Editor’s Note: More than three years after Kevin Ollie was fired by UConn for “just cause” in the wake of the NCAA’s recruiting violations ruling, the 48-year-old has been hired as the inaugural head coach and head of player development for the Overtime Elite basketball league. Ollie, the former NBA player who became one of four Black coaches in men’s college basketball history to win a national championship in 2014 and who has close ties to NBA stars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, will lead the program that incentivizes the nation’s top prospects to take an alternative route to the NBA.
Overtime Elite, which will feature up to 30 players ages 16 to 18 who will be paid a minimum salary of $100,000 along with bonuses and equity, is slated to begin in September 2021. If an Overtime Elite player doesn’t ultimately pursue a pro career, the league will pay them up to $100,000 towards college tuition. Overtime, which includes Durant, Carmelo Anthony and late NBA Commissioner David Stern among its investors, was founded in 2016.
Ollie, who is still in arbitration with UConn over the $10 million he was still owed on his contract and isn’t permitted to discuss his exit from the program as a result, wrote an Op-Ed for The Athletic about his return to the basketball world.
Without a strong sense of faith, it’s hard to accomplish anything. Life can take you on unexpected journeys and things don’t always go the way you want. But you have to find purpose through the pain, and strength through the struggle.
The past few years have allowed me to gain perspective on what really matters: family. Life blessed me with an opportunity to deeply devote time to my family, to see my kids’ soccer games and have them home without interruptions or obligations. That time fueled my soul, and filled up my tank. Now, I’m ready for my next chapter.
My time away has reaffirmed that my purpose and true passion is coaching. I spent eight years on the bench at UConn, as both an assistant and head coach. When I took over as head coach in 2012, UConn had just been placed on probation due to academic violations and handed a one-year ban on postseason play. We had also lost four out of five starters and were in the process of changing conferences. I was following a Hall of Fame coach, and I was only given an interim title.
From the outside, these were major challenges. But Ryan Boatright, Shabazz Napier and the rest of our players didn’t see it that way. They committed themselves to playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back. We finished the season with a 20-10 record and would normally have qualified for the NCAA tournament. We shocked a lot of people. But even more important to me: we refocused and redoubled our efforts in the classroom, and every four-year player on that team received his diploma.
I reached the pinnacle of my profession the next season, when I led our beloved Huskies to a national championship. But as proud as I was of winning the hardware, what inspired me most was the development of my team, not only as players, but also as people.
Shabazz Napier came to UConn as a freshman with a ton of potential and left as the nationally recognized leader of a championship team. He also became a first-round draft choice. More importantly, he developed into a championship person. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.
As a coach, I have always considered it a high point to see players grow holistically, not just in one area; to grow up into great men whose talents extend beyond the court, and whose work ethic turns those talents into skills. There’s something special about that. It’s what I have missed most about being away from the game.
That is why I’m so excited about my new role as the head coach of Overtime Elite (OTE), a new professional basketball league and academic accelerator designed to give the next generation of elite athletes everything they need to succeed as pros — on and off the court.
In basketball circles, there has been a lot of talk over the years about revamping a broken system. Today, high school prospects bounce from school to school. Parents pay big money so their kids are able to travel and participate in high-level competition. Education is often not a priority. Prospects enter the pros without the necessary professional skills-training needed for successful careers at the next level. And they lack the business literacy to know how to maintain and deal with the things that come with money.
OTE is designed to offer the world’s top prospects the development, education and economic empowerment to address these issues head-on.
On the court, OTE players will compete against the top prospects from around the world. They will have access to pro-grade training and coaching to level-up their game, and to world-class facilities, nutritionists and sports scientists who can hone their bodies.
Players will also earn six-figure salaries and have the opportunity to be compensated for their name, image and likeness. They will earn a high school diploma and receive professional training in financial literacy, social media, media training and the business of basketball. I had to learn all of this on my own when I entered the NBA.
I’ve been around greatness, playing with all-timers like LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. These guys all had something in common: they respected the game. Perfecting their craft wasn’t a chore; it was a lifestyle.
In OKC, Russ, KD and James would all stay late in the gym. If they were working on a new move, they’d stay until it was perfected. When you see them play, it’s because of the work they put in. In many ways, it’s harder than the game. This is what it takes to be great.
Or take Ray Allen, maybe the greatest shooter ever. When he came to college, Ray was known for his athleticism. But Ray built a legendary routine and spent countless hours perfecting his shot. The results speak for themselves.
These lessons and others I will pass on to our athletes.
It’s an honor to be joining the Overtime family and the incredible platform it has developed for elite athletes.
My focus now is to build a championship connection with our players. We want them to be elite in every facet; academically, athletically and professionally. I think that’s what makes OTE the right league for the elite athlete. And it’s exciting for me, too. I can’t wait to get back to my sanctuary: the gym.
(Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Ollie)
