The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jimmy Elgas, Head Coach at Henderson State University. Coach Elgas has built a wealth of experience through assistant coaching stops at Illinois State, Lincoln College, Southwest Texas, Kansas State, Utah, and Evansville before earning the opportunity to lead the Henderson State program. His journey has given him a unique perspective on leadership, personal growth, and building a successful culture. In this episode we discuss how coaches can continue developing themselves to better serve their teams in today’s landscape, the key factors he believes young coaches should consider before taking a head coaching position, and the core values that drive his program and shape the expectations he has for both players and staff.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Bo Gray, Assistant Coach at Tarleton State University. Gray’s coaching journey began at Youngstown State, where he worked his way from manager to head manager before continuing his rise through roles at Illinois State and now Tarleton State. His path is a great example of how consistency and adding value can open doors in the profession. In this episode we discuss how his responsibilities evolved throughout his time at Youngstown State, the key moments and relationships that helped shape his coaching journey, and how he approaches his role as a young assistant working alongside experienced coaches on staff.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Jay Kuntz, General Manager at the University of Pittsburgh. Kuntz has built his career from the ground up, beginning as a student manager at West Virginia before rising through roles as a graduate assistant, assistant to the head coach, and Director of Player Personnel and Recruiting. He now serves as the GM at Pitt, helping navigate one of the most challenging eras in college basketball. In this episode we discuss how he turned a student manager position into leadership roles within high-major programs, what aspiring coaches should be doing early in their careers if they hope to one day become a GM, and a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into constructing and managing a roster in today’s ever-changing landscape.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Austin Kidd, former college assistant coach and current Account Executive with Synergy Sports. Kidd built his coaching career with stops at Transylvania, Kentucky, Florida Gulf Coast, and The Citadel, gaining experience at multiple levels of the game before making the transition out of coaching. Today, he continues to impact the basketball world through his work with Synergy Sports. In this episode we discuss the story behind his first college coaching opportunity in division 3 and how it eventually led him to Kentucky, what drew him to leave the coaching profession after years on the sidelines, and some exciting projects and opportunities Synergy Sports has on the horizon.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Deividas Dulkys, Assistant Coach with the Brooklyn Nets. Dulkys played collegiately at Florida State before building a lengthy professional career across Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, Italy, and Spain, giving him a unique perspective on the game from both the American and European sides of basketball. After his playing career, he transitioned into coaching with stops at the Memphis Hustle, Sacramento Kings, and now the Brooklyn Nets. In this episode we discuss how his years playing professionally in Spain helped shape his coaching philosophy, the biggest differences he noticed between basketball cultures across Europe and the United States, and the adjustments he had to make when transitioning from professional player to NBA coach