Coach splits time between teams
Cooper focused on Smailagic’s development
SANTA CRUZ >> Carrying precious cargo, Seth Cooper weaved through traffic while rookie Alen Smailagic sat shotgun and pulled up the Dallas Mavericks roster on his phone. The two went through the list as Cooper recited the scouting report from memory.
Smailagic, the 19-year-old developmental project, was in Stockton preparing for a G League game when, at 3:50 p.m., Cooper got a call from the War
riors. With Omari Spellman sick and Eric Paschall out with a right hip contusion, Golden State needed Smailagic in San Francisco by 5:30 p.m. for Saturday’s 6:30 tip against the Mavericks.
In his first year as a twoway coach with the Warriors, Cooper’s position requires him to split time between the Warriors and their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. Though pushing the speed limit wasn’t part of the job description, Cooper has emerged as an important part of Golden State’s revamped player development staff.
Part of Cooper’s job is to develop skill workouts for the Warriors’ young players. He works closely with Smailagic, as well as with rookie guards Ky Bowman and Jordan Poole, all of whom figure into the Warriors’ long-term plans.
Cooper, 38, came to Golden State a well-regarded player development coach, who previously held positions with the Maine Red Claws and L.A. Clippers before he most recently served as an assistant coach at Illinois-Chicago.
Warriors director of player development Chris DeMarco played with Cooper at Division III Edgewood in Madison, Wis., and asked him to work out former Warriors forward Alfonzo McKinnie in Chicago over the summer. Cooper obliged, and told DeMarco he was looking to get back into the NBA.
With a re-tooled roster that includes nine players age 23 or younger, the Warriors revamped their coaching staff to include more player development coaches. They hired Cooper and tasked him with shepherding some of Golden State’s most intriguing long-term prospects.
Bowman, an immediate contributor in the waning days of his two-way contract, has been spending more time in Santa Cruz in recent weeks. There, Cooper tailors his workouts to help Bowman develop his point guard skills.
“Even thinking big picture,” Cooper said. “He comes off a ball screen here and a guy is open. Well, next year, that’s Klay Thompson open.”
Poole, the No. 28 pick in June’s draft, has struggled in his rookie season (25.4% shooting) and can sometimes get lost in Golden State. In Santa Cruz, however, he gets more playing time and attention.
“Having someone watching me as closely as he does, it definitely helps a lot,” Poole said.
Cooper works directly with DeMarco to determine his schedule, but he has to be flexible. He and his wife live in Santa Cruz, but he keeps a suit in San Francisco just in case he’s called over for an impromptu assignment. Going back and forth, he is able to carry messages to Santa Cruz from the staff in Golden State.
“He’s been very helpful for me, understanding the message that Steve and the Golden State staff is trying to impart on the guys,” Santa Cruz head coach Kris Weems said. “The main thing is that we just stay consistent with that.”
Recently, Golden State’s coaches put together a package of out-of-timeout plays they are running for the Santa Cruz team to practice. They also provided plays that Smailagic, Bowman and Poole project to be involved in at the NBA level.
“I know the teams that use the G League really well have a lot of communication and have a lot of synergy,” Cooper said. “Working on the skills, the plays, the types of things that will really help those guys when they play for the Warriors, and that’s really the goal.”
After Stephen Curry was lost to a season-altering broken left hand, Cooper and his players were thrust into more time in the NBA. Bowman and Smailagic played roles during Golden State’ recent four-game win streak.
At 5:28 p.m., Cooper and Smailagic pulled into the Chase Center parking lot. By the time Smailagic was dressed for the game, D’Angelo Russell had scored 12 points in the first two minutes against the Mavericks. Smailagic checked in at the 5:02 mark of the first quarter as Cooper, in his suit, took his seat on the bench.
“You have to be ready,” Cooper said. “Because who knows what’s going to happen?”