Philadelphia 76ers Video Coordinator Will Weaver Resigns

Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the court prior to the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General view of the court prior to the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Philadelphia 76ers Will Weaver, Special Assistant To Head Coach, has announced his resignation

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most progressive and technologically savvy team in the National Basketball Association. That, as a result of former president Sam Hinkie’s dedication to the entire gamut of basketball analytics, has set the stage for the investment in personnel, time, and technology.

Because that investment was made by the former regime, there is a question as to whether the same level of interest and commitment will be made by the group currently in charge- spearheaded by the new president of basketball operations, Bryan Colangelo.

Will has been the video coordinator for the Philadelphia 76ers since 2014 and certainly a family matter is reason enough to change employment status.

More from Sixers News

But lets revisit the miraculous makeover of the Philadelphia 76ers organization at this moment. Former head coach Doug Collins and general manager Tony DiLeo were so opposed to the basketball analytics movement, that Doug Collins had this to say to Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"76ers coach Doug Collins was asked the other day if he was an analytics guy. “No. If I did that, I’d blow my brains out,” Collins said after a practice last week. “There’s 20-page printouts after every game – I would kill myself. My analytics are here . . .” Collins quickly pointed to his head. “. . . and here.” He pointed just above the white waistband of his Sixers sweat suit – to his gut."

Oh those were the days, weren’t they?  The days leading up to trading a king’s ransom for Andrew Bynum and Arnett Moultrie… ahhh.

In the wake of the gut style management of Doug Collins, the Philadelphia 76ers had just one analytics-focused staffer under DiLeo.  Now the team has an entire array of modern analytical staffers, starting with VPs whose role and value to the  team consists of compiling player data to provide to head coach Brett Brown and staff.  From a small administrative assistant staff armed with word processing typewriters and WANGS, to over ten plus staffers who all drive powerful video graphic computers who have the desktop capacity to create powerful analytic summaries complete with video and shot graphics.

We’d discussed Basketball Analytics before, as the investment made by the Philadelphia 76ers gives the team a very competitive edge – particularly in the early years of developing young NBA talent.

That’s why news of any attrition in that department will be newsworthy.   The team has two assistant video coordinators:  Chris Babcock and Roman DiPasquale, either of whom are no doubt worthy of promotion.

But the analytics staff, the concept, was born of the need of Hinkie’s vision to develop young players into NBA elites.  We already know that Bryan Colangelo has a much tempered view of the course of building a winner – one that places a far greater value to trades and free agents to secure veteran leadership.

Next: Dragen Bender to 76ers Gets Surprise Endorsement

Let’s hope he doesn’t see basketball analytics area as too excessive.   If he does, there will be more news along the lines of Will Weaver’s resignation.  But family matters won’t be behind those decisions.