Buccaneer Basketball Assistant Coach Emmanuel Bland accepted an intern position with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association in their player development program. He will be assisting the Mavs coaches with on-court drills and workouts as well as during practices and pre-game routines. Bland will also be helping in the video room with charting film to aid in individual player development.
Coach Bland stated, “I’m excited to be a part of an NBA program and learn from some of the best coaches and work with some of the best players in the world. To watch it on TV and now to be able to experience it firsthand is surreal and I thank God for providing this type of opportunity.” He went on to talk about his time at DCC, “It’s been such a blessing to be a Buccaneer and be a part of the Glendive community. Everybody from Dr Mickelsen, the DCC students, faculty and staff to our church family has made our time here unforgettable. I am grateful for the group of guys that have allowed me to be a part of their lives and made coaching a joy. I also can’t thank Coach Peterson enough for taking a chance on me as an unproven coach and investing in me, not only as a coach, but also as a person. I know I am a better coach, husband, and father because of it.”
Bland spent three years in China working for Five Star Sports before coming to Dawson in 2017. He helped the Buccaneers win 24 games in his first year and 20 games this past year. His responsibilities included player development, strength and conditioning, running the red-shirt developmental program, academic oversight, social media, recruiting, and scouting among other things. He also served as one of the college’s academic tutors for the past year and a half.
Dawson Head Coach Joe Peterson had high praise for his assistant, “Coach Manny has done an outstanding job during his two years here. He is very knowledgeable, but remains humble and hard-working. He is everything a head coach would want in an assistant. He had a great relationship with the players and provided them a lot of support on the court, in the classroom and in their personal lives. We are sad to see him go, but excited for him to take this next step. It’s been a dream of his to work at the professional level and this is an incredible opportunity. He is passionate about basketball, but even more passionate about helping people and he will be able to continue doing that in this new role. Coach Manny, Christine and their girls have been a major blessing to me and my family as well as to many others at DCC and in the community. They will be missed dearly, but we wish them well in their next adventure.”