The Rising Coaches Podcast

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Paul Mulcahy, former Division I player and founder of Share the Game. Mulcahy built his playing career at Rutgers and Washington before transitioning into coaching as an assistant at Gill St. Bernard’s High School. His experience as a high-level point guard gives him a unique perspective on leadership, communication, and the impact coaches can have on their players. In this episode we discuss the coaches who brought the best out of him and the lessons he took from them, great advice for point guards to help them lead their team effectively and the power of choosing your words and communicating as a coach.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Mark Richmond, Assistant Coach at Youngstown State University. Coach Richmond began his journey at West Virginia as a student assistant, practice player, and manager before building an impressive coaching résumé with stops at Centenary College of Louisiana, the University of Charleston, East Tennessee State, Fordham, and now Youngstown State. He also gained valuable experience leading his own program as the head coach at Notre Dame College. In this episode we discuss the lasting lessons he learned from working under coaching legends in John Beilein and Bob Huggins, the responsibilities of a head coach that many assistants don't fully appreciate until they're in the role, and how his time as a head coach has made him a more effective assistant today.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, Doug and Alan dive into one of the most important topics in today's game: Recruiting Over Rankings. Answering questions submitted by our listeners and Rising Coaches members, we discuss how recruiting philosophies have evolved, how to uncover whether a recruit is truly the right fit for your program, why recruiting should be a full-staff effort instead of resting on one coach, and creative ways to separate yourself in today's competitive recruiting landscape. Whether you're recruiting high school prospects or transfers, this episode is filled with practical ideas for coaches at every level. We hope you enjoy it.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by LaPhonso Ellis, former NBA veteran, current basketball analyst, and head coach of Team Heartfire in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). In this first part of a two-part conversation, Ellis reflects on his journey through the game and the coaches who helped shape his understanding of leadership and winning at every level. In this episode we discuss what made Coach Digger Phelps such an effective leader and how he earned buy-in from his players, the key coaching traits he’s picked up from some of the best minds he’s been around, and what elite coaches consistently do behind the scenes that most fans never get to see.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Bo Gray, Assistant Coach at Tarleton State University. Gray’s coaching journey began at Youngstown State, where he worked his way from manager to head manager before continuing his rise through roles at Illinois State and now Tarleton State. His path is a great example of how consistency and adding value can open doors in the profession. In this episode we discuss how his responsibilities evolved throughout his time at Youngstown State, the key moments and relationships that helped shape his coaching journey, and how he approaches his role as a young assistant working alongside experienced coaches on staff.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Austin Kidd, former college assistant coach and current Account Executive with Synergy Sports. Kidd built his coaching career with stops at Transylvania, Kentucky, Florida Gulf Coast, and The Citadel, gaining experience at multiple levels of the game before making the transition out of coaching. Today, he continues to impact the basketball world through his work with Synergy Sports. In this episode we discuss the story behind his first college coaching opportunity in division 3 and how it eventually led him to Kentucky, what drew him to leave the coaching profession after years on the sidelines, and some exciting projects and opportunities Synergy Sports has on the horizon.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Preston Murphy, Assistant Coach at the University of Alabama. Coach Murphy’s journey began as a player at Rhode Island before playing professionally in Belgium and Holland, and then transitioning into coaching at the high school level as the head coach at Woonsocket High School. He has since built an extensive Division I résumé with stops at Boston College, Rhode Island, Creighton, Elite EYBL, and now Alabama, where he continues to make an impact at the highest level of college basketball. In this episode we discuss what he learned starting his coaching career in the high school ranks, how he evaluates whether a player truly fits a program during the recruiting process, and an overlooked recruiting mistake young coaches make early in their careers.

On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Steven Harbert, Head Coach at North Marion High School. Coach Harbert has spent years coaching and developing athletes at the high school level, including time as an assistant before taking over the program at North Marion. Along the way, he has also coached multiple sports, helping him gain valuable experience working with different athletes, personalities, and team dynamics. His background has shaped a strong approach to leadership, communication, and program building. In this episode we discuss how to coach and connect with different types of players, the best ways to build and sustain a strong program during the offseason, and the pros and cons of multi-sport athletes in today’s high school sports landscape.