NBA Update: The Remarkable Recruiter- Josh Pastner keeps busy with his job while his baby is born
Although Josh Pastner, the Memphis coach spent all of this season on the road, for him the recruiting session had already begun two months earlier.
He started off with his job diligently in a place, which no one, who has had any bit of interest with NCAAB, can even think of. He started his dealings in a hospital room.
Kerri Pastner absentmindedly listened to the phone calls her husband made to the potential recruiters. The phone calls went on... until Kerri finally knew she was about to give birth.
“I was busy with my job when she started yelling at me to attend to her. I noticed that her contractions were quite serious,” says Josh. “At that moment, she was my coach and I was her assistant. I had to listen to her.”
Moments later, Payten Pastner joined her parents. Her daddy was overwhelmed with joy. He quickly cut off her cord and grabbed his wife’s iPhone to save some precious moments.
“I picked up the iPhone and started taking pictures like a madman. When I put it down, there were about 400 pictures of her. I started sending to my friends. It was one great feeling. Something I will never forget.”
An hour later, Payten went off to sleep. Pastner found the perfect opportunity to do- what he was supposed to do-or what he thinks he was supposed to do. Call prospects. Again.
He called up several of them saying, “My wife just gave birth, but I am still thinking of you.”
Josh laughs his head off recalling the time. He says, “The recruits I called that day had to come to the Memphis. If they are still not showing up, holy cow! What else can I do?”
His first year into this job, Pastner has worked remarkably hard. He had already brought up the team and plans to do a lot more to take it to the top. Pastner is known to have pulled top players into the league.
Following the birth of his daughter, a few days later his other “children” started off with their college career by training on Tigers campus in June. Currently, 2010s recruiting class is considered as number two in United States- one place behind Kentucky, according to the source Rivals.com. The statistics have magnified Josh Pastners name a great deal. He rose to this place in a short span of seven months after taking over from John Calipari.
The Tigers started off with their tedious routine on Monday. They plan to visit Bahamas for a series of exhibition games. This would help them focus on their strengths and build team chemistry in the long run.
When questioned about the training, Pastner said, “I’m really very excited. Apparently, they are giving above-the-line performance. It means that the college atmosphere and its discipline have been good for them.” He continued, “I am not the best man here. There are a lot of things that I have yet to learn.”
In Pastners first season, Memphis managed to mark 24-10 and landed on the second place in Conference USA with a record of 13-3. However, the Tigers could not make it to the NCAA. However, it definitely wasn’t due to Pastners’ lack of commitment. Since Calipari took along majority of the Memphis recruits to Kentucky, Tigers did not have much substance to make it to the NCAA.
Memphis fans expectations are far too high this season.
Power forward, Will Coleman and small forward Wesley Witherspoon are back to the block. Angel Garcia is expected to join the league anytime soon, after recovering from an injury that did not let him play last season.
There are a lot high hopes from the Tigers newcomers as well. Players like Chris Crawford, Joe Jackson, Antonio Barton, Jelan Kendrick and Tarik Black are regarded as assets for the team.
For Pastner, 2010 has brought many royals.15 months ago, he placed third under Calipari. Now, he heads one of the best teams in the preseason.
In addition, he now fathers a baby girl.
“Every morning I wake up and am thankful for all the pleasures I have got.” Says Josh, “I am savouring every moment of my life.”
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