By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
The local Clark County Parks and Recreation staff hosted Barry Hecker and his “Little Big Man” basketball camp last week. The camp was held in the gym of the Moapa Valley High School and was open to boys and girls in the age group from grades 3-8. A high school session was also run later in the afternoon of each day.
Coach Barry Hecker is retired after coaching 21 years in the NBA. He coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies during that time. He was the player personnel director for the Cavaliers for two years, and Clippers for four years. He was an assistant coach for the US Basketball team. He helped assemble Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper and Johnny “Hot Rod” Williams that challenged Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the Eastern conference final. Once losing in game seven on Jordan’s famous buzzer beater.
Hecker has been a frequent speaker at basketball clinics around the world, working and coaching around the world, and working with NBA Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley. Others he has worked with include Tyrone “Mugsy” Bouges, Xavier McDaniel and Andrei Kirlienko.
Hecker’s camp last week was a shooting and offensive skills camp. The students were taught ways to improve their individual skills on offense.
Hecker brought in former UNLV coach Howie Landa who coached the Rebels as an Assistant to Jerry Tarkanian then was the head coach of the Rebels for seven games after Rollie Massimino was fired. He was 5-2.
Coach Landa spent a half an hour going over the crossover dribble, setting up a drive to the hoop or a jump shot.
The camp had many participants and brought many smiles to the faces of the local kids. It was an amazing camp; one that coach Hecker plans to bring back next year.
