The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Dwight Thorne, Assistant Coach at Texas State University. Before getting into coaching, Thorne built an impressive professional playing career with stops in the D-League, Germany, Greece, Croatia, and Reno, Nevada, experiences that helped shape his perspective on leadership, relationships, and player development. He later transitioned into coaching with stops at Georgia Tech, Denver, UT Arlington, and now Texas State. In this episode we discuss the mental adjustment of moving from a professional player to coach, how he learned to build authentic relationships and connections in the industry despite it not coming naturally early on, and the first priorities he focuses on when joining a new program as an assistant coach.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Darnell Harris, Assistant Coach at Wake Forest University. Coach Harris brings a unique perspective to the game, having played professionally at Middle Tennessee State and overseas in Belgium, China, Greece, and Lebanon before transitioning into coaching. His coaching journey has included stops at Ole Miss and Wake Forest, where he continues to grow within a high-level program and impact player development and recruiting. In this episode we discuss how his professional playing career shaped his coaching identity, how he approaches the recruiting process while building strong relationships with families, and how he developed his voice as a young coach within a competitive staff environment.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jordan McCabe, Assistant Coach at Grand Canyon University. McCabe started his playing career at a young age with early success that carried through his time at West Virginia and UNLV, where he became known for his high-level feel for the game and leadership on the floor. He has since transitioned into coaching, with stops at West Virginia, Green Bay, and now Grand Canyon, where he continues to make a strong impact, particularly in player development. In this episode we discuss how he builds individualized development plans for his players, the key lessons he’s taken from working under different coaching styles throughout his journey, and advice for coaches and players navigating the modern game and social media in today’s basketball landscape.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by John Carroll, Basketball Architect at Newman School and Director of Basketball at Master’s Academy. Coach Carroll has worn many hats throughout his career, including athletic director roles, work as a TV and radio basketball analyst for ESPN, serving as an advanced scout for the LA Sparks, and leading JC Advisors LLC as a “Liberator of Talent.” He also spent time as a head coach at Northfield Mount Hermon, helping build strong programs on and off the court. In this episode we discuss how to build culture as a new head coach while still holding academics to a high standard, ways coaches can help develop leadership within their players, and some offensive and defensive staples he believes every strong program should have.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Steven Harbert, Head Coach at North Marion High School. Coach Harbert has spent years coaching and developing athletes at the high school level, including time as an assistant before taking over the program at North Marion. Along the way, he has also coached multiple sports, helping him gain valuable experience working with different athletes, personalities, and team dynamics. His background has shaped a strong approach to leadership, communication, and program building. In this episode we discuss how to coach and connect with different types of players, the best ways to build and sustain a strong program during the offseason, and the pros and cons of multi-sport athletes in today’s high school sports landscape.