(St. Louis, MO) – There are many ingredients that make a successful basketball team, organization or business, but the intangible of leadership is something you cannot overlook. Good teams have it and struggling teams rarely do. When you have good leadership, confidence grows and victories are the blossoms. When leadership is missing, there is an insecurity about how to accomplish team goals.
Missouri Valley Conference coaches have weighed in on this subject. Teams need players that mentor and inspire their teammates to greater heights and harder work. But what makes a great leader and who are the truly exceptional ones in the Valley?
Several MVC coaches spoke of the respect they have for Wichita State (18-2) guard Fred VanVleet. His head coach, Gregg Marshall agreed with that assessment and said a key part of being a good leader is having the ‘moral authority’ to lead.
When teams lack the kind of player that commands respect and is an extension of the team philosophy into the locker room they struggle. Bradley (7-14) head coach Geno Ford says that’s one of the reasons some Valley teams are fighting for success. While praising VanVleet, he also says many of this era’s players don’t want the pressure of having to lead.
Loyola’s (13-7) Porter Moser believes he has a exceptional leader in Milton Doyle and that great leaders not only work hard, they share their knowledge and hold their teammates accountable. Moser says every coach covets outstanding leaders.
Evansville (15-5) Head Coach Marty Simmons says while Adam Wing is a solid leader, but he challenges each member of the team to be a leader. Simmons says unselfishness is a big part of what makes a leader stand out and helps with success.
SIU (9-12) Head Coach Barry Hinson says successful teams have great leaders. Hinson says the youth on the Saluki roster is one of the reasons his team is still lacking good leadership.
Hinson went on to say that VanVleet is a perfect example of the ultimate leader
Illinois State (12-8) Head Coach Dan Muller says mental toughness is an important aspect of leadership. He says what good leaders do in the locker room is as important as what coaches do in practice. Muller says a team can only have consistency if they have some internal leadership. Coach Muller says guards Daishon Knight and Paris Lee have done a good job on this year’s Redbird team.
Coach after MVC coach told me of their respect for VanVleet and Northern Iowa’s Seth Tuttle. If leadership is as important as these coaches say, you can understand why Wichita State and UNI are the top two teams in the Valley.
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
