The National Association of Basketball Coaches had announced that Craig Robinson, a collegiate basketball coach for years and is also known to be Michelle Obama’s brother, will replace Jim Haney as the head of the organization. Robinson most recently worked for the NBA’s New York Knicks.

In an interview, he stated, “I’m extremely honored and excited for this tremendous and vital opportunity. I look forward to the challenges ahead.”

When it comes to basketball, it’s not just the players that make up the team. Their coaches also serve as guides when playing the game. They are the ones who strategize and help the players overcome their opponents. You can say that they are vital to every team’s success. So, here are some of the best NBA coaches that have made their mark in basketball history.

Phil Jackson

Many think of Phil Jackson as the greatest coach of all time. This is because he retired with 11 championships under his belt. He was also known for having coached some of the best players. These include Jordan, Kobe, Shaq, and Pippen. His record is an amazing 1,155-485. Jackson also won the NBA Coach of the Year Award in the 1995-1996 season. And in 2007, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. 

Red Auerbach

This basketball coach is known as the “Godfather of the NBA.” For over 30 years, he was the coach and executive of the Boston Celtics and has helped them win 9 championships, 8 of which were consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966. Auerbach had always understood the relevance of defense. He was the one who planned a pre-draft trade for Russell, who is still the best defensive center in league history. He has a record of 823-426, and in 1956 he won the NBA Coach of the Year Award. In 1969, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.  

Pat Riley

Pat Riley was the NBA head coach for the Lakers during the ’80s. You could not miss the guy who was widely known for his slick backed hair and Armani suits. He had a career as an NBA coach for 24 years. He worked with the Lakers, who he won 4 championships with, the Knicks and the Heat, who he also won 1 championship with. This 5th win of his was done with the help of Dwayne Wade and Shaq in 2006. Many consider it a mix of style, which is why he’s considered such a formidable coach. Riley has a record of 1,210-694. He won the NBA Coach of the Year three times (1990, 1993 and 1997). In 2008, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Gregg Popovich

In 1996, Popovich was the general manager of the Spurs until he fired Bob Hill and became the NBA head coach himself. It proved to be the right decision because, in his 13-year career as a coach, he had helped the San Antonio Spurs win 4 championships and achieve 633 wins with only 305 losses. Popovich is also known to work well with Tim Duncan, which is one of the reasons why they had won all those championships. He has a record of 797-383 and is eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.   

Considering all of these outstanding NBA coaches, no one can deny their significance in the game. This is also one of the many factors that basketball fans and bettors consider when choosing their teams.

For instance, sports bettors will look for new sportsbooks or top online bookies to place their bets on a certain basketball team. One of the many things that they could factor in is how well rounded the team is. They will take into consideration the stats of not just the team but the coaches as well. This is because NBA coaches are also the ones who help plan how the game will go and what would be the better strategy for a winning outcome.  

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Basketball fans are everywhere in the world, and this is not surprising. With such loyal fanbases, no wonder the NBA is brimming with celebrity fans. It is one of the few sports where fans are so dedicated that they even purchase stakes to have ownership of their favorite teams. 

These diehard and recognisable fans are as famous as the teams they support and have always been there sitting courtside and supporting the NBA players over the years. Each NBA team has a celebrity fan, and the following are some of the most known ones. 

Toronto Raptors: Drake

If we are talking about one of the most tight-knit fan-team relationships, then Drake is a perfect example. The rapper has been supporting the Raptors for years and was even hired as their “Global Ambassador” in 2013. Because of this, the NBA team was able to raise its profile and signed some huge stars. Last year, the Raptors renamed their practice facility in honor of Drake’s record label to the OVO Athletic Centre. 

Brooklyn Nets: JAY-Z

Another iconic rapper that helped change the future of his favorite NBA team is JAY-Z. Back in 2012, he helped the Nets move from New Jersey to Brooklyn. He was a huge fan and even had an ownership stake in the team, although it was just for 0.15%, he had to pay about a million dollars. Even though he later sold it, he still has his stake in the Barclays Center, which is an indoor arena that’s home to the Brooklyn Nets. It is valued at $2 million.

Chicago Bulls: Barack Obama

The celebrity fan of this NBA team is no less than the previous president of the United States! Obama is known for being an avid sports fan, but basketball might be the sport that is closest to his heart. During his presidency, he even made time to get courtside seats for a Bulls home game in 2015. There’s also a book that was written about the former president’s love of the sport and how it influenced his career.  

Atlanta Hawks: 2 Chainz

This NBA team is known to have the best partnerships with their celebrity fans of any franchise in the NBA, according to Forbes. Because Atlanta Hawks is at the heart of one of the hip-hop capital cities, it has rap icon fans like T.I., Future, and 2 Chainz. In fact, 2 Chainz announced last year that he had bought a minority stake in the College Park Skyhawks, which is Atlanta Hawks’ NBA G League affiliate. He also performed in several halftime shows at this NBA team’s games and has his own custom jersey-style T-shirt.

Houston Rockets: Travis Scott

Travis Scott actually worked as a ball boy for the franchise while in high school, so you can see why he is a fan. He is also known for being a Houston boy through and through. You can often see him sitting courtside at various Rockets games. James Harden, who is a famous player in the team, is someone he is close to, and he even featured him in his “Way Back” music video. Last year, Scott also designed a custom Rockets jersey, which was inspired by his “Astroworld” album.   

Boston Celtics: Matt Damon

One of the many celebrity fans of the Celtics is Matt Damon. If you confuse him with his lookalike, Mark Wahlberg, it’s alright because Wahlberg is a Celtic fan too. Damon, who is a Cambridge, Massachusetts native, has been a fan of the team and has seen them win six championships. Back in 2008, he even predicted that Boston Celtics would win another NBA title over the Lakers while accepting an award in LA, Damon was right despite the many boos he received from the crowd. 

Because of such fans, the NBA has come a long way. But, you also have to remember that regardless of whether you are famous or not, it doesn’t take much to support your favorite teams. You can try out sports betting with bespoke bookmakers and see for yourself how fun and profitable basketball betting is.

For more information about it, you can check out Eastbridge, a platform where you can find the UK licensed bet broker for your sports betting brokerage. Contact them today and enjoy basketball betting!

Ever since the pandemic started, most people have been locked up in their homes with a lot of time in their hands. Many took to Netflix to catch up on the television shows and movies they have long since wanted to watch. That is why it has become one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world.

Last year, Netflix had at least 167 million subscribers, and in the first quarter of 2020, in the U.S. alone, it had 69.97 million subscriber base. With such a huge following, no wonder it continues to be well-loved. 

For avid basketball fans, it is also the place where they can watch their favorite basketball movies. With such a vast selection, here are just some of the best basketball movies on Netflix you should watch:

The Last Dance

Although not a movie in itself, this 10-episode documentary series is a must-see for all basketball fans out there. This has just been recently making a buzz on Netflix, and it is not surprising. Why is that so? It is because it is a film about the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. This shows the famous basketball player’s journey during the Chicago Bulls basketball dynasty of the 1990s. His competitiveness and zeal to win at all costs were also shown throughout the series. 

One in a Billion

This is a movie that talks about the touching story of Satnam Singh Bhamara, who is the first India-born player in NBA history. The 7-foot-2 basketball player was brought to the United States to play. This movie is an inspiration to many because of how far Bhamara had come to pursue his dreams. He traveled all the way from his farming village at Ballo Ke to the bustling New York City, all in the hopes of playing basketball in the NBA. He did it not just for himself but for his family, his coaches in India, and the many people who contributed to his journey.

Basketball or Nothing

This is a non-scripted reality television series that was filmed in Chinle, Arizona. It revolved around the lives of the Chinle Wildcats, a high school boys’ basketball team from the largest Navajo Nation reservation in America. Basketball or Nothing is a gripping film to watch because, aside from depicting the love for basketball, it shows the identity, culture, and the tribulations that the Native Americans have to face.

High Flying Bird

This 2019 movie was highly praised because of the compelling performance of André Holland. The plot revolves around a sports agent who was caught between an NBA lockout with the team owners and the players. This movie was also shot with an iPhone 8 under the direction of Steven Soderbergh. The script was from the critically acclaimed Moonlight screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney.   

Iverson

The film is centered around one of the best point guards in the NBA, Allen Iverson. It portrays his backstory and the challenges he had to overcome to get to where he is. From when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison to when he became an NBA All-Star, it showed the resiliency and perseverance of the basketball player, which many sports fans can highly appreciate.

With such tear-jerking and motivational basketball movies, you cannot help but cheer on these players. If you are feeling inspired about showing your appreciation for the sport, you can try out betting exchanges.

A sports trader can understand the intricacies of the games and the players themselves. That is why movies are not just places where you can show your support for basketball. For instance, you can become a professional bettor or bookmaker.

Why don’t you try getting in touch with Eastbridge? They can help you with sports betting brokerage, and you can even check out their bookmakers’ list if needed.