Willis becomes the first female coach for the Knicks Franchise, serving as an assistant for New York’s G League affiliate the Westchester Knicks
On Monday the Westchester Knicks announced new additions to their 2019-2020 season coaching staff, which includes Lisa C. Willis, a four year WNBA veteran who spent her career playing for the Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and the Sacramento Monarchs. Allen Deep, a former assistant coach of the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, will join first-year head coach Derrick Alston‘s bench as well.
“I am very excited to welcome Allen and Lisa to our Westchester Knicks family,” Alston said in a team statement. “Lisa has had the benefit of playing professionally and winning at the highest levels. Given Lisa’s acumen for the game, there is no doubt in my mind that her transition to the sideline will be seamless.”
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Willis was drafted in 2006 by the Sparks after finishing a storied college career at UCLA. Before her senior year, she was named the nation’s best defender by Nancy Lieberman and she was the first player in Bruin history to record 100 steals in three straight seasons. She finished her college career with the most three-balls attempted and made in a UCLA uniform.
In addition to her four years in the W, Willis won a gold medal in 2005 with Team USA in the World University Games.
Following her career in the WNBA, she developed a basketball coaching, conditioning and motivational speaking business in Maryland that put her in opportunities to mentor young people in their basketball journeys. As President of Mindful Development Hoops, Willis aims to develop “young women with active and creative minds” guiding them to their potential on and off the court. Willis has a treasure trove of motivational and leadership centric videos on her Youtube channel entitled “Lisa C. Willis Inspires.”
The former fifth overall draft pick was hired last fall to coach the T.C. Williams High School girls basketball team in Alexandria, Virginia. According to Kyle Melnick at the Washington Post, Willis brought a new team culture to the program, which included “weekly classroom meetings” dedicated to mental conditioning.
Before returning to New York, she completed the NBA’s Assistant Coaches Program, which is a transitional training that provides educational opportunities in coaching and front office management to former professional players. A year ago, Chasity Melvin, who was recently hired as an assistant for Women’s Basketball at Loyola University Maryland, was the first woman to coach in the G League as a graduate of this program.
With specialties in defensive scheming and spreading the floor, Willis will only make last season’s second-best G League defense better. Her knowledge and ability to experiment with triangular offensive formations will assist the Knicks with the long ball. Last season, Westchester finished 14th out of 27 total teams in overall three-point percentage.
While playing for Pat Coyle’s New York Liberty in 2008, Willis shot over 46 percent from three, putting her the top 10 across the league in that metric. Westchester County Center will have another Liberty three-baller in their midst this fall. But instead of a swish from Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse or Marine Johannès, fans will be introduced to Willis who aims to make her mark from the bench in White Plains.
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