Zane Has Breakfast with Larry Brown NBA Basketball Coach

Wow, I was in my early teens and I just found out that I was being sent to NBA basketball coach Larry Brown. He would determine my punishment. I had accidentally knocked someone's tooth out. At the time, Larry Brown coached the NBA Denver Nuggets and was holding a basketball camp. It was summertime.

The location was the University of Colorado in Boulder. Basketball campers stayed in the dorms.

Many basketball coaches at Larry Brown's level, in my experience, just lend their names to sports camps and only show up briefly themselves. Not basketball coach Larry Brown, he was there every minute. In fact, he stayed in a dorm room.

NBA Coach Larry Brown treated everyone like we would eventually make it in the NBA. This was in spite of the fact that most of us were short white kids from farm towns. I was sure I would make the NBA. He motivated us. He lectured us. He made us laugh and even gave us handouts for homework.

Just being at basketball camp would have been enough for me. If I recall correctly, David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets came and spoke to us.

My experience at basketball camp though, would become far better. Here's what happened. I didn't know anyone at basketball camp. I was hanging around, minding my own business, when some kid took a curtain rod and started running around trying to hit everyone. He thought it was funny.

I warned this kid not to hit me. He did not listen. Anyway, he lost a tooth and I got pinned with knocking it out. It was only the second day of camp. I had saved up for a year to pay my own way to basketball camp. Now I was sure I would be headed home. I was heart broken, but not so much about the kids tooth.

A counselor showed up to take me in for questioning. We went to another floor of the dorm, to a room. The counselor knocked on the door, and a voice said "come in". As the door opened, I remember seeing a small black and white TV with The Barney Miller Show on. Sitting in front of the TV was none-other-than NBA Future Hall of Fame Coach, Larry Brown. My dream comes true, or not?

Coach Larry Brown told the counselor he could leave. He asked me to sit down and explain what happened. I told him that the kid was just goofing around and threatened to hit me with a curtain rod. I told the NBA coach that I warned him, but he hit me anyway and I knocked his tooth out.

NBA Coach Larry Brown then asked me about myself. I was in a dream. He was extremely nice and took the incident in complete stride. Perhaps he sensed my fear and realized I was intimidated. I waited for him to pronounce my punishment. Just meeting was a thrill. If I had to be sent home I was ready. Finally, he said to me "Let's have breakfast together in the morning. You go and think about what punishment I should give you. Meet me at 7:00 AM in the cafeteria." Did I mention he always ate with the basketball campers?

All night I thought of punishments. I was both excited to eat with the NBA basketball coach, and also trying to come up with a harsh punishment that would satisfy him. I wanted to stay at camp so badly. I could run 100 laps around the basketball court, I thought. No, I could run 200 and maybe some pushups. This was NBA basketball coach Larry Brown. What would he expect?

I did not realize, that by the next morning, I would find out what makes Larry Brown so successful. He would not tell me, he would show me, lead me and teach me.

I don't think I slept a wink. I walked into to the huge cafeteria right on time. I remember feeling self conscious. Was I to just walk up to this famous coach and sit down next to him? Not to worry, as he saw me approaching he asked me to have a seat and pointed to the spot directly across from him.

He was surrounded by people that all seemed to look up to him. Mostly they were other coaches, if I recall. I do remember that it was like any other breakfast. Subject matter ran from girls to basketball. No mention of my incident was made during breakfast.

When we were done eating, Larry looked at me and asked me if I though of a punishment. I was ready for his question. "Yes" I said firmly. He then surprised me.

"Zane" he said, remembering my name as if I mattered. "I though about this too, you warned the kid right?" "Yes" I said. "Then he hit you, is that correct?" "Yes" I said again. Then, NBA coach and all-around great guy Larry Brown said to me "I thought about this last night and if I was in your shoes I would have done the same thing." My jaw dropped. He went on to say "I can tell you've thought about this. I know you understand that what you did was wrong. I want you to enjoy the camp."

That was it, NBA basketball coach Larry Brown just smiled at me and walked away. I realized both then and now, thirty years later, that I would have run through a brick wall for this guy. He is a brilliant people person, motivator and master psychologist all in one. My time with the coach at breakfast was one of the best times I ever had.

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