Jon Freeman

Bill Belichick says he learned from Bob Knight coaching Michael Jordan to coach the best players as hard as you coach the worst ones because then it gives the best ones more authority to lead “It was really important because Tom knew it, and Tom brought it to my attention. It enabled him to give more leadership to the offense. If I didn’t point him out, then everybody walks out there feeling like, ‘Well, they got yelled at except for him.’” “But when I could make points to Tom, then Tom could say, ‘Hey fellas, look, he got after me too. He got after all of us. We’ve got to get it going.’ And I learned that from Coach Knight.” “Coach Knight did that with Jordan in the Olympics. He told Jordan, ‘Jordan, I’m going to be on you. I’m going to be on you hard, especially on defense, because I know you can take it.’” “Jordan says, ‘Bring it on. I just want everybody else to play better. Bring it on.’ Because if you’re yelling at Michael Jordan, everybody else has got to come.” “So a lot of times I would tell Tom, ‘Hey Tom, it could get a little rough in there today. Just want to let you know.’ He goes, ‘Well, make sure you include me. I need to be part of it.’”