Where were you a decade ago? Kenton, called Kenny, Trevino, worked in a car wash in San Antonio to pay for his studies. His name or his face will not ring a bell, at least not yet. But this summer he is the coach of the Spurs during the Summer League. At only 31 years old, the tactician was anything but predestined for such a “summer job”. Here he is now in a position that several other “unknowns” have occupied before him who have gone on to coach in the NBA.
In 2013, Kenny Trevino was far from the parquet floors and whiteboards. I was the guy who scrubbed bugs off car bumpers ” he says to the San Antonio Express-News. It was while doing this bread-and-butter job that he met Travis Wade, the Spurs' equipment manager, who quickly took a liking to the young man. Initially recruited as a “ball boy” to hand out balls and towels, then promoted to equipment manager in turn in 2018, Kenny Trevino climbed the ranks in the shadows until he became the franchise's video coordinator last year.
Will Hardy as a model
” You don't just see match times, you can also be present at the coaches' meetings ” the technician feeds. ” That's the biggest thing. When you're a little mouse in the room and you hear Coach Pop and these guys talking about reports and analytics, it's really enlightening for a young coach. »
In this rare journey, worthy of a series or film script, Kenny Trevino and his almost adolescent face is part of a line of coaches who have passed through San Antonio and are now highly respected in the NBA.
Mike Budenholzer, Becky Hammon, Jacque Vaughn, James Borrego, Taylor Jenskins and Will Hardy all had their hands on the Spurs' Summer League team. Will was a young coach as well, and he's someone I've taken notes from and like to model myself after. ” reveals Kenny Trevino about his mentor and current Jazz bench man. ” He has a real voice as a coach. He does it his way, and I'm working on doing it my way too. »
Kenny Trevino also owes this voice this summer to a happy coincidence, especially in a coaching staff as substantial as that of the Spurs. Because in the middle of the Olympic summer, assistants Matt Neilsen, in charge of the summer team last year, and Mitch Johnson, are respectively with the Australian national team and Team USA, while the head of player development Josh Brannon followed Jeremy Sochan and the Polish selection.
Become a head coach one day
” At first I was a little surprised ” admits Harrison Ingram, drafted in the second round by the Texan franchise a few weeks ago. ” But when I saw Coach Trevino's energy and his authority in the locker room, I understood why he was the coach. He has a lot of respect as a head coach. »
” Whether we win, draw or lose, he always brings that energy. ” describes the leader Jamaree Bouyea. ” He always brings us the right systems, the right readings of the game. He does everything in his power. We just have to go out there and help him. »
Scheduled to lead San Antonio in the California and Las Vegas summer leagues, Kenny Trevino had a rough start, dropping 32 points to the Hornets and 26 points to the Kings before beating a China A' team on Tuesday. Then he'll be back in the shadows of his video room. And I love that ” he rejoices. ” Yes, obviously, one day I would like to be a coach in the NBA. But for now, I am focused on being the best video coordinator I can be. » What will it be like in ten years?
