Meet The Coaches - Rick Mahorn Big Man & Guard Basketball Camp

Rick Mahorn

Big Man Skills Lead Coach

Rick Mahorn was a member of the legendary NBA Champions Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys.” An 18-year veteran of the NBA who also played two seasons in Italy, Rick is currently one-half of the Pistons’ radio broadcast team. You can check out Rick and the “Bad Boys” here.

“My goal is to get you to always be a student of the game. Hakeem was one of the most gifted post players, but guys like Kareem and Kevin McHale, once they developed a counter-move, became much harder to defend. You will leave the camp with a better understanding of the game, and of your game – that will help you become the best player you can be. Based on my many years as a player and coach, I would say, too, that the mental part of the game is holding too many players back today. Combine the mental component with the physical skills you have and you will become a much more complete player. This combination – the physical plus the mental – makes our camp truly one-of-a-kind.”

George Galiotos

Big Man Skills/ Player Development Coach

Now in his 6th season, Coach George is an invaluable part of the team! The 7-foot veteran of 13 years in the Greek Basketball League and a former member of the Greek National Team, holds a master’s degree in physical education and sport science, with special expertise in working with big men. As Rick notes: “George is a great teacher of the big man game with an exceptional eye to detail. He will correct your mistakes but still let you play your game.”

Player Testimonials

Mitch Smith

Mental Conditioning Coach

Dr. Mitch Smith has worked with hundreds of college and professional basketball players, coaches, and teams in both the U.S. and Europe helping them to develop the mental qualities to achieve greater competitive success. For ten years he served as Director of Sport Psychology Services at Florida Atlantic University.

“The true value of a camp is if it can help you become a more dominating player in critical game situations. That is where the mental part comes in. For over 20 years I have helped players become mentally tougher so that they can:

1. Maintain consistent focus and fend off distractions of all sorts

2. Keep their confidence high during a game (or a season)’s ups and down

3. Keep anger from getting in the way, and use it to their advantage

4. Become more resilient and more aggressive by accepting setbacks as challenges and opportunities rather than defeats”

Mitch Smith George Galiotos, and Rick Mahorn

MANOLO POVEA

Guard Skills Coach

from Malaga, Spain, brings a wealth of international coaching experience. The veteran Spanish League coach and educator will head up our guard camp together with Rick.

Barak Peleg

Coach

Barak Peleg is the Head Coach of Otef Darom BC in the Israeli National League as well as Israel’s U18 National Team.

“At the age of 18, I put my basketball career on hold to enlist in an elite unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Following 4.5 years of military service, I returned to the court, going on to play professionally for 16 years in both the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the Israeli National Team.

I retired from playing at 37, and have spent the last 16 years coaching: serving for 4 years as an assistant coach in the Premier League, and for the past 12 years as a head coach in both the Premier League and the National League. In addition to my coaching career, I am a keynote speaker and mentor, delivering lectures to various institutions, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the IDF, defense organizations, and leading corporate firms.

What They’re Saying About Coach George

Coach George was really helpful in relating my situation as a big with his past as a professional player. He gave me lots of tips that helped me with footwork and Basketball IQ

-T.L.

What makes Coach George such an amazing coach is first, his basketball knowledge which is incredible, and second, he has played as a big and there aren’t other camps like this with former bigs coaching us big men.

-K.B.

Coach George taught me a lot of things about post skills that I had never been taught before. His approach to coaching is very refreshing and he taught me so much that I can find valuable out on the floor.

-S.S.

Coach George’s ability to communicate with us not just with words or explanation but by actively demonstrating what we had to do made him so effective. His expectations that we come early to sessions and stretch, that we eat healthy, held me and the other guys to a high standard and made sure we were giving our best effort and not letting up, which definitely helped us get better.

-M.M.

What makes Coach George such a good coach is that not only does he have a deep love for the sport but also a love for the players he trains and cares not only about our improvements on the court but our physical and mental health as well.

-K.S.

Coach George has played the game and been in these situations, so he really knows what he is talking about.

-A.H.

What makes Coach George such a great coach is how much he cares, both on and off the court. He’s a great role model for the players and he really wants all of us to succeed. He has helped me develop a well-rounded skill set and really mature as a player. He also trained my body to be able to perform at a high level. He dedicates a lot to the players, and you can see it in the great improvement each of us has made.

-A.H.

What makes Coach George such a great coach is how he is so patient.

-B.H.

Coach George believes in perfecting the game fundamentals first of all. He understands how to help every player that he works with. Personally he has helped me become a better point guard, sharpening my Basketball IQ and leadership skills on and off the court. Additionally he has helped me build my body to compete at the college level.

-G.G.

Coach George is such a good coach because he quickly gets to know each person’s strengths and exactly what each player needs help with the most, and exactly what to do to help them.

-K.L.

What makes Coach George such a great coach is his incredibly vast knowledge and his dedication to the game. He knows his stuff and can answer any question you ask him. From strength training and conditioning to skill work drills to reading defenders, he has so much experience that he knows exactly how to set you up for success.

-C.D.

Coach George cares about all his players and looks to make them the best they can be. He expects a lot out of every player and pushes them to their limit.

-J.M.

You can really see his passion for coaching. His European experience makes him a genuinely unique coach. He goes hard on the little things that are often the most important.

-K.G.

What makes Coach George such a great coach is that he really pushed me to go as hard as I could and expected me to succeed, and when I didn’t, he helped me through it. He helped me see the game in a whole new way. He is such a serious and to-the-point guy yet such a funny, kind and genuine person. He is super relatable and great guy to be around.

-C.P.

Coach George is amazing because not only does he push us to be the best basketball player we can be, but also to be the best person we can be. He comes super prepared to every session and his drills and all the stuff we work on during practice are amazing. It really translates to the game , allowing me to play so much better.

-P.N.