not happen in July 2017.
It’s unclear if any of this summer’s moves will matter come June 2018.
The Warriors might be that far ahead of the field already.
Technically, the Warriors have some work to do in order to remain the Warriors.
Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee will be among many Golden State players in the free-agent waters, and Kevin Durant will likely join them. Even though it will cost the Warriors big money – Curry is in line for an enormous raise and made “only” $12 million this season – it’s more than possible for them to keep their core intact.
There also are some other matters of business around the league to clear up this season.
Many players have opt-in decisions coming before the July 1 shopping spree opens. Some of those decisions could affect what happens on draft night, when Markelle Fultz will likely go to the Celtics with the No. 1 overall pick. And there is still all the awards that need to be handed out, like settling the Russell Westbrook versus James Harden race for MVP.