Coach Shannan Lum Reflects on the Journey that Led Her to Coaching in the NBA
By: Dylan Tehada
Basketball is a multi-faceted game. While many eyes fixate on the athletes on the court, there is so much important work that goes on behind the scenes, whether it be coaches working with players to develop their skills during practice, video coordinators breaking down film, or trainers working with athletes in the weight room. One example of the many staff members that make the magic happen on the floor is Shannan Lum, Quality Control Coach / Special Assistant to the Head Coach for the Dallas Mavericks and sister of UPB’s very own Coach Walter Lum.
Lum undying passion for hoops fuels her desire to help athletes be the best version of themselves on and off the court. She discovered her knack for teaching the game of basketball by simply attending her younger brother’s high school practices and teaching his teammate’s younger siblings the fundamentals of the game. She felt connected to the game more than ever by sharing her love for the game with others, and seeks to share this same sentiment with the athletes she coaches to this day.
“I connected with the idea of watching [young athletes] listen to me teach them something as simple as how to dribble the ball or how to form shoot,” Lum said. “I fell in love with the scene of joy on their eyes when whatever I was saying clicked for them.”
After high school, Lum traveled across the country to St. John’s University in New York. During her sophomore year, she became a student manager for the men’s basketball team. As a student manager, Lum was surrounded by forward thinking individuals like Coach Chris Mullin, who believed in her and reinvigorated her love for coaching. After graduating from St. John’s University, she returned to the Bay Area where she interned at Stanford University and joined the coaching staff as a video coordinator at UC Berkeley.
A big moment in Lum’s coaching career was when she joined the coaching staff as a Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Nebraska who is coached by former NBA player and Vice President of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Fred Hoiberg. Lum’s intentions were always to find a coaching role in basketball and she took full advantage of learning from how Hoiberg managed and led the Cornhuskers. She truly believed she would be staying in Nebraska for an extended period of time, until she got an opportunity from the Dallas Mavericks to be a special assistant to head Coach Jason Kidd.
“[Throughout my journey] I had the really good fortune of meeting great people who were always open minded and forward thinking individuals…,” Lum stated. “I believe if you show how much you care about other people and make their lives as successful as you're trying to make your own, they grow to have true respect and want to help you succeed in your life too, so I took a lot of pride in doing that for all the people I worked for and worked with.”
One of the marquee moments that Lum was able to put her coaching into practice was during this year’s Summer League. The Summer League is just as important for coaches as it is for players in terms of getting reps and preparing for the upcoming season. In her role as Quality Control Coach / Special Assistant to the Head Coach Lum is a liaison between the head coach and coaching staff to other departments and players through player development and operational endeavors. This summer, Lum took full advantage of being able to help the young talent on the Mavericks and learned a great deal about what it takes to be an impactful leader and coach.
“It’s my responsibility as a coach, to help [the Mavericks’ athletes] be the best they can be for the team, but also for themselves, and then hopefully give them the answers to the test so they feel prepared as they step on the court,” Lum stated.
Lum truly embodies the hard work and dedication that it takes to pave a career in coaching. Her passion for the game and desire to help others is felt by anyone she encounters, and will no doubt be an indispensable asset to the Mavericks this upcoming season. We wish Coach Lum the best in the upcoming season and cannot wait to see the impact she makes this year!
