Flame Head Coach Jeff Malone on NBATV

This was my first time hearing Coach Malone speaking to NBA TV. Jeff Malone still sounds like the veteran player on the bench who gives his all, but he has the ability to communicate the essential messages that a head coach needs to send to a young player in need of direction. He has a calming and supportive tone in his voice and an instructive ability to go along with it.

When people ask why young players should be in the D-League over playng abroad for more money, you can point to Jeff Malone as one of those folks who has been to the mountain, climbed to the peak, and made it back down to lead those daring enough back up again.

The Flame and Malone are joining for their first year together, and even if they lose every single game, every player knows they will have a good man leading them out every game with an keen instinct for the game and the abilities to share that instinct with those willing to learn.

I know Malone wants to win, but with the coaching abilities he has, his main problem may be keeping talent at the D-League level long enough to form the chemistry and plain old feel for the game that team units form in the minor leagues of baseball and hockey. I'm sure Jeff won't be too upset to see some of his Flame become this year's big D-League surprise. Hopefully it will be one of our Baby HEAT players.