In late summer 2014, the NBA hired Jason Rosenfeld as its first Director of Basketball Analytics. Previously, the Director of Analytics for the Charlotte Hornets, Rosenfeld was tabbed to head the new group within the league, under the auspices of the Basketball Operations department. While the league had no shortages of people doing similar work in related areas[1. There is a sizable business analytics presence within the league, as well as another group responsible for monitoring and tracking refereeing decisions. That department is in charge of things like the Final Two Minute reports.], this new unit was empowered to specifically study the on court product.
A graduate of Harvard with a major in Statistics and basketball experience ranging from the work with the Bobcats/Hornets, student-managing the Harvard team to working with the Yao Ming’s Shanghai Sharks while still in college, Rosenfeld’s purview is to help ensure the league has the information it needs to make decisions...
First of all listening to Mitch talk, for me, is like listening to somebody break really bad news to someone. Though he is a stand-up guy in many ways, I've no idea how he could ever be expected to close a free agent.
Some highlights (mostly Laker stuff here only):
Plans to work in basketball still will check other teams for positions.
Feels Jim's self-declared "timetable" to return the team to prominence was both incorrect in span and probably doomed the both of them.
Said he and Jim felt it was clear PJ did not want to coach anymore and that if they could talk him into it, it would've been a 1 year job so they moved on.
Sticks up for D'Antonio and his hire. Says he's one of the best coaches and that today's game is because of him....
