Top 10 Badass NBA Coaches Part 3: Brad Stevens

Our series on the top 10 badass NBA coaches in 2017 continues with our spotlight on Boston Celtics head coach, Brad Stevens.

Brad Stevens has been head coach of the Boston Celtics for nearly four years, and is now considered to be one of the great up-and-coming coaches in the league. He’s had a great 2016/17 season thus far, and has led his team to become one of the top 5 betting favorites to win the NBA Championship, according to many online sportsbooks in the US including Intertops. Let’s take a look at his journey to get where he is today.

Early Life

Intertops 2017 NBA Championship betting odds

• Golden State Warriors: 1.75
• Cleveland Cavaliers: 3.75
• San Antonio Spurs: 7.50
• Houston Rockets: 21.00
• Boston Celtics: 23.00

Stevens was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1976. As a child, his father would show him old NBA game tapes, and by the time he was 8 years old he was a basketball fanatic. He began practicing the game around that same time.

In high school, Stevens was a star basketball player. At the end of his senior year, he had set new school records for scoring, assists, and steals. Despite his tremendous high school accomplishments, Stevens felt his playing ability was not up to par with those at the elite college level, and decided to enroll at the academically-oriented DePauw University.

He continued to play basketball while at DePauw, serving as team captain in his senior year. In 1999, he graduated school with a degree in economics and began to look at life not involving his beloved sport.

First Coaching Administrative Work

In 2000, while Brad Stevens was working for pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, he was offered a position at the Butler basketball office. Taking it would mean leaving his lucrative job. After long deliberation with his girlfriend, he decided to go for it. This decision would ultimately lead him to become one of the top 10 badass NBA coaches today.

Stevens initially worked in a low-paying coordinator of basketball operator under head coach Thad Matta. The next year, Matta left the school, and Stevens was promoted to assistant coach. In 2007, he was once again promoted, this time to head coach.

That move proved to be a good one for the school, as Stevens would go on to become one of the most successful coaches in their history. In 2010, despite being massive March Madness betting underdogs, Butler nearly made US gambling news by winning the NCAAB Championship.

Move to the Boston Celtics

In 2013, Brad Stevens got the call he had been waiting for his entire career. The Boston Celtics asked him to be their head coach, and on July 3rd, he signed a six-year, $22 million deal. He’s since become one of the top 10 badass NBA coaches in the world, with numerous accomplishments under his belt.

Brad led the Celtics to consecutive playoff appearances in both 2015 and 2016, despite most US sports betting sites like Intertops listing them as serious underdogs. 2017 may be his strongest year to date, as the Celtics are now ranked 2nd in the Eastern Conference, and are seen by many basketball betting experts as a potential dark horse to win the championship.

So what makes Stevens such a good coach? Some say it’s his ability to keep calm. Unlike many NBA coaches who spend their time on the court screaming at officials and yanking players to the sidelines, Stevens remains extremely calm, always looking for the next play.

He rarely raises his voice to players, preferring to give positive reinforcement to the team instead of lambasting them. It’s this strategy, he feels, that has helped the Celtics become one of the top 2017 teams in the NBA. He certainly keeps his cool during games, though his wife gave a unique insight into what’s really going on in one of the top 10 badass NBA coaches’ mind during games.

“He’s calm and collected, but he’s fiercely competitive. He’s always thinking about how he can beat you.” Tracy Stevens said. With just over a month to go until the playoffs begin, the Celtics are beginning to look like potential champions. At the moment, Intertops lists the Celtics’ odds to win the 2017 NBA Championship at 23.00.

Make sure to check out part 1 and part 2 of our list on the top 10 badass NBA coaches, and tell us who you think deserves to be on the list by leaving a comment below!