From: The Washington Post
By: Ivan Carter
Shot Guru Hopla Has Helped Team Improve Percentage From Line, Other Areas of Court
Even when he misses a free throw this season, which is not nearly as often as in the past, Wizards center Brendan Haywood doesn’t worry too much about it. He simply waits for a chance to consult with assistant coach-player development Dave Hopla and makes the necessary adjustment the next time he steps to the line.
It is hard to believe that the season is already half over. We are sitting at 23 and 18 with no Gilbert and no Etan. Hopefully we will have them both back soon. It is amazing what modern medicine can do these days.
Antawn and Caron both deserve to be All Stars. As good as they are as players, they are even better human beings. AJ is a 20 and 10 guy night in and night out. Caron brings toughness to the team and has raised his game to another level.
We have a tough stretch coming up. We are in Milwaukee tonight. Last time we played them Redd was out and we picked up a victory. They are a different team with him and they are looking to push the ball more than the last time we played them. Then we have Toronto back to back. We play them home on Tuesday and then in Toronto on Wed. They have been playing extremely well as of late. Then we have Utah home on Friday. Utah is a very good team that is very physical.
This past week we had a real nice win versus Dallas on Martin Luther King day. Then we were horrible against the Cavs. We were bad defensively and offensively. The Cavs rolled over us. Thank goodness there is another game to get ready for. Memphis comes into town for our next game. We beat them on Friday evening. We started out with our best quarter of the year, holding Memphis to nine points while scoring 30.
It is great going to Milwaukee to see my good friend Jim Todd. JT was up in Toronto last year where he was the lead assistant to Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell. This is JT’s third stint in Milwaukee. He has been an unbelievable friend of mine over the years. I have known him for many many years and have done numerous camps and clinics with him. We had a lot of fun up in Toronto with Bobby Peterson. Hopefully I will be able to catch up with Bobby and the rest of the guys in Toronto.
Carole, McKenna and Jessica (our nanny) are settling in just fine. Still learning their way around. They know the way to every mall and shopping area already. I know my way to and from the Verizon Center.
Thanks to everyone that have purchased my videos and dvd’s and logged on to my website.
Until next week. Have a blessed week
A nice video of Dave shooting made by the AP to coincide with the recent article written by the AP.
View the video here.
From: D.C. Sports Bog
By: Dan Steinberg
I meant to link to this extremely well-done Dave Hopla profile by the AP’s Howard Fendrich when it came out two weeks ago, but I never did. But you must read it, if for no other reason than this section:
This past week we played the Hawks in Atlanta on Friday night and we pulled out a road win in OT. The Hawks are a high flying bunch and getting better all the time. After the game I was lucky enough to see my brother in law and sister in law before flying back to DC. We then had to play the Celtics at home on Saturday night. We came out with a very exciting win. Down late in the fourth quarter and we pulled it out. The guys never gave up and Coach Jordan did his usual outstanding job. Randy Ayers has the guys playing defense like they never have done before. I don’t think anyone expected us to win, except for the coaches and the players. Now we have to go to Boston and play them again on Monday night.
Boston, it always amazes me how good the bus drivers are as they have about six inches clearance to get the bus into the arena. To top it off they have to back up this ramp about 50 yards with the six inches clearance. I think the architects forgot to add an entrance for the buses and then as an after thought built this ramp on the far corner of the building. The gym is always freezing. During shootaround and pre game. It sure heated up at game time. The Celtics were fired up for revenge and had a big lead with six minutes and change. Our guys never quit and we escaped with another victory. Two wins against the best team in the NBA makes for a great week.
Leaving for the airport all is well with the weather. We get to Logan and the bus doesn’t have clearance for the overpass. We have the escape hatch on the roof rip off. Luckily nobody was hurt. The bus gets stuck so we walk to the terminal and go through security. Arrive in NY about 2 am. I am sure everyone is exhausted.
New York beats us at the Garden. We played like we were tired. We also played without Antonio Daniels. We are not the same without him. He is a true professional, always putting in extra work. The Knicks shot the lights out and their bench was very productive. We fell behind by 22 early and clawed our way back but came up short. The starters had to play too many minutes. Back to DC and prepare for the Knicks again.
The Knicks have won three in a row they have beaten Detroit, us and NJ last night. Jamal Crawford is on a roll. They are much better than their record indicates. We came away with a nice win. The difference in the game was we had some rest, AD returned and the bench gave us a great game. It is good to be home.
Not a bad week for us wins against Atlanta, Boston twice and a split with the Knicks.
I have finally moved into my new place and my wife Carole and daughter McKenna are down for good. They have been traveling back and forth from Maine while Carole recuperated from her foot surgery. It’s tough being apart from the ones that you love and it is impossible to be a good husband and father when you are not together. Last year in Toronto was very difficult being away from family and not getting to see them on a regular basis. Now being in D.C. gives me that opportunity to be with them. I miss Toronto and every one involved with the organization, everyone there treated me well and made me feel at home. The players were great both on and off the floor. Bible study group headed by Herbie was truly a blessing for me and the regular guys who attended. Joey, AP, Juan, Hump, Luke and Willis the security guy.
I just couldn’t go back to Toronto without seeing and being with my family. My wife’s job would not allow her to work out of Canada. As much as I love basketball, nothing compares to my love for my wife and daughter. Now I am living the dream, my wife, my daughter and the NBA. I cannot thank Bryan Colangelo enough for giving me the chance to work full time in the NBA. My family and I are looking forward to seeing all the sites in Washington, DC.
Everything is fine in D.C. I just keep praying for Gilbert to come back healthy and better than ever. People don’t realize how special this kid is. He has an unbelievable work ethic and drive. It is always a special occasion to see him in the locker room and to have him on the bench. Hopefully, I can get Gil to be a guest blogger.
The rest of the guys are doing a great job. It seems that everyone is contributing. Pech returned from his broken ankle in Atlanta and scored his first NBA bucket. Congratulations Pech!!! Coach Jordan and all of the assistants are fantastic and very knowledgeable. They are doing an unbelievable job in having the players ready to play and have them focused on the correct way to play the game. This is a special group of players to overcome all the injury problems that we have had. They just keep coming to the gym working and not complaining about anything. True professionals in every sense of the word.
We have Boston later tonight and then again on Monday. Until the next update, Best Swishes, Dave
By: The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) -It seems safe to say he owns the highest shooting percentages of anyone on an NBA payroll.
Even Gilbert Arenas wouldn’t dare challenge him to a 3-point contest.
Washington Wizards assistant coach Dave Hopla is a 6-foot bundle of energy with graying temples, a slight paunch and a rat-a-tat-tat patter. He also can put the basketball in the hoop, over and over and over again.
Continue reading Swish! Wizards assistant Dave Hopla shoots, shoots, shoots – and teaches
Welcome to davehopla.com. I am very excited for the upcoming year, hope that you are too. I will be blogging each week and I will also have guest bloggers on the site as well. On my blog I will be giving updates as to what I am doing, how the team is doing, as well as some of the players that I have worked with in the past. I am really looking forward to doing this.
Now that I am working with the Wizards, I don’t get to see as many college and high school games as I did in the past. But I sure do get to watch the greatest athletes in the world play on a daily basis. I have been blessed by the Good Lord to be involved with the game that I love for 38 years now. It is hard to believe that I am now 50.
I always enjoy hearing from ex campers as to what they are doing with themselves. Keep me posted, I would love to hear from you. Any suggestions that anyone might have about the website, let me know. My main man Rob Santoro and I are always looking to improve it and keep it fresh.
We have Houston tomorrow night at the Verizon Center and then go to Atlanta to play on Friday. Back home to play the Celtics this Saturday. Until next week, may your jumper hit nothing but the bottom of the net.
Here is another article from a Spanish Sports newspaper about Dave Hopla. Enjoy!
Attached is a download of a recent article by Dave Hopla in a Spanish Sports newspaper. Check it out!
