In today’s episode we sat down with Nicki Gross, Special Assistant to the Head Coach for Vanderbilt University Men’s Basketball, Jerry Stackhouse, who is a 18 year NBA veteran and two-time NBA All-Star. Nicki is incredibly talented, hard working, and is well on the path to achieving all of her dreams. 

In today’s episode we discuss:

• How to put yourself in a position to be lucky 
• What she’s learned on all of her different stops so far 
• What working for Jerry Stackhouse has taught her

Nicki oversees the day-to-day organization of the head coach, assists with opponent scouting and special projects, organizes practice plans and facilitates staff execution. She has extensive basketball experience in the NBA and G League, where she served as the assistant coach with the Iowa Energy in the 2015-16 season and the Raptors 905 franchise from 2016-18, where she was a member of Stackhouse’s staff. She was also the Energy’s head video coordinator in 2014-15 before being promoted to an assistant coach position. At the time in 2015, Gross was the only female coach in the NBA G League and third in its history, following assistant Stephanie Ready (2001-03) and head coach Nancy Lieberman (2009-11). Nicki truly embodies what it takes to succeed in both the business of sports and in life. 

Connect with Nicki Gross: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

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WHERE TO LISTEN

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SHOW NOTES

• What life was like for Nicki as a child and how she found her interests in sports (3:44)
• Nicki’s favorite sports growing up (5:00)
• The moment Nicki decided she wanted to work in the basketball industry (7:11)
• What life is like as a grad assistant (9:55)
• Advice for anyone who wants to be a grad assistant (11:50)
• Nicki’s next role after working as a grad assistant (14:33)
• Who is the person who hires the grad assistants? (15:53)
• Nicki’s experience with NBA Summer League (18:15)
• Nicki’s journey across the country for her first job after NBA Summer League (29:00)
• Did Nicki’s previous position as a grad assistant prepare her for her career? (31:00)
• How long did Nicki stay with the Bakersfield Jam? (32:35)
• What Nicki did after she got promoted and fired in the same week (36:43)
• Nicki talks about her time in Toronto, Canada and working in Africa (42:35)
• Nicki’s relationship with Jerry Stackhouse (47:50)
• Her role as a special assistant to the head coach (57:07)
• Nicki speaks on some of the main skills that people wanting to break into the sports industry should develop on their own time (59:15)
• Some of the things Nicki has learned while working for Jerry Stackhouse (1:03:40)
• What’s are some of they keys to Jerry Stackhouse’s success? (1:06:10)
• Nicki’s daily habits (1:08:30)
• Nicki’s favorite books (1:12:05)
• Advice for females who are trying to get ahead in the sports industry (1:15:40)

LINKS

• NBA Summer League 
• Iowa Energy
• Raptors 905
• Jerry Stackhouse
• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
• The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
• The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching by Dean Smith