(Ep045) Mitch Kupchak: Basketball and Life Lessons from Dean Smith and Jerry West, Memories from Kobe Bryant's pre-Draft Workouts, and Becoming an NBA Executive
Mitch Kupchak grew up in a different America with parents whose upbringing in the Great Depression instilled a strong work ethic but left little time for sports. But as Mitch grew into his 6-foot-10 frame, it soon became apparent that he was destined for something special on the hardwood. As his skills caught up with his size, several college coaches came calling, and it was a simple, honest pitch from Dean Smith that convinced the young man to attend the University of North Carolina.
Once at Chapel Hill, Mitch was molded into the man he became by a combination of Smith’s leadership and his own diligence. This earned him a berth on the gold medal winning Team USA squad in the 1976 Montreal Olympics and a roster spot for the Washington Bullets, where he won the NBA championship with Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. Mitch battled through several serious knee injuries to win two more titles with the Showtime Lakers, and then undertook an apprenticeship under Jerry West, who prepared him for life in the front office. Kupchak eventually took over the Lakers GM role from West, winning two more championships with the Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol team. He is now the President of Basketball Operations and VP of the Charlotte Hornets.
In this episode, Mitch shares:
How his upbringing built a firm foundation for success
What Dean Smith taught him about leading a gold medal life
Why his Bullets teammate Ernie Grunfeld became his best friend
How Jerry West prepared him to be an NBA GM
What he remembers from watching a 17-year-old Kobe Bryant work out for the Lakers
