Might Storm Head Coach Brian Agler coach someday in Europe? Agler’s interview with Paul Nilsen of FIBA.com earlier this week raised the intriguing possibility. It’s one Agler has considered, though no such position is imminent.
Agler
“If the right opportunity presents itself,” Agler told reporters after a recent practice, “we’d look at it.”
In this case, “we” means a variety of constituents. Coaching overseas would mean spending months away from home, so Agler’s wife, Robin, would be part of any decision. For now, the Aglers plan to stay put in Columbus to see daughter Taylor through her final year of high school. When Taylor, a D-I prospect as a point guard, joins son Bryce in college, the Aglers will have more flexibility.
“Once she gets into the college situation,” he explained, “then a lot of things can happen for us in regards to relocation, what we’ve just talked about here. We’ve really been focused on trying to get her through her high school days, help her make her decision about what she’s going to do and then go from there.”
We also includes the Storm’s front office, with whom Agler has discussed the possibility. He believes that coaching year-round could help make him a stronger WNBA coach by exposing him to new philosophies and because of the chance to get an intimate knowledge of European talent.
“I keep pretty strong tabs over there anyway,” he said, “but just having an opportunity to branch out and see and be involved and be a part of different organizations is intriguing. Coaching in a different environment is intriguing. But nothing to take away from what we’re doing here.”
There is a precedent, which goes the opposite direction. When Pokey Chatman was hired by the Chicago Sky, she maintained her previous role as head coach of Sparta&K Moscow Region. After coaching through her original contract with Sparta&K, she recently extended her deal through 2012-13. At some point, Agler and Chatman could be opponents on two continents.
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