For TNT active consultant Mark Dickel, playing NBA 2K is more than just a way of spending quality time with his three young sons.
The Kiwi mentor told Coaches Unfiltered, presented by SMART, that he has utilized the video game as a tool for understanding the game deeper.
And yes, that is coming from someone who has actually played in the Olympics — not just once, but twice.
“I got young kids, they love 2K. So I kinda used that as a learning tool, just playing with them all the time,” the 45-year-old coach said.
Dickel explained that NBA 2K was instrumental in his growth as a coach, especially when he was learning to see basketball from a different perspective.
Watching film was, of course, a huge part still, but playing such gave him a chance to grasp the intricacies of the game better.
“I went from the eyes of the player where I was really looking at my own performance, to now I’m looking at all five positions. It really taught me about big men, positioning, timing, all that. And other positions I hadn’t really thought about: the three position, the four position and what the guys on the bench, how can they fit in. It (film) really taught me the game,” he said.
“What helped a whole lot was NBA 2K, like just seeing the patterns and the movement — it’s very similar. I would encourage all kids to play there. It really helps just understanding the game; guys’ strengths and weaknesses; the guys on the team that can shoot, the guys that you don’t shoot shots with. So all of that stuff, it kinda got meshed in together.”
Since he has opened up about his love for NBA 2K, Dickel was then asked which team does he use whenever he plays with his sons.
“I like playing with the [Miami] Heat before they made it all the way to the Finals because they’re kinda lowkey. But they kinda corrected themselves by doing better and going all the way. I also like [Devin] Booker, then I get a key shotblocker, someone off the bench, and see what I can do with that guy, and pick another team like Minnesota,” he said.
The UNLV product, who said that he’s been playing NBA games since Live 95, admitted that he isn’t fond of playing star-studded teams.
Why, though?
“I don’t really like taking the good teams because if I play all the good teams on my kids, I’d smash them, right?” quipped Dickel, who’s been in the Philippines with his family since 2018, after beginning his role with the Tropang Giga. “So I tend to give them a chance. I’d let them play with the [Los Angeles] Lakers or the Clippers, and I’d play with whoever.
“And if they beat me, I am super bitter too.”
