Personality and approach
Speaking to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz back in 2015, sharpshooter Kyle Korver explained what made his then Hawks coach different from many of the other coaches around the league.
"“There’s this really fine line that some coaches don’t try to walk. I feel like every coach is either really good at X’s and O’s or a really good personality manager, and there aren’t many coaches who know how to walk the middle. Bud? I’ve never seen a coach at any level who does it better than him.”"
While much of the discussion around Budenholzer tends to focus on his ability as a tactician, his overall philosophy can more easily be parsed from the way he builds and manages relationships with his players.
Budenholzer’s approach to coaching is evidence of his belief that every individual matters, not only in a basketball sense but on a personal level too. It also comes with the understanding that each player is different and can have varying needs in order to perform at their best.
Describing how Budenholzer and his staff value a screen to free up a shooter as much as the ball going through the hoop, Korver hit on one of the most obvious reasons for such an approach
"“Everyone matters, and if you feel like you matter, you take ownership.”"
That has notably translated over into the exceptional development work Budenholzer and his assistant coaches have been responsible for in recent years.
Perhaps best highlighted in a Scott Cacciola feature entitled “Nourish the Individual” for the New York Times from 2015, Budenholzer and his staff devise highly specialized development regimens for all of their players. Players are given a narrow focus on how they can improve their body, mind or game, and then have the chance to work on it in a one-to-one setting with assistants.
The philosophy was one Budenholzer adopted and formed in his time in San Antonio, and with the results of what’s become widely known as “Hawks University” in recent years, it’s safe to say it’s been a roaring success. As then Hawks assistant and now the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Kenny Atkinson explained back in 2015:
"“I think the league is really trending toward shorter practices and more quality individual time. It’s the difference between being in a class with 30 other kids and getting one-on-one tutoring for 20 or 30 minutes.”"
Extending beyond the work with coaches, Budenholzer also has a keen focus on how his players can build relationships and help each other to improve. In a profile on Jeff Teague, Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins highlighted some of the ways things changed for Teague and the rest of the Hawks following Budenholzer’s arrival in 2013.
"“Budenholzer wanted players sitting next to one teammate they could influence and another who could influence them. This is crazy, Teague thought. Budenholzer also wanted the Hawks eating dinner together after road games. “Breaking bread,” he called it.”"
This care for the individual extends to the approach Budenholzer employs off the court too. The 48-year-old has been known to regularly socialize with players and visit them at their homes. As Jenkins laid out:
"“He went to a Drake concert with small forward DeMarre Carroll. He calls or texts players after tough losses: ‘Thinking about you, man. Don’t worry about the last shot. We got another one tomorrow.’ The Hawks refer to him as Bud, which is appropriate. ‘I’ve never had a coach care about me like this,’ says Teague, who has eaten dinner with Budenholzer’s family and plays one-on-one with his sons before games.”"
For those unfamiliar with this side of Budenholzer or more accustomed to watching him from a distance, it may come as a surprise in part due to the demeanor he can bring to the sideline. Budenholzer is famously animated and emotive during games. That’s not something that always endears a coach to fans, but it leaves players with no doubt that he’s fighting their corner.
With a focus on maximizing the effectiveness of each individual and then shaping a united group of improved players, it seems like no coincidence that Budenholzer is the only coach ever to have overseen a starting lineup that was collectively awarded NBA Player of the Month.