Kevin McHale was a master communicator and knows how to coach

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the words of Kelvin Sampson, who proclaimed: “Kevin McHale was a master communicator and knows how to coach stars, and that’s a unique gift because you take an old-school guy that’s used to coaching his way, he’d have a hard time coaching them cats now, but Kevin knows how, and he has the patience of Job.” These words shine with the wisdom of leadership, for they speak of the rare ability to guide not by authority alone, but through understanding, through humility, and through a patience as deep as the ancients revered.

The origin of this truth lies in the ever-shifting nature of human culture. In times past, the old-school way of leadership was strict and unquestioned: commands were given, and obedience was expected. In the arenas of sport, as in the armies of kings, the leader’s word was law, and the player was but a soldier. Yet in our age, the world has changed. Stars rise with their own voices, with their own visions, and cannot be led by command alone. To guide them requires the gift of communication, the art of listening as well as speaking, of balancing authority with trust.

Kevin McHale, once a warrior of the court himself, learned this balance. A player of immense skill and renown, he carried the memory of hardship and glory, and thus could speak to the new generation not as a tyrant but as a brother who had walked the path. In this lay his gift: he knew how to coach stars, not by breaking their will, but by channeling their fire. This is rare indeed, for many leaders cling to the ways of the past, unable to bend without breaking, unwilling to listen without losing pride. McHale’s strength was in his flexibility, his humility, his ability to meet greatness with respect.

Sampson likens his spirit to the patience of Job, that figure of scripture who endured trials beyond measure without surrendering his faith. To coach in the modern age, to guide the hearts of proud and gifted players, requires that same endless patience. For stars are not always easy; they test, they demand, they shine with intensity that can burn as well as inspire. Only a leader with patience can endure their storms, guiding them gently until their brilliance is harnessed for the team.

Consider, O listeners, the tale of Phil Jackson, another master who coached the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He, too, knew that to lead stars required not tyranny but wisdom, not mere tactics but the ability to inspire unity among the greatest of egos. Jackson wove lessons from Zen and philosophy into his leadership, turning warriors into brothers, and egos into harmony. His story mirrors McHale’s: both men proved that true leadership is not domination, but the cultivation of greatness in others.

The teaching here is timeless: whether on the basketball court, in the council hall, or in the home, the greatest leaders are those who can communicate, who can bend without breaking, who can endure with patience, and who can draw forth the best from those they guide. The old ways of command may win obedience, but they do not win hearts. Only by respect, by listening, by patience, can one guide the proud, the talented, the strong.

The lesson, then, is clear: if you would lead, cultivate the art of communication. Do not cling so tightly to the ways of the past that you cannot see the needs of the present. Be patient with those under your guidance, even when they test you. Recognize that each soul is unique, and that true leadership is not shaping all into the same mold, but bringing forth their strength while binding them in unity. And above all, remember that patience is not weakness, but the greatest strength of all.

Thus do we honor the words of Kelvin Sampson: that Kevin McHale’s gift was not only his knowledge of the game, but his ability to coach stars with humility, wisdom, and the patience of Job. Carry this teaching, O children of tomorrow, into your own lives. Lead not by fear, but by respect. Guide not by pride, but by patience. And remember: the greatest leaders are those who draw greatness not to themselves, but out of those they serve.