NBA: Vipers Asst Cody Toppert Reflects On His Summer League Experience

Before the 2016-17 NBA D-League begins, Rio Grande Valley Assistant Coach Cody Toppert reflects on his experience during NBA Summer League

July 19th, 2016, was the last day for Cody Toppert, assistant coach of the D-league’s Rio Grande Vipers, in Las Vegas for Summer League.

He went from Sin City to Houston and was on his way driving towards Dallas. As he was in pursuit to a different city, he had the opportunity to reflect on his time in Vegas and rookie season as a D-league coach.

Toppert has been to the Vegas Summer League before, but this was the first time he was there being affiliated with a team. He was tasked with doing what the Rockets asked him to do such as Summer League practices and training camp in Houston before the team laced up for competition.

Toppert loved being around the coaches, in the meetings, and working with the players who could become Vipers in the fall, and having an opportunity to expand his knowledge on the the game of basketball from his peers. It’s his duty as a coach to become the best he can, and in Vegas he did just that.

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It’s quite obvious that most players playing in the Summer League in general won’t be in the NBA right away. Most know that and view the NBA’s summertime basketball season as job interviews for D-league teams, overseas clubs and making their presence known to NBA personnel for maybe a training camp invite or just being on their radar for the future.

“Not everybody at this summer league on our team is going to play in the NBA,” Toppert said. “That’s just the reality of it, there’s not enough spots. There are guys out there that maybe the D-league is right decision for them, the right place for them to grow, and maybe they fit with what we’re looking for.”

Toppert views Summer League as an opportunity to see if prospective players have what it takes to become Rockets in the future and if it makes sense for select players to join the Vipers. It’s a never-ending evaluation process because technology is constantly evolving, and more tools are becoming available to players and evaluators.

Toppert loves the entire thrill of evaluating, and knows that basketball never sleeps. It’s year round, played at every minute of everyday.

The Vipers mean a lot to the RGV community and I think that’s also what creates such a great atmosphere for us

In just a short year, he went from training NBA players and coaching youth, to becoming a teacher on the court and playing a vital role in the lives of the men he encounters. Toppert’s rookie year in the D-league as a coach finished with the Vipers going 29-21 and losing to the Austin Spurs in round one of the playoffs. The season had its up and downs, but it’s an experience he cherished greatly.

“Season one was outstanding. We have, perhaps, the best situation from a D-league standpoint in the entire league,” he said. “We have a great relationship with the Rockets and vice versa. The Rockets have always found value in the D-league, whether it’s from a player perspective or a coaching perspective, which is very, very exciting. We understand what they expect out of us as a coaching staff and out of our team, and we have their full support. In addition to that, we have amazing support down in RGV.”

There’s a culture within the Vipers organization that makes everyone proud to be a member of the team in some capacity. A key to their successful relationship with Houston is the length of their relationship. The two parties have been an exclusive item since the 2009-10 season, before single affiliations became a must.

Think about it like this: come the conclusion of next season, they’ll have been together for three presidential terms. Now that’s loyalty.

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“The Houston Rockets understand where the value is in the D-league and how they can provide value and receive value,” Toppert said.” I think that the Vipers understand that as well, and we’re jus trying to slide and continue that tradition of excellence.”

Toppert played a singular season in the D-league back in 2005-06 for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, who are now known as the Canton Charge. The camaraderie, communication and transparency is something Toppert believes to be pretty rare in organizations, which makes the bond more special between the Vipers and Rockets, because it’s something he hasn’t really seen or been a member of.

He directs all of the credit towards the general manager of the Vipers, Gianluca Pascucci. Toppert gushed over Pasucci’s ability to put the team, roster and support staff together for the organization to achieve success.

“I learned how different it is to be a development coach for individuals and how it is to truly be a coach for a professional team,” he said. “What I learned is how to build relationships, but balance a player’s desire to expand their role, a player’s desire to improve and to get out of the D-league with, perhaps, a role that they’ve been given in our team concept. There are agendas in the D-league, and that’s not a bad thing, because the D-league isn’t a career league, it’s more of a development and that means it’s a temporary league.”

Toppert has had experience in the player development world with players such as Nick Young, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Myles Turner, Devin Booker and much more. Working out with young players is his forte, and a reason why he is one of the more prepared assistant coaches in the D-league and will be returning for a second season in Rio Grande Valley.

He also coached at the academy and prep school level, which he credits for keeping him in a team concept. Doing so prior to joining Rio Grande Valley helped him gain the experience with duties such as before and after workouts, video breakdowns and more to become a success.

A lot went down during Toppert’s first season in the D-league, as a coach during the year and Summer League. He’s ready for the 2016-17 season, as it’s approaching quickly, and being a coach is a year round job. He loves his job, and most of all loves the fans who support the Vipers on a daily basis.

“The Vipers mean a lot to the RGV community and I think that’s also what creates such a great atmosphere for us,” Toppert said.

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With just a few more months left of the offseason, Toppert’s mind is set on speaking at a coaches clinic in New Mexico and a few camps if they’re approved by the team. Being busy is what he loves, but wants to lay low for a bit then get back into the mix of things when the timing is right.

As he leaves me to continue driving in the darkness, his next objective was to stay busy and handle his business by calling a coach .