'Ballina is like the state of Indiana' - Basketball coach predicts NBA season

Jacob Jonas’ specific Mayo connection started in 1993 at Pocono Invitational Basketball Camp in Pennsylvania. He always had an interest in networking with international coaches and met Coach Terry Kennedy there.

The legendary Ballina head coach invited Jonas over to Ballina to work at some of his summer camps and also with his teams in Ballina and Castlebar.

“It has been a wonderful experience because Ballina has a great basketball community,” Jonas says, speaking to The Mayo News: “Terry's wife Trinie is heavily involved on the women’s side. I compare Ballina to the state of Indiana. The passion for basketball in that area is hard to describe. I tell people they have to experience it in person.”

Jonas himself is from Port Jefferson, NY and his playing years were on the high school team.

“My coaching aspirations started when I realized that I was not going to achieve my dream of being an NBA player. My coaching career started as what we call in the US a "manager" on the college level. I attended the University at Albany in New York and George Washington University in Washington DC. I assisted the head coach with tasks such as filming practices, making sure the floor was swept, and ensuring the water bottles were filled for the players. When needed I would assist the coaches with drills when they needed a passer or a rebounder. I worked up-close with coaches such as James Jones (current Yale coach - 442 career wins) and Mike Jarvis (former head coach at four different colleges - 364 career wins).

Jacob Jonas worked with Hall of Famer and 4-time champion with the Boston Celtics, Robert Parish:

“I worked with Robert Parish in 2001 with a minor league team called the Maryland Mustangs. It was in a league called the United States Basketball League that produced many future NBA players. He was incredible to work with and was a great influence on all of our players and assistant coaches. In addition to working with Robert Parish, I worked with other teams in the United States Basketball League as head coach and assistant coach. I eventually worked in the video scouting department with the Chicago Bulls (2004-2008).

Which teams are your biggest favourites this NBA season?

New York, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City are my favourites due to their playoff success last year, roster continuity of their top players, and their size. Pat Riley used to say "no rebounds, no rings). I think those three teams have a lot of size in their frontcourt, but also size throughout their line-up where other players besides their interior players are more than capable of getting rebounds. To make it through the gauntlet of the playoffs, you need a certain level of physical toughness. Winning in the regular season and the playoffs are two completely different things.

The NBA power ranking for Jacob Jonas:

1. New York

2. San Antonio

3. Oklahoma City

4. Boston Celtics

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

6. Los Angeles Lakers

7. Philadelphia 76ers

8. Denver Nuggets

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

10. Detroit Pistons

How do you rate LeBron James' decision to leave the Lakers - and to go to Philadelphia? Are the Sixers a contender now for real, or does it all still hinge on Embiid being healthy?

From a fan standpoint the move is incredible. The Sixers will be the top story every game they play. The attention LeBron receives for his every move will bring great publicity for the Sixers and his teammates. Every game they play will be a sellout and have a playoff-like atmosphere. I think it is great for the NBA when teams have compelling story lines. For LeBron, I am personally impressed he would be humble enough to accept a minimum-salary contract. He has been incredible for the League throughout his storied career.

From a strategic standpoint, think it is going to be a challenge for the Sixers to integrate LeBron. Embiid, Brown, and Maxey are all used to playing with the ball in their hands.

As inventive a coach as Nick Nurse is, LeBron's teammates aren't used to standing around. They are not used to moving without the ball. The adjustment of his teammates to his ball-dominant style of play is my biggest concern.

I also am concerned about their defense and rebounding. Embiid and Maxey are used to being around complementary players. VJ Edgecombe is a future All-Star / All NBA caliber player.

Who takes on the defense/rebounding challenge with this group. With all this said, any coach in the World would welcome the challenge of integrating "too much talent". Most teams don't have enough.

I agree with you - the Embiid health question has always been a challenge. Bringing in LeBron and Brown will help to significantly lighten his load to the point where he has a chance to be healthy in the playoffs. The reason for "The Process" in the first place was not to rely too heavily on one player. It was to have many quality players.

What recent NBA trends do you observe in the NBA regarding coaching and tactics? Will we move away from predominantly 3-point heavy strategies?

I think teams will move away from the predominant 3-point strategy because they have seen the last few years in the playoffs that teams need a mix of 3-pointers and other ways to score.

Another tactic I have observed is coaches' willingness to gibe opportunities to more players on their rosters. The nature of the game in terms of speed and possessions means coaches need to utililize more that 7 or 8 players.

It may not be for extended stretches of time, but every player on the bench must be ready when his number is called. It makes for a fun fan experience seeing more players come from "out of nowhere" to increase their role on the team.

Are the new York Knicks capable of defending their title? Even without Mitch Robinson (who was traded to the Boston Celtics)?

This is a great question. At the time of the move I would have said no. But, the preseason has showed me the type of player they signed in Andre Drummond from the Sixers.

He has been a revelation in terms of his level of physical fitness, mobility with the ball, and shot blocking capabilities. He has always been one of the best rebounders in the League, but Knicks' opponents once again have to deal with a quality backup center. Most teams when you get past their starter, you are at quite an advantage.

The toughest part of the title defense will be financial distractions. As good as these players are, contracts are ever-present in their minds. Even when they are not, members of the media will be asking them about it. Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles "Deuce" McBride, among other players will have contract concerns.

How those players can focus on winning and their personal situations will be a challenge for everyone. Coach Mike Brown is a great person to handle these types of challenges.

Which NBA team could be in for a surprise and why? Which team wouldn't you feel the hype for really?

I really like the Minnesota Timberwolves. LaMelo Ball played 72 games last season which was more than he played in the previous two seasons combined.

If he is truly past his injury issues, I see the Timberwolves taking the next step in their playoff journey. Chris Finch is an excellent coach and Tim Connelly is one of the top 2 or 3 team-builders in the entire League.

He is one of the few executives that is willing to take the big swing with player acquisition. Ball will take a lot of the ballhandling responsibilities away from Anthony Edwards.

The amount of time Edwards handled the ball last season caught up to the team in the playoffs. Ball is the most creative player in the entire League.

On the flipside of the LaMelo Ball trade is the team I do not feel the hype for - the Charlotte Hornets. Ball enabled Charlotte's two other top scorers, Brandon Miller and Kon Kneuppel to get easy baskets and open shots.

The team also moved on from double-digit scorer Miles Bridges. Dennis Schroeder is a quality player, but he is not the passer that LaMelo Ball is. Coby White is another quality player, but he is not the offensive organizer that LaMelo Ball is. A quality point guard is rare in the NBA - it is similar to a quarterback in the NFL. Teams are sometimes too quick to move on from them.