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Championship team gives Coach Neilsen champion’s send-off
by Paul Teetor
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Redondo coach Jim Neilsen reflects on his nine years of coaching the Sea Hawks. Photo by Paul Teetor |
It was an emotional farewell Monday night when Redondo boys basketball Coach Jim Neilsen said goodbye to friends and family at the Seahawks annual end-of -season banquet.
Until last week, the banquet at the Redondo Elks Club was shaping up as a celebration of the greatest season in Seahawk history, a season that saw them win the school’s first California Interscholastic Federation championship since 1943 and finish one game short of the state championship final.
But that all changed when Neilsen, 52, announced he was leaving, after nine years at Redondo, to join the staff of his high-school buddy, Paul Westphal, who was just named the head coach at Pepperdine University. Westphal, a Manhattan Beach resident and a former star at Aviation High School, USC and the NBA, was a featured speaker at the banquet.
"I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be working
with him," Neilsen told the crowd of more than 250 people who feasted on
chicken, ribs and pasta and then sat back for the long goodbye. "Here he
is, my new boss, Paul Westphal."
Westphal returned the compliment.
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Pepperdine University basketball coachPaul Westphal tells Redondo players they're the reason he stole their coach. Photo by Paul Teetor |
"I saw your team play four or five times, including the CIF championship game," Westphal said. "I love the way the Seahawks play good, sound, unselfish basketball. That’s why I stole your coach, and that’s why I’m going to be recruiting several of your players."
Then, looking directly at Seahawk senior star Dijon Thompson, who has already committed to UCLA, Westphal said: "I wish I could have gotten this job just a little sooner."
Westphal then told several inspirational stories, and concluded by telling all the students and players in the room: "Life’s too short to mess around — just do the right thing every day you’re here."
UCLA coach Steve Lavin also gave an inspirational speech, outlining his formula for a successful student-athlete. Afterwards, he talked about the 6-foot-7 Thompson, who signed an early letter of commitment last fall.
"Dijon is an impact player, the kind of guy who can come in and play right away and keep a school at the elite level," Lavin said.
As far as where Thompson would play or who he’ll be competing against for playing time, Lavin said he expects Thompson to play some point guard, some shooting guard and some small forward.
""We’re going to press full court and try to run people out of the gym, so Dijon will get plenty of playing time," Lavin said. "He’s extremely versatile, and plays both ends of the floor very well."
And Lavin predicted Thompson could have a future in the NBA.
"If he continues his growth and maintains a great attitude, the sky’s the limit for Dijon," he said.
For his part, Thompson said he was just grateful to have three years with Coach Neilsen and would do whatever Coach Lavin asked of him.
"It’s been a long road for me since my freshman year," Thompson said, looking back. "I played JV as a freshman, then some varsity as a sophomore. That summer I just worked on my game every day, that ‘s all I did. The next season everything started to come together for me."
At the end of his speech, Neilsen said the Seahawks — with four returning starters, including All-Americans Adam Zahn and Wendell White — have a very good chance to win the state championship next year.
"If you stay together and continue to work hard, you can definitely win a state championship," he said.
After the banquet, White, a 6-foot-4 sophomore rated as one of the top-100 prospects in the country next year, put to rest rumors that he may transfer out of Redondo.
"I’m definitely coming back to Redondo," White said. ER